Half Moon Cay: Sea Horses!

By: Michelle Morañha Winner

February 9, 2010

Sea Horses!

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Half Moon Cay is the kind of place you dream about if you want a powdery crescent of beach curving around turquoise water with soft sand bottom. Add a horseback ride along the beach and you are in Paradise.

One of 700 low-lying islands and cays scattered for 100,000 square miles in the southwestern Atlantic from Florida to Haiti, Holland America developed Half-Moon Cay (pronounced key) to provide a day of fun and sun to include a barbecue, sipping tropical drinks with the requisite umbrellas, swimming, paddle boating, sting ray lagoons, sailing, para-sailing, long walks on the beach, snorkeling, yoga, massage, shopping, and, of course, horseback riding in the gentle ocean.
Not a large island like Eleuthera, Andros or others with commerce and housing, this island is solely for the use of the HAL cruise ship guests. After stopping for only a day in each of three ports prior to this stop, Grand Turk, San Juan, and St. Thomas, it was heaven to have a beach day!

On the island, Pegasus Ranch is shaded by palms, boasts 35 horses, and occupies part of the interior of the cay. At the corral down at the beach, Groom Rupert Scott tells me the horses barged over from Florida and the Bahamas islands and are mostly Arabians, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds. “Hay and water has to be barged in, too, and it comes from America,” Rupert tells me. He loves living on the cay, taking care of the horses.

In the pastel beach shack tended by the beautiful Miss Eva Rolle of Eleuthera, we pull pants over our swimsuits, slather on sun screen, and line up for a helmet fitting. Rupert asks the riders about our experience level as he has us mount. Many who tell him they are experienced falter at this simple exercise and he quickly sorts them out on the proper horse with no embarrassment to anyone, “especially the horse,” he says with a bright smile.

We ride up a sandy hill behind the corral and wander the trail between the inland scrub and ocean-side ironwood to enjoy a view of the whole island and the sea. After winding around to the ranch to see the stallions, we return to the beach corral, dismount, and strip down to swimsuits. New mounts, saddled in neoprene, are offered to the guests. I’m thinking these saddles provide the gringos some traction for their seat in the water as they are not doing much else for me! The horses know the drill so well they really don’t require any cues. Hitting the water is a shock after baking on the ride to the ranch but it is magnificent to walk our horses in the azure ocean. What a fantastic feeling, being in the water on a horse!

An hour and 20 minutes passes so quickly. At the corral the group dismounts. The grooms shake hands with all of the men and say “ Great ride, Mon.” To the ladies they say “Respect m’lady!” They are such a beautiful people, dark with alert eyes and blazing smiles and this ride is one of those “bucket list” once-in-a-life-time experiences I highly recommend. Rupert gave me one big tip to pass along to you. When you book your Holland America itinerary to cruise the Caribbean (one that includes a stop on Half Moon Cay), book your horseback ride at the same time. The ride is always sold out at cruise time!

TO GET THERE:
Ft. Lauderdale Airport is a few miles from cruise port. Stay the night before your cruise as embarkation can be early. I stay at Marriott Courtyard in Dania Beach
www.FtLauderdaleAirportCourtyard.com. They pick up at the airport and tariff is moderate for the area. A great museum, the Fishing Hall of Fame, is next to the hotel and has fantastic displays. www.igfa.org

Holland America Caribbean cruises sail out of Ft. Lauderdale. www.HollandAmerica.com for itineraries and descriptions of activities onboard ship. Enjoy wine tasting, casino, shows, spa, duty-free shopping, chef demos, and fine dining. In compliance with new FTC rules, I received no compensation from HAL or Marriott to write this article.

IN PORTS:
Take a cab to Bohio Resort and relax at this unpretentious beachfront restaurant and hotel owned by Gerhard Hurst and Kelly Shanahan. www.bohioresort.com. A top dive destination, this PADI-certified resort offers snorkeling or diving right out front. Afterwards, dip into a potent rum punch and some conch fritters or soup. You’ll enjoy whatever chef Jorika Mhende cooks up. www.turksandcaicostourism.com

San Juan, Puerto Rico: Contact tour guide Victor Rivera prior to your trip and he’ll meet you at the dock, www.prnaturalculturalpapo.com. After a fantastic walking tour, end up at Latin Roots Restaurant, www.thelatinroots.com, and learn salsa dancing, taste fabulous Puerto Rican cuisine and sip a stellar mojito. For more on this beautiful island, www.gotopuertorico.com.

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands: Charlotte Amalie’s fantastic downtown shopping is a draw but don’t miss Coral World at Coki Point. They offer scuba, turtle, and sea-life encounters, semi-sub, sea lions, and displays. Low key, you can also come to enjoy the beach. A 25-minute cab ride or rent a car. www.coralworldvi.com. For lunch, enjoy tender conch in butter sauce on the deck of the Watson family’s restaurant the Petite Pump Room with expansive views of the bay, www.petitepumproom.com. Visit www.usvitourism.vi for more.

In compliance with FTCrules, I had a gratis tour and dinner at Latin Roots in San Juan, lunch at Bohio T & C, and lunch and tour in St. Thomas, courtesy of the hosts and Tourism Departments. I write about my adventures because I enjoy them not because I am obligated to.

Photos courtesy of Kurt Winner

Hawaii cuisine: Four Pepper Spicy Grilled Chicken

Growing up in Hawaii you develop an appreciation for cross cultural mingling, especially in cuisine. Kurt Winner, my husband a native New York to Hawaii transplant and an avid chef, developed this favorite family recipe years ago. You can use it to create kabobs along with fat quarters of red,green and yellow bell peppers and onions or as a simple marinade for grilled chicken. He favors it served Buffalo New York style with an Oregon twist; alongside some Oregon Rogue bleu cheese dip and crudites.

Four Pepper Spicy Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 package NOH Korean Kim Chee mix
• 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• Szechuan peppercorns,crushed
• black pepper,ground
• Cayenne pepper,ground
• chili pepper flakes
• bleu cheese, Rogue Bleu from Southern Oregon preferred
• Litehouse bleu cheese dressing,ready made
• crudites;celery sticks,broccoli florets,cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks,red bell peppers

Directions:

A few hours before you wish to grill, sprinkle the NOH Kim Chee mix over the chicken in a zip lock bag, and as much of the four peppers as you wish ( be careful of the Szechuan - it overpowers easily) and put in the refrigerator. Prepare the crudites and arrange on a chilled platter. Crumble as much bleu cheese as you want into the Litehouse dressing and mix it together. When you are ready take the chicken out of the bag and grill it. Cut it into bite sized pieces and plate. Serve with the crudites plate and bleu cheese dip.

Serves six.

Note: NOH Kim Chee mix is available at Oriental Grocery on Southeast Portland's 82nd Avenue, Fu Bon shopping center on 82nd and Lilly Market in Southeast at 1001 N.E. Halsey. It contains chili pepper,garlic,ginger,shrimp salt and sugar.

Butte Creek Mill’s Bob Russell grinds it out

Bob Russell had a perfectly good life in toney Lake Oswego. He also had a huge collection of antiques- and “corporate uniform”neckties. But when Bob and His wife Debbie found an old mill along Little Butte Creek in Eagle Point, Oregon, the world changed for them.

Falling in love with the lifestyle along the Little Butte, a salmon tributary to the Rogue River, Bob and Debbie purchased the mill, a house across the street and an old cheese factory next door to the mill for an antique store. And Bob got rid of all of his neckties!

Bob greets me with a big smile from the flower-lined front porch of the 136 year old mill. “It’s the only grist mill in Oregon still grinding flour,” Bob tells me and the couple gathered in the entryway as he offers us a tour of the mill. He recites some history as we queue up behind him and waddle like ducklings behind Bob down the narrow stairs to the basement. “From as far back as1872 and far afield; farmers pulled their wagons filled with grain to the mill to have their flour ground. Every seventh bag of flour belonged to the miller as payment, to sell in the adjacent Butte Creek general store. Even the Klamath Indians came walking 90 miles from Fort Klamath to trade berries and leather goods for flour.”

At Butte Creek there is no water wheel. To our puzzled group Bob explains,” Butte Creek Mill is not a water wheel operated mill, rather the water in the millrace flows into a pen-stock twelve feet deep, where its weight provides pressure to activate the turbine that runs the wheels, belts and pulleys. This movement also turns the large millstones that grind the grain. “ Fearing he may lose us- he points to each part as he progresses through his delivery. Collectively, the lights turn on in our brains.

Clambering behind Bob again we stop in front of massive French buhr stones that still grind the grain today. Bob flips a switch and slowly the behemoths come to life. “ The sound of the working mill was very quiet,” his eyes twinkling as he continues,“ today we underplay the green power thing here!” Ad then he flashes that smile of a man who has found his passion in life.

Visit Bob and Debbie, antique store, and Mill store with it’s extensive collection of old food cans and bottles and purchase their scone mixes, pancake mix, fresh stone ground grains and much more at www.buttecreekmill.com . From the website you can click on a you tube version of Bob’s famous mill tour.

Here is a recipe for some delightful muffins found right on the back of Butte Creek Mill’s Bran Muffin Mix. But you’ll have to send for the mix via the website as there are no retail outlets in Portland. The mix contains all the wheat bran, stone ground whole wheat flour, wheat germ, buttermilk, baking soda, spices and salt you need. As it says on the bag, “ they’re addictive!”

UPSIDE DOWN PINEAPPLE BRAN MUFFINS

Make the bran muffin mix and stir in 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (juice drained and pressed out) omitting the raisins the mix calls for. Instead of mixing the 4 Tablespoons Honey the mix calls for add 4 tablespoons melted butter to it. Spoon the honey/butter mixture into the muffin cups to cover the bottom. Spoon muffin batter into cups to almost full. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until done. Serve upside down.

Prospect Hotel's Hazelnut French Toast

After a dreamy sleep you can smell the coffee in the morning from your room and if you are lucky they will be serving:

Whole Wheat Hazelnut French Toast

For two ( large portions)

Whole Wheat French Bread sliced in 1” thick pieces, 4 slices

3 large eggs

1/4 cup Half &Half

1/8 cup water

1/3 cup flour

2 Tablespoons Hazelnut syrup flavoring

Dash of salt

1tsp cinnamon

Chopped Oregon Hazelnuts

Process: Combine eggs, Half & Half, water , flour, syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Whip until batter is fluffy. Dip French Bread slices into batter and let soak for just a few seconds. Carefully place on low heat griddle such that batter drippings from bread are completely underneath each slice. Cook to a light brown. Flip and cook until center of bread “springs” back. - keeping heat low. Place two slices on plate dust with powdered sugar , sprinkle hazelnuts over top. Serve as the hotel does with a medium boiled egg, sausage patty and maple syrup. Then go for a walk!

Oregon mixed berry crisp

Oregon berries are the best in the world. A combination of all of Oregon's best berries; this easy recipe always evokes summer. Freeze the berries as they arrive in summer for summer baking and sweet memories in the fall and winter. My husband, Kurt Winner makes this popular dessert for every get together. Makes a large pan, great with homemade vanilla or chocolate fudge ice cream. The shortbread cookie crust is buttery and the perfect counter play to the ambrosia of mixed berries.

Oregon mixed berry crisp

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 5 -6 cups total of mixed berries: blueberry, marionberry, strawberry,blackberry, raspberry to fill a buttered 9x13 inch or 4 quart glass baking pan
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, uncooked

Topping:

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened and mostly melted
• 1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Right in the glass pan mix all berries gently. Sprinkle with the sugar and tapioca- mix again. Set aside. In a mixing bowl sift flour, salt , sugars and baking powder. Mix with a fork . Pour in the butter and toss with a fork or hands until it is a coarse crumble. A mix of large and small pieces is good. Sprinkle topping over the berries evenly. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Any left over is best kept in the fridge.

Makes a pan for a party of 12 large servings, 16 smaller portions.

Michoacán, the heart and soul of Mexico

From Global Writes Magazine: Michoacán, the heart and soul of Mexico Story and photos by Michelle Winner Edited by Kim Rahilly Ever dreamed of waking up in a city where time stands still? Where pink buildings glow in the sun as if lit from within? Add to this idyll a mass migration of butterflies. And yes, it's real! A toy seller in Morelia's Plaza Centro In a verdant mountains where Monarch butterflies winter beats the heart of old town Morelia. This 16th century Baroque city, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural and Artistic Site, was built by the Spanish colonizers and thus boasts a grand cathedral, shaded plazas, elegant buildings of pink quarry stone, lyrical fountains, an aqueduct, tree-lined “calzadas” (pedestrian-only streets), and treasure troves of art and books. Largely undiscovered as an arts-and-culture tourism destination, Morelia offers a rich heritage of Spanish influence combined with ancient native culture, resulting in a vital and expressive city. The weather is delightful, too, at a steady 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. The pink quarry stone cathedral marks the center of Morelia's historic district The Michoacán state in the middle of Mexico offers a diverse range of experiences that are just a few hours apart by car. You can visit a typical town festival (Paracho's guitar festival is in August; surf La Ticla, Playa Salandita and Boca Pascuales on the coast; enjoy warm cream of avocado soup at Mansion Del Cupatitzio's beautiful restaurant in Urupan, the capitol of avocado production; see traditional windowless, nail-less Indian cabin structures called “la troje” near Nurio; watch fishermen dip their famous butterfly nets into Pátzcuaro Lake and enjoy the enchanting capitol city of Morelia. Our guide Déborah López Garcia, a beautiful, aristocratic woman, made the culture and history of Morelia come alive for us. We traipsed through cobblestoned streets marveling at the cathedral's painted ceilings; learned the legacy of San Nicolas College; marveled at the Indian-faced cherubs decorating the altar at the Temple of the Roses; and heard guitar rifts wafting from behind a rugged wooden door at the Music Conservatory as Ms. Lopez Garcia relayed the factors that drove history and the struggles of the people. Suddenly, a young man ran up and told us in English that he was from Washington state, and that he was very surprised to see American journalists at his school. Just as quickly, he ran off to join his friends, switching into rapid-fire Spanish. After all, Morelia is filled with surprises. Chef Lucero's Churipo and Fish with Saint Leaf is an example of how she puts a new twist on traditional dishes Late in the afternoon, we settled into lunch at Restaurant LU, rising-star chef Lucero Soto Arriaga's “temple” of Michoacán-fusion cuisine. LU presents Michoacan's traditional ingredients in a fresh way that combines ancient and modern preparation techniques. Her menu is almost a metaphor for modern Morelia: it reflects a reverence for the old while embracing new ideas. The cuisine and the city are delicious! Morelia has been a conduit for several AP stories on the drug wars in the mountains of Michoacán, but I can tell you that my personal safety was never in question. The city is beautiful, elegant and full of things to discover including the outlying towns representing the two dynasties that shaped the Michoacan. Charming Pátzcuaro, referred to locally as the “magic town,” feels untouched since the time of the Conquistadors. The ruins of the ancient Purépecha Indian kingdom of Tzintzuntzan was built stone-by-stone on a hill overlooking Pátzcuaro Lake. TRAVEL INFORMATION Tourism Office Juan Bosco Castro Garcia, Promotion Director at the Secretaria de Tourismo's office or Altizma Reyes de la Torre in Public Relations can assist you with an outline of an ideal trip. www.michoacan.gob.mx Déborah López Garcia offers personally guided tours, and I strongly recommend that you contact her. Traveling with a native speaker and guide is an invaluable way to get the most out of your time here. Email: deborahlg@hotmail.com In Morelia I recommend: Casa San Diego suites and restaurant. This sleek hotel of carved stone and modern design comes alive on the rooftop lounge, a hotspot for young Morelians. Manager José Miguel Salcedo Maldonado is also the chef, and he offers delightful small bites and a signature cocktail made with “tamarindo.” You will sleep best in a room that's not too close to the lounge. www.casasandiego.com.mx Hotel Virrey de Mendoza. With views of the nearby cathedral, this former palatial house has “seen” local history unfold as it passed through the hands of Spaniards, and survived the Mexican Revolution. During one period, it was even turned into a customs house. But since its conversion in 1939, it has remained an ornate hotel offering style and grace to any stay. Locals enjoy drinks overlooking the town square. www.hotelvirrey.com Villa Montaña Hotel and Spa, a maze of secret gardens, bungalows, trellises and a sparkling pool overlooking the city, this hotel also offers breathtaking views of twinkling Morelia from the restaurant. See their Blackberry Margarita recipe below. www.villamontana.com.mx "Villa Montaña's Blackberry Margarita Serves: 1 1 ounce simple syrup 2 ounces white tequila Juice of half a lime 1 ounce Triple Sec or Controy, the Mexican orange liquor 3-6 fresh blackberries, mashed Coarse sea salt Prepare a salt-rimmed glass by dipping the rim into cold water and shaking off the excess. Pour a generous amount of sea salt onto small plate. Dip the damp rim into the salt. Shake off the excess. Place the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with five ice cubes. Cover, shake to blend and strain into prepared glass containing four ice cubes. Hint: you may want to try it with a little ground chile powder mixed with the salt to rim the glass. “Mucho Gusto!”" Chef Lucero Soto Arriaga‘s Restaurant LU is a not-to-miss restaurant for Michoacán cuisine. It is inside the Best Western Hotel Casino at 229 Portal Hidalgo, 58000 Morelia, Mich., Mexico. Tel: + 52 443 313 1328. Email: reservaciones@hotelcasino.com.mx At San Miguelito Restaurant, San Antonio rules the roost…albeit upside down! Figures of Saint Anthony are suspended upside down from the ceiling and walls in the back room. The saint's favorable response to your wish might bring you money or a husband. Of special interest is the testimonial book, but watch out for the geezers who sit at a back table preying on maidens looking for a spouse. A pretty brilliant tactic if you ask me! www.sanmiguelito.com.mx El Gustito “Cochina Traditional” is a sweet home-style restaurant serving Michoacán comfort food. Try the cooling mint drink and Michoacán enchilada with potato and carrot. It is at #359 Aldama Street. Nurio's old church is decorated for a festival Hotel Los Juaninos has a perfect restaurant, La Azotea, for breakfast with a terrace overlooking the cathedral. Enjoy fresh-squeezed juices, crepes stuffed with mushrooms or the truffle-like huitlacoche, a local delicacy. www.hoteljuaninos.com.mx Museo del Dulce. Morelia is famous for its sweets, particularly fruit geleés made of quince and guava. Watch the preparation on a wood-fired stove in the museum‘s traditional kitchen. Pick up some candies for the folks back home from the Victorian-costumed staff, and sample Rompope, a popular, sweet eggnog-type drink. It is at Av. Madero Oriente #440, Centro Historico. In Pázcuaro, I recommend: Hosteria de San Felipe is a comfortable hotel just outside of the old city that is surrounded by patios and charming gardens, and serves lovely traditional meals. It is managed by the vivacious Fabiola Huerta H. www.hosteriadesanfelipe.com.mx At the palatial La Mansión de los Sueños you will not find a bustling lobby even though it is only a block from Pázcuaro's Plaza Vasco de Quiroga named for the beloved first Michoacán bishop and protector of the people. You will find a fully restored grand residence with inner courtyards, exquisite murals and yes, a suite full of dreams. www.prismas.com.mx © Story and photos by Michelle Winner, 2009 Chronological Wining and Dining in Charlottesville and Alemarle County by Joe Hilbers Adventures in Sicily by Rosie DeQuattro SPAIN'S COSTA DEL SOL by Carol Oldham O'Hara FOREIGN SERVICE by Peter I. Rose Tauck Swiss Jewel is a Gem by Lillian Africano 1 to 5 of 110 The official magazine of: International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) © 2007 International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association CharlotteCountyWebsites.com

Bride Wore Birekenstocks II: Solstice Salad

Unconcerned with the reception preparations going on all around them, the wedding party posed for their portraits near the fairy-tale white tent. Nattily attired in beige suits with ties of cotton candy pink, the groom's men stood smiling. The maid's simple column dresses with tonal graduation from deep ruby to ice pink complemented the bride's re-embroidered Italian lace top and long silk skirt.

Two little flower girls twirled in circles to spin their beautiful dresses as all little flower girls do, maryjanes tapping on the wooden deck. The young ring bearer wearing a tiny suit and a serious expression was getting some last minute advice from his dad about what an important job he had to do. Everyone looked cool and elegant.

Here is another delightful summer wedding favorite from our wedding planner at Historical Church Wedding Planning & Officiants . It's tasty, colorful and keeps crisp for a summer wedding reception on a bed of ice .

Solstice Salad

Double/ triple/etc. this recipe makes enough for 18-20

• 1 pound package frozen ( NOT CANNED) petite peas
• 1 pound package frozen white corn
• 1 large sweet red pepper
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 3 scallions
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
• 1- one pound can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1- one pound can cannelloni or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1- one pound can dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed

Combine the first seven ingredients with dressing carefully by folding together.

Spicy Cumin Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 huge clove of garlic, mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce ( Tabasco or similar- I like the Mexican brands)

Combine all in a large jar and shake . Pour over the salad and chill for 4 hours.

The Bride wore Birkenstocks: Chicken Paprika

As a wedding planner and officiant in my other life, I have been to many weddings. I have never been more impressed by a recent bride and groom's attitude on their wedding day in June. When their outdoor wedding threatened to be interrupted by a downpour, they and their families were determined that the joy of their union would not be spoiled by the weather.

The decision was made to move the ceremony under the reception tent. Predictability here in Oregon is unpredictable. So just a few minutes late, the radiant bride walked out on her father's arm ( under an umbrella) to her groom. The light drizzle some say became a kiss from god.

Here is a recipe that you can use for your own celebration. It can be doubled /tripled or made to whatever quantity you need. A crowd pleaser, you may add a 1/2 cup of dry white wine to the dish to make it more elegant. At my daughter's own wedding a variation was served substituting brandy for the wine and adding capers ( pickled nasturtium flower buds).

Chicken Paprika Romance

Serves 6-8

This is suited to a home wedding because you can do it ahead and heat and serve before the reception. Multiply by eight to serve fifty but reduce the onion soup by two for that amount. Cook in batches. If you want to use brown rice use a higher setting and increase liquid by 1/2 cup more.

• 2 to 3 pounds chicken skin removed( boneless skinless breasts and thighs are perfect)cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup rice (Not Uncle Ben! Use Hinode or Calrose and rinse well)
• 2 1/2 cups water or broth ( I reduce to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup dry white wine)
• 1 envelope dried onion soup mix
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 12 oz. sliced mushrooms ( morels, chanterelles, baby portabellos,cremini brown or white or mixed)
• ground Hungarian Paprika

Butter or Pam spray the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Sprinkle rice evenly. Place chicken pieces on rice and dust with paprika. Mix onion soup mix, mushroom soup, mushrooms and broth( and wine). Spread evenly over chicken and rice. Bake covered tightly with foil at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1./2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 1/2 hour to brown top. Serve garnished with parsley and more Paprika.

Beach House strawberry pie

Each summer I vow to discard the clutter in my life. Pare down and keep only what is necessary. How many spools of ribbon does one need to be happy? Do I need more than 100 books? And the odd piece of silk or the obscure album " The Banjo Barons do Golden Hawaiian hits"?

I came up with a mantra to reduce the ephemera; think BEACH HOUSE. Yes, beach house. Think about all of the stuff a beach house doesn't have. I don't mean the second-home-as-mansion type. A real beach house, the one you sweep sand out with a broom. It seems we can make do with what we really need; a bed, place to cook, maybe an indoor-outdoor bath, a cold beverage and the book we are currently reading. In this venue, I'm perfectly content to rinse out my swimsuit and put it back on the next day.

Say BEACH HOUSE as you remove the quilts and artwork, extra photos, throw rugs and toss pillows. Put up a gathered flower wreath or sea shore prints, sling gauzy panels of fabric over bamboo rods and create an outdoor living space. Fix up a corner of your deck and have coffee out there tomorrow.

So what about the kitchen? Well of course you have fresh herbs planted nearby and you are declaring the oven 'off limits' until October, right? Unpretentious and fresh,summer cuisine is all about what's right here, right now. Think chilled soups, portobello mushroom teriyaki sandwiches, cappresse salad and for dessert? Try this easy cooling pie.

Beach House strawberry pie

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 pints fresh local strawberries
• 1 10 ounce package frozen strawberries thawed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• nine-inch microwave pie shell ( see below)
• sweetened whip cream or prepared topping

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, stir in thawed berries. Microwave for two minutes at high setting . Stir the mix then microwave for two to three minutes or more until the mix thickens, stirring every minute. Stir in the lemon juice and cool slightly . Arrange the strawberries stem end down in the shell. Spoon sauce over the berries. Chill for at least two hours, serve with topping.

Microwave pie shell

• 1 1/4 cup unsifted flour
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup margarine or sweet cream butter( softened)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons iced water

Although it won't be browned the fat will give it a gold color. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter or marg.in until you have coarse crumbs using a fork or pastry cutter. Sprinkle the ice water a little at a time while tossing with the fork until dough forms. Form a ball and roll out to a 13 inch circle. Drape into pie plate, press to remove air pockets and prick all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Microwave the shell on high for 6 to 7 minutes or until pastry is dry and opaque, cool on rack before filling.

Krista Frank's Luscious Fudge Brownies

Krista Frank is a whirlwind about town; specifically Rhododendron and the Villages of Mt. Hood corridor where she lives with her family. How many of us can say that they have produced a cookbook to benefit Welches elementary school, ran a Red Cross blood drive, had a featured recipe in a national magazine, help at our family business, volunteer whenever someone needs help and are raising two young sons?

A couple of years ago I interviewed her and found out that Krista's interest in cooking ranges from creating new recipes, working on a cookbook for lactose intolerant diets- recipes that appeal to children, field editing for Reiman publications Taste of Home magazine and winning cooking contests.

"I bake and cook a lot. I am all for cooking low-fat, low-salt, high flavor foods in a budget friendly way, " she says. Always in a spirit of sharing, Krista said she'd be delighted if we published her brownie recipe . Here is a link to her salmon recipe pictured above. Thanks Krista!

Krista's Luscious Fudge Brownies
shared by Krista Frank of Rhododendron, OR

1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons reduced-fat vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, yogurt and vanilla. Stir in egg until blended. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; stir into sugar mixture. Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the center comes out clean and brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a wore rack. Cut into eight pieces, then cut each diagonally in half. Yield: 16 brownies.
Nutrition Facts: 2 brownies equals 201 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 93 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream by Donvier machine

Ahhh . . the simple pleasures of summer in the Northwest. Berries and peaches abound and practically beg us to a supply store like Williams Sonoma or Kitchen Kaboodle in Portland for best selection. The machine capacities and pricing vary too. There are machines that are electric, some operate by hand crank using rock salt with ice, some are partially hand cranked, partially finished in the freezer.

My favorite is this Donvier hand crank with a frozen insert. You just leave the insert in your freezer and when you want to make ice cream, put the insert in the machine, fill it with the mixture and turn the crank! For the ice cream lovers, it's advisable to buy another insert and have two in the freezer. You can make two flavors this way or speed up production of one flavor.Now that you have your ice cream maker, the variety of recipes astounds. Many are no-cook, microwavable and gelatin based. But the most traditional starts with a cooked custard. This recipe is rich and almost no-fail. The only way to flop is if you use the wrong salt-to-ice ratio in a machine that freezes with rock salt and packed ice. So carefully read the directions and measure salt.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

makes: 3 pints

time:prep & cook:35 minutes

chill time : minimum 4 hours plus makers directions to prep

• hints: custard keeps 2-3 days make it ahead, keep refrigerated
• to make custard: whisk almost continuously for 30 minutes or until it coats the spoon, in large saucepan over medium heat: 3 whole eggs, 1 cup sugar,2 cups low-fat milk. Set aside custard to cool.
• prepare peaches: Dip 3 large peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, plunge into ice water , slip off skins, Chop coarsely.
• blend: in blender blend 2 of the peaches
• add: blended peaches and 1 chopped peach
• add: 2 cups whipping cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla
• pour: peach cream mixture into large bowl and whisk together with the prepared custard.
• chill: no less than 4 hours
• make ice cream: follow ice cream makers/ manufacturers directions

Two options for low-fat dips

It's the middle of summer and most are settling into a more relaxed schedule . The heavy drapes on the windows have been long since been tossed open and the heavy foods of past seasons, discarded. We are circling our lawn chairs around the barbecue and bellying up to the bar. Appetizer and snack bar that is.

Summer veggies are in all of the farmers markets. Pick some up as the Europeans do; just for now, just this meal. Go beyond blanched broccoli and carrot and celery sticks. Try tender, whole baby peas in the pod, sliced jicama and diakon, blanched cauliflower or baby romaine hearts as scoops. Arrange them on individual plates for easy nibbling as a prelude to your grilled meal. Texture and vitality await. Here are two options for low-fat dips that provide enough punch to get your family or guests through to the entree.

Mom's cottage cheese dip

• 1 small container cottage cheese ( large curd lower-fat)
• 3 Tablespoons cut chives or any fresh herb that marries well with garlic
• one fresh, large minced clove garlic
• dash of Tabasco ( optional)

Put all in blender, whirl until smooth and serve in small dip bowl with crudites or chips.

Piquillo pepper dip

• 1- 10 ounce jar Piquillo peppers, well drained
• 1 clove garlic
• sea salt to taste

Put all in blender, whirl until smooth and serve in small dip bowl.

Dirt Cheap Nachos

Summertime food by necessity is easy, fast and fuss-free. This recipe made from ingredients purchased from the GroceryOutlet bargain market is also very inexpensive. Using canned ready made chili eliminates cooking meat and you can come up with all sorts of substitutions and garnishes.

Just how cheap is this recipe? Considering that these are all first quality indgredients and these nachos could be the best you have ever tasted; you'll be pleased to know the total cost is $9.76 for a huge pan and that comes out to $2.44 each for four people. This gives you lots of time and a few extra pesos to enjoy a margarita !

Dirt Cheap Nachos

• one can Santa Fe Chicken chili ($1.29)
• can Silverado chili ($.99)
• family size bag Tostitos ($3.99) or Rosalindas chips (1pound 8oz.. $1.99)
• 1 small can Jalapeno peppers ($1.29)
• 1/4 pound each: Colby Jack cheese($2.87 for 1/2 pound), Cheddar($3.49 per pound), American (.99 /10 oz.) all grated
• one yellow onion ($1.69 for 7pc.s)
• 1 bunch cilantro (2 bunches for .88)
• 1 bunch green onion (2 bunches for $1.)
• Sour cream for garnish optional (.99 carton)

Arrange chips, enough to cover a foil lined sheet/cookie sheet. Top with the two cans of chili. Chop onions and sprinkle over this. Sprinkle jalapenos and cheeses over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese melts and browns a bit. Serve warm from the pan. Top with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. You can also add a few chunks of fresh tomato from your garden.

Portland Saturday Market has moved to Tom McCall Waterfront Park

The popular Portland Saturday Market has moved to Tom McCall Waterfront Park and is celebrating the move. Long a draw for tourists and locals alike, everyone interested in finding heart of Portland stops here. But come hungry.

In addition to a great variety of some wonderful, and some strange, crafts people and artisans, there is an abundance of food vendors on scene. Cupcakes, Bavarian roasted nuts, homemade jams and butters, Guatemalan food, handmade chocolate, locally roasted coffees, homemade bratwurst, heart shaped Lebanese falafel, ice creams in addition to barbecue plates and Mexican food. Lots to delight your out-of-town friends or provide a typical Portland experience for yourself. But this is not a tea party type-excursion. Be prepared to see many different sorts of people. From the absurd to the adorable, this is truly a "keep Portland weird" adventure. You'll see!

A grand opening is scheduled in August. Go to the market's page by clicking on the list provided under markets on this article page lower right corner. The market is open from February 28th to the 24th of December each year and runs from 10 Am to 5Pm on Saturdays and it is also open on Sundays 11Am to 4:30Pm. Tip: spend $25.00 and keep receipts for 2 hours free parking. Consult site for details on where this is honored. http://www.saturdaymarket.org

Rum lovers are celebrating Rum Month this July with drinks, sauces, desserts and all things rum! This Rum Torte is a colorful, easy dessert that looks as if you spent all day baking. Begin with a yellow box cake mix and a couple of jars of the best preserves. Buy a good rum , I prefer deep dark Jamaican Myers's rum . You can decorate with fresh cherries in season now or opt for jarred Amarones from Italy. Do allow for it to set and chill for 24 hours before serving.

Rum Torte

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/2 jar apricot preserves
• 1/2 jar raspberry preserves
• 1 cup whipped cream,whipped to stiff peaks
• 1 cup whole pecans or walnuts
• cherries for decoration
• dark rum to brush on layers

Bake cake mix according to directions in two round layers and cool completely. Split each layer horizontally creating 4 layers. ( Do this with a piece of fishing line held taut and pulled through layer evenly). Set this on one of those cake keepers that come with a top cover. To assemble, brush each layer with paint brush dipped in rum. Alternate fillings. Raspberry, whipped cream, apricot etc. Spread whipped cream on top and sides of cake . Decorate with pecans or walnuts and cherries. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. More on Rum Month go to http://www.examiner.com/category-rum_month.html

It's a summer tradition here in the Northwest. Portlanders and Seattle-ites flee the city and head for the beach as soon as the kids are out of school.

If you are a seafood lover, the Washington Peninsula with miles and miles of sandy beach and just-caught seafood should be on your radar.

Willapa Bay, famous for it's oysters, borders one side of the long finger of land. Sweet Dungeness crab is pulled from the Pacific Ocean on the other. The Southwestern bottom of the peninsula melts right into the Columbia River where sturgeon and salmon are king.

Stay beachfront in Long Beach or Seaview or port side in Ilwaco. It doesn't matter. But make a dinner reservation at Jimella's Fish Market & Cafe. Long time "Ark" restaurant owner chefs Jimella Lucas and Nanci Main are back in business with their new cafe and may I tell you firsthand that the fresh seafood is not to be missed. Anything she does with an oyster like the succulent pan fried ones above at ethereal. Call 360-665-4847, located at 21712 Pacific Way, Klipsan Beach, Washington, reservations are a must.

If you are not able to go, get thee to a first rate seafood purveyor in Portland. Nanci and Jimella graciously share this recipe from their latest book with you. ( used with permission, ISBN:1-55868-595-2)

Oysters Italian, From "The Best of the Ark and More! " By Nanci Main and Jimella Lucas

• 24 oysters,extra small grade
• 1/4 c. brandy
• 1/2 c. garlic butter
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
• parsley for garnish
• lemon wedges for garnish

Wash and shuck the fresh oysters. Clear both muscles, top and bottom, and return to shell.

Place oysters in the half-shell in a 1" x 9" x 13" baking pan. Sprinkle each oyster with 1/2 t brandy and top with at least 1 t garlic butter and 1 t Parmesan.

In preheated 425 degree oven, bake until cheese melts and oysters are gently poached in garlic butter, about 6 to 8 minutes.Remove and place on serving dishes. Garnish with parsley, lemon wedges and serve immediately.

Prospect Hotel,mountain jewel near Crater Lake

Prospect Hotel, mountain jewel near Crater Lake

Highway 62 north from Medford, Oregon gains altitude as my car climbs between wheat-colored hills past Eagle Point . When the last house of Shady Cove fades in the rear-view, the Lost Creek Lake reservoir is all there is. And nothing else. Except the sinking feeling that I could have made a wrong turn miles back.

Slowly, a roadhouse and then a few signs appear indicating to me that I'm not lost at all. I turn off the main road and pull into the parking lot fronting the 1888 Historic Prospect Hotel and Dinner House. There are more cars in the lot than I expect to see way out here . . .or maybe, the remote location is the reason they are here after all.

I round the corner of the generous porch and through the old door as the screen snaps shut behind me. From behind the counter, a smiling Fred and Karen Wickman greet me. They are the proprietors. It says so on their business card. But Fred says, that it only means he is the “grounds keeper, plumber, cook and chief bottle washer too!”

Up the narrow stairs, I find my way to a white-washed room with quiet garden view. A huge quilt-covered brass bed dominates this painted board and batten space tucked under the eaves. Now close your eyes. If you had a dear old aunt living in the country, what would her house look like? Yes, there is a porch swing, two friendly horses, a shady garden path, swimming hole, waterfall nearby, quiet country road, the best night‘s sleep ever and home cooked meals.

Rest is not in the cards, so I put on fresh clothes and wander downstairs to explore. I poke around the hotel, size up the library, walk the garden and follow the hotel's hand-drawn map to the nearby Mill Creek and Rogue River viewpoint.

Later, I join Fred and Karen for dinner in the Hotel’s restaurant. After a quick flip through the menu, I ask how they can offer so many items when shopping in Medford is 43 miles away? It’s Fred who answers first,” down side is we have to go get it- the up side is we have to go get it.” It’s built in quality control he tells me.

The prime rib, salmon and vegetarian lasagna are a specialty. Breakfast comes with the room and is more than you'd expect. Fred is happy to share the recipes. Find the Wild Blackberry Cobbler or Whole Wheat Hazelnut French Toast online at their website. The kitchen turns out comforting portions of down- home food, done well. And everyone gets to try “ Karen’s Veggie Wedgies“- a combo of carrots, zucchini, mozzarella, feta, onion and egg in a wedge shape she first concocted for her own kids back in the day when sports practice and busy schedules dominated their lives.

We enjoy some Oregon wine as I listen to the journey that brought them here. Short story- Fred “was corporate” and Karen a nurse in California. Seeking a more fulfilling path and a quieter existence, they followed their hearts and were lead to this Prospect paradise. I ask Karen what Prospect Hotel’s philosophy is in brief and she shares this,” we are all about making people feel comfortable and relaxed.” I guess it worked for the visitor that wrote in the guestbook,“ never been to Oregon, never come this far. I‘ve got the house sold in my mind.” I wonder, did they ever make it back here?

As a better alternative to staying overnight at busy Crater Lake Lodge, the Prospect Hotel works out perfectly. To find out more about this lazy place to land while you explore the area , visit www.prospecthotel.com ( 541-560-3664, 391 Mill Creek Drive in Prospect).

Lavender Ice Cream at Oregon Lavender Festival

Lavender Ice Cream one of many delights at Oregon Lavender Festival


Each June Jim Dierking of Liberty Natural Products, purveyors of fine distilled essential oils, opens his Oregon Lavender Farm for the “ Clackamas County Lavender Festival.” A day of education and enjoyment of sustainable agriculture it is a perfect place for families to spend the day.

There are demonstrations of Lavender distillation, lavender picking, wreath making, music, horse rides and face painting for the kids, wine tasting and food booths, Lavender ale, chicken wings and ice cream!!!!

Jim always extends a warm invitation to all of you to come enjoy the bounty and beauty of Lavender. He says “ the day begins with the season’s first harvest and distillation and the sweet essence of lavender fills the summer air.” His picturesque farm features the inspiring backdrop of Mt. Hood rising above the violet, amethyst and indigo shaded fields. For more on the festival go to www.oregonlavenderfarm.com

The u-pick farm is located at 20949 S. Harris Road, Oregon City five miles past Carver off Springwater Road. Or go the back way from Estacada through Barton and to Carver then turn left up Gerber Road to Harris.

This recipe is a favorite ice cream recipe. Soul satisfying, rich ‘Lavender Ice Cream’ requires time to rest and freeze. Adjust the lavender to taste.

Makes: 1 1/2 quarts
Time: 1hour to rest, 35 minutes to assemble, 30 to cool, freeze 2 hours

3 cups whipping cream
2 cups milk
2 to 4 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
Grated zest of 1 orange
pinch salt
12 egg yolks
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier ( optional)

Combine the cream, milk, lavender, orange zest and salt in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Take the pan from the heat and let sit, covered for one hour.

Reheat the cream mixture just to a boil, then strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, reserving saucepan for cooking the custard( wipe it out with a paper towel). Whisk the egg yolks, honey and Grand Marnier in a large bowl until well blended. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the yolk mixture until well combined, then return it to the saucepan. Cook the custard over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon about 10 minutes. Strain the custard through a fine sieve placed over a bowl and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to cool completely.

When chilled, pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until set, at least 2 hours.

Timberline Lodge, Lighted ships celebrate Christmas

Culinary Traveler: Holiday Traditions Oregon Style

Celebrating Christmas in the Pacific Northwest is a natural. Oregon is the number one U.S.
producer of Christmas trees so even it’s agricultural traditions are part of this treasured holiday.
Here are two longstanding traditions that are part of many an Oregon Christmas.

Christmas at Timberline Lodge
First a toy drops. Then the polished buckle and toe of a black boot is visible just below the
immense wood beam mantel. Finally a huge bag of toys squeezes through the small opening of
the massive stone fireplace. And all of a sudden boys and girls of all ages get worked into a
frenzy when a jolly fat man in a red suit pops out of the stone shaft. “Santa” the kids shout.
“Santa you came!”

Christmas tradition is part of the heart of this great lodge. Oregonians have been making
Christmas Eve at Timberline a part of their holiday celebration for several generations. It’s a
perfect place to feel the magic of Christmas. And so it has been for many Christmases since
Timberline Lodge was built by depression -era craftsmen and laborers in the 1930’s as a WPA (
Works Progress Administration) project. Constructed on a flank of Mt. Hood or Wy’East as the
first peoples called the mountain, Timberline Lodge is now a place to reconnect your spirit to
nature in all seasons. Winter is special here. As snow drifts climb outside the windows and
wisps of ice clouds halo the peak of the mountain, visitors take to the lifts to snow board or ski
and return to cozy up by the two rock fireplaces. When nighttime skiing is suspended for
Christmas Eve,( you wouldn’t want someone to ski into a reindeer would you?) the quiet
outside adds to the expectation as swirls of snow dance along the windows.

These smiling kids don’t care that the Lodge was built by hand of local stone and timber. Nor
that old utility poles became fanciful newel posts of a bear, eagle, mole, lynx, mallard, fox,
fawn, pelican, king-fisher and badger in the hands of a skilled carver. Or that old uniforms were
cut and hooked into rugs and railroad rails were hammered into andirons. These kids have one
thing in mind as they sit patiently through dinner and listen for the update from the Lodge ‘s
PA system. Finally the announcer returns and says. “Santa was spotted crossing the Columbia
River and is headed directly for Mt. Hood!”

Oh boy, it’s time to roll ! Kids hop off the carved wooden chairs, all running now through the
halls of modernist artwork, scrambling up the newel post- trimmed stairs to the main fireplace
to wait for the man of the hour. The big red guy is on his way to Timberline; do you hear
reindeer hooves on the roof?

This instauration of magical Christmas excitement renews each December 24th about seven
o’clock after a candlelight dinner and before caroling begins. Once Santa has extricated
himself from Oregon’s most famous and best-loved chimney, he holds court near the towering
Christmas tree twinkling with lights. The children line up to visit with him in turn showing
Santa that they are indeed very good boys and girls. When one very tiny boy reaches the head of
the line to receive his personal message of Christmas from Santa and a special toy, his parents
look on with a sense of wonderment that still lights their eyes. Outside, where surely the
reindeer await on the roof, the wind throws the snow in timeless patterns against the windows as
the moon lights the peak of Mt. Hood.
Timberline Lodge: www.timberlinelodge.com for packages , overnight stays and dinner
reservations.
Fly into PDX, the Portland, Oregon airport. Rent a car and drive to the lodge approximately
ninety minutes away.

The Christmas Ships
For fifty-five years the Christmas ships have paraded along the Willamette and Columbia rivers
creating a beautiful tradition for the people of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.
The story goes that in 1954 a lone sailboat festooned with ribbon and bows sailed out of the
Portland Yacht Club to spread some holiday cheer up and down the rivers. Now it has become
so much more. Small craft of 14ft to vessels over 60 feet cruise the two rivers for two weeks in
December lighting up the darkness with creative displays. Some elegant, some whimsical, all a
part of Christmas now for so many.
Early in September President Jess Heitman tells me, they ramp up the year-long planning to get
this holiday tradition ready for December. When asked how they manage all of this volunteer
effort Jess says, “ Linda Penland. She is our energizer bunny and makes everything happen.”
The captains and crew of approximately 60 power and sail boats brave the icy, cold night to
bring a message of Christmas hope and cheer to people watching from the river bank,
restaurants, homes and hotels along the Willamette and the Columbia. Captain Burt Burgess
holds the honor for participating an astounding 32 years, but all individual boats decorate, pay
for their fuel and give their time and commitment sharing from the heart. President Jess says
that viewing the parade of Christmas ships is the great equalizer. “No matter who you are ,” he
says, “the experience is the same for everybody.” He sees this gift of joy as “made
anonymously” by the participants on these gaily decorated Christmas ships. By sending a
message of light “they are giving back to the community,” he says.
On certain nights the flotilla hosts decorated Navy patrol boats and Coast Guard tenders like
the Blue Bell to join them in bringing their message to people along the shores. There are also
some ride-alongs. The Blue Stars, people with a family member on active military duty will be
on boats some evenings as well as another ride- along for the Gold Stars, families who have
lost a member fighting on active duty.
To locate a place to view the parade of lighted ships go to the Christmas Ships’ website at
www.Christmasships.org. Among the active supporters of the parade are the Red Lion Jantzen
Beach, Shenanigans Restaurant, Mark’s on the Chanel and Beaches restaurant where you can
grab a window seat early and enjoy dinner. The Columbian Newspaper has a detailed list of
vantage points along the Columbia for the Vancouver side created by reporter Matt
Wastradowski at http://www.columbian.com/section/christmasships
And then just sit back and wait for the magic as the first of the boats comes into view. Hey isn’t
that Santa on a jet ski? !

Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Award-winning Executive Chef Leif Benson, CEC, AAC, at Timberline Lodge and creator of
fresh Cascade cuisine sends you this special holiday recipe.
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer
Mushroom Caps:

• 2 pounds very large mushrooms, brushed and stems removed( keep stems for stuffing)

• Butter

• Fresh bread crumbs

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cheese Stuffing:

• Stems from 2 pounds of mushrooms

• Butter

• Dry white wine

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1 teaspoon dill weed

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/4 cup sour cream

Prepare Cheese Stuffing mixture to set aside: Chop stems and sauté in butter with a splash of
white wine and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. In mixing bowl combine cream
cheese, garlic powder, 1/2 cup chipped parsley, dill weed and 1/2 cup butter. Drain sautéed
mushroom stems and add to cheese mixture with sour cream.
Prepare mushroom caps to stuff: Sauté mushroom caps in butter until soft. Allow to cool a little.
Stuff caps with Cheese Stuffing. Sprinkle with half bread crumbs and half grated Parmesan
cheese. Bake at 400 degrees until hot and golden brown. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Riding the rail to the trail in Copper Canyon, Mexico’s Sierra Madre Mountains

Culinary Traveler: Riding the rail to the trail in Copper Canyon, Mexico’s Sierra Madre Mountains

The little mountain town of Cerocahui, Chihuahua state in Mexico is a long way from my home
in the mountains of Oregon, but each part of the journey unfolds with it’s own discoveries
along the way. Cerocahui is reached by train as part of a rail trip you can book through Mexico
Adventures.Inc. on the first -class Ferromex Chepe (Chihuahua Pacifico route) train. You may
start your trip on either end of the journey; Los Mochis or Chihuahua City. Why explore this
region? Although it’s not a beach-y resort vacation, you will be rewarded by a more authentic
trip and fabulous vistas.

Aero Mexico flies from gateway cities in America to several cities in Mexico where you change
planes and puddle jump into your starting city to begin your train trip. I’m headed for Los
Mochis, north of Mazatlan near the Sea of Cortez to catch the Copper Canyon train. At the
Hermosillo, Mexico airport I meet up with journalists from the International Food Wine and
Travel Writers Association (www.ifwtwa.org) on a press trip. We fly into Los Mochis together
on a slim Aero Mexico Embraer jet.

Los Mochis is an industrialized “modern” city built by American Benjamin Johnson in 1903 to
house and provide commerce to a population that worked his sugar cane empire. Mostly
cement low-rise buildings with the exception of hotels and hospitals, for us it provides a
comfortable rest stop at Hotel Santa Anita. In the morning we will board a pleasure boat and
cruise around the breathtaking Topolobampo ( to-po-lo-bam-po) Bay.

Topolobampo Marine Sanctuary is a rich bio-diverse bay filed with tuna, shrimp, clams, oysters
scallops and crab. Part port, part sanctuary, deep within the bay there is Farallon Island
populated by sea lions and Bird Island with, you guessed it, a huge population of many species
of birds. As our boat pulls away from the pier, the small town recedes. Along the shore in the
sanctuary area there are no houses but curiously there is a large “energy production” plant. We
quickly cruise past and marvel at pods of dolphins surfacing along our bow. The journalists vie
for position on the boat to photograph the pelicans and other seabirds nesting on several
promontories as we motor by.

Soon the sun is high and our captain slows alongside a dory. Our deckhand offers some cold
coca-cola to the day boat fisherman, and he fills the chef’s fry pan full of shrimp. Lunch is
looking up!

As guests of Balderrama Hotels and Mexico Adventures we are traveling with our own chef on
Balderrama‘s fishing charter boat . While chef Victor Samaniego prepares delicacies in the
galley, we sip Pacifico cervezas on the canopied fly bridge. Soon platters of shrimp and scallop
cerviche, coconut shrimp and sautéed shrimp arrive. With a squeeze of lime, a taste of cerviche
and a sip of cold beer and I am in Topolabampo nirvana! The boat rocks gently as I imprint this
perfect memory of warm sun, cool beer, birds squawking on rocky ledges and the soft brown
hills rising from the bay.

Fast forward fifty land-miles and a day to the 1564 Spanish city of El Fuerte, birthplace of “El
Zorro.” After a river tour to view ancient petroglyphs and an enchanting evening with the
flirtatious, masked, singing Zorro poolside at “ Hotel Posada del Hildalgo” we are seated
aboard the Ferromex “Chepe” train headed to Bahuichivo where a bus will take us to
Cerocahui ( sero-ka-wee). We cross miles of canyon systems that make up Copper Canyon in
the Sierra Madre Mountains. Our train snakes along this geological marvel, four times larger
than the Grand Canyon. Under blue skies the wide-open views of river change to dark grey
rock wall tunnels as the train pushes on.

We wind through sesame fields, scrub trees, acacia and cactus. A few settlements of rail workers
and Tarahumara natives poke up along the river Rio Fuerte and Rio Chinipas.We cross the
long Santa Barbara Bridge over Rio Mina Plata and cut through several tunnels to switchback
via a section of rail. Slowly, high in the steep mountains of the Sierra Madres we reach the old
lumber town of Bahuichivo. Boys and young men line the sidewalk along the train and help
load our bags for tips as we disembark and pack into a dusty bus that will take us to the Hotel
Mision. Through narrow streets we grind then out to the valley for about eight miles to
Cerocahui.

This little town founded by Jesuits 300 years ago is seated in a high fertile valley of apple
orchards and some 4000 heirloom wine grape vines. The Hotel Mision next to the cathedral and
mission boarding school for Tarahumara Indian girls is Spanish colonial in feel with a main
lodge, tiny corner bar and a large dining room. The rooms, built as several haciendas situated
throughout the garden are spacious with muted décor. Smooth tile floors, wood beam ceilings,
and stucco walls painted white or soft terra cotta and ochre change color in the mountain light
during the day. At this elevation it gets very cold at night so wood is stacked next to the
woodstove for me to start a fire.

“Ride or hike?” We are gathered in the lobby’s seating area and our tour guide wants to know if
we are interested in seeing the Cerocahui waterfall “Huicochi” (wee-ko-chee).
“Ride, you bet,” I say along with three other adventurous souls who posses the strange
compulsion to ride a trail we have never been on and with horses we have never met!

“Juan” is waiting for us outside with his string of horses and his wiry dog Pepe. After sizing
each of us up he motions to the horse he wants us to mount. Maralyn, the President of
IFWTWA gets on Lirio, Frederica from the Washington Press Club gets Pepino, Kurt of the
Society of Professional Journalists is astride beautiful black gelding Lucero and I hop on
Conejo. The saddles are hard leather, very dark brown, the stirrups have heavy brush covers
and the reins are soft and thin. The horses wear unusual shoes that are flat. Juan points to the
stamped saddle mark on the seat and points up into the hills showing me where the local saddle
maker’s lives. As we walk the horses across the bridge over the river in the center of town, a
very loud diesel Chevy truck threatens to scare us all off the road.The horses with the exception of the black gelding Lucero are all on the small side. Juan says they are from southern Mexico not from around here. Indeed as we pass other horses in pasture these mounts seem more like ponies.

We make our way along the river along the steep sandy trail. The horses are sure-footed and
calm; not so the riders! Each time we crest to a part of the trail that seems to be too narrow and
inches from certain death, one of us lets out a wincing “oh God.” But the horses never falter.
They pick their way along the trail, through the stones and boulders in the fast moving river,
squeezing us through narrow rock openings and clambering up rocky ledges. Trying to cross
the river at one spot we have to dismount. The river is too deep and the horses have to be led as
we hop from boulder to boulder to the other side. Juan, who walks the entire trip in native
Tarahumara sandals of reclaimed rubber tire tread, constantly reassures us with “no probelma”
as Pepe his dog runs ahead of the horses to chase a longhorn cow or two off the trail.

After the long ride the box canyon narrows and then opens up. The good news? We are almost
at the waterfall. Bad news? We have to return the same way. Soon, we are rewarded by a long
horsetail waterfall carving through the rock outcroppings and splashing into pool of clear deep
green. But alas we can’t stay. It’s getting dark and there are margaritas waiting for us at the
hotel.
Travelers Guide
Airline: Aero Mexico: www.aeromexico.com
Complete Tours: www.mexicoscoppercanyon.com.mx
Copper Canyon Hotels: www.hotelesbalderrama.com
Train: www.chepe.com.mx
Tourism Office : www.ah-Chihuahua.com
Chihuahua City Hotel : www.sicomoro.com
The trail ride : available through the front desk at the Balderrama Hotel Mision. Plan to book
ahead so the horses are ready for you when you arrive. It’s approx. $20 American dollars plus
tip.

RECIPE: Ceviche mix to de camarón y pescado: Mixed shrimp and fish ceviche
Chef Victor Samaniego of Balderrama Hotels graciously provides his authentic recipe for you.
Serves 4-6 as hors d’oeuveres

• 250-grams cleaned shrimp, cut in little cubes ( just over 1/2 pound)

• 250-grams of cleaned fish, no bones, in little cubes

• 3 pcs. of “salad tomato“, little cubes

• ½ white onion finely cut in cubes

• 1 cucumber, seeded and cut in small cubes or slices

• 2 “Serrano” peppers, cut fine, include a few seeds

• 15 stems and leaves of fresh coriander( cilantro) finely cut

• 10 small lemons or enough fresh lemon juice to cover (Mexican Colima lemons are tiny)

• Salt & pepper to your taste

On a crystal plate or shallow bowl place fish and shrimp, add salt and black pepper and lemon
juice. Let it marinate for 5 or 10 min.( no longer). After the shrimp and fish are “cooked” by the
marinade, add the vegetables cut in pieces to garnish and arrange along the plate . If you desire,
you can add clam juice to your taste.
(photography by KWWinner)

Butte Creek Mill’s Bob Russell grinds it out

Butte Creek Mill’s stone ground mix; delicious pineapple muffin high in fiber

Bob Russell had a perfectly good life in toney Lake Oswego. He also had a huge collection of antiques- and “corporate uniform”neckties. But when Bob and His wife Debbie found an old mill along Little Butte Creek in Eagle Point, Oregon, the world changed for them.

Falling in love with the lifestyle along the Little Butte, a salmon tributary to the Rogue River, Bob and Debbie purchased the mill, a house across the street and an old cheese factory next door to the mill for an antique store. And Bob got rid of all of his neckties!

Bob greets me with a big smile from the flower-lined front porch of the 136 year old mill. “It’s the only grist mill in Oregon still grinding flour,” Bob tells me and the couple gathered in the entryway as he offers us a tour of the mill. He recites some history as we queue up behind him and waddle like ducklings behind Bob down the narrow stairs to the basement. “From as far back as1872 and far afield; farmers pulled their wagons filled with grain to the mill to have their flour ground. Every seventh bag of flour belonged to the miller as payment, to sell in the adjacent Butte Creek general store. Even the Klamath Indians came walking 90 miles from Fort Klamath to trade berries and leather goods for flour.”

At Butte Creek there is no water wheel. To our puzzled group Bob explains,” Butte Creek Mill is not a water wheel operated mill, rather the water in the millrace flows into a penstock twelve feet deep, where its weight provides pressure to activate the turbine that runs the wheels, belts and pulleys. This movement also turns the large millstones that grind the grain. “ Fearing he may lose us- he points to each part as he progresses through his delivery. Collectively, the lights turn on in our brains.

Clambering behind Bob again we stop in front of massive French buhr stones that still grind the grain today. Bob flips a switch and slowly the behemoths come to life. “ The sound of the working mill was very quiet,” his eyes twinkling as he continues,“ today we underplay the green power thing here!” Ad then he flashes that smile of a man who has found his passion in life.


Visit Bob and Debbie, antique store, and Mill store with it’s extensive collection of old food cans and bottles and purchase their scone mixes, pancake mix, fresh stone ground grains and much more at www.buttecreekmill.com . From the website click on a you tube version of Bob’s famous mill tour.
Here is a recipe for some delightful muffins found right on the back of Butte Creek Mill’s Bran Muffin Mix. But you’ll have to send for the mix! It contains all the wheat bran, stone ground whole wheat flour, wheat germ, buttermilk, baking soda, spices and salt you need. As it says on the bag, “ they’re addictive!”

UPSIDE DOWN PINEAPPLE BRAN MUFFINS

Make the bran muffin mix and stir in 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (juice drained and pressed out) omitting the raisins the mix calls for. Instead of mixing the 4 Tablespoons Honey the mix calls for add 4 tablespoons melted butter to it. Spoon the honey/butter mixture into the muffin cups to cover the bottom. Spoon muffin batter into cups to almost full. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until done. Serve upside down.