The Day Country Music Died

Many country artists will tell you that the song, "He Stopped Loving Her Today," is the definitive country song. I happen to agree with them. And, with the passing of George Jones today, we lost the artist who made that song the one song almost everyone thinks of when they think of country music.

Having been born and raised in Texas, I can't even remember a time when there was no George Jones. In Texas, country music was predominant, especially in the 50s and 60s. And, he defined country music. He had a distinctive phrasing style and voice that was recognizable by anyone. His life was plagued with alcoholism and destructive behavior, to the point that he let it affect his performance and he became known as "No Show Jones." But, his artistry was so profound that, even with his irresponsible attitude to his craft and fans, he still was respected as a legend.

RIP, Possum. Country lost some of its originality today. You truly were one of a kind.

The Knowledge of Living and the Art of the Senses

Like most everyone else, there are some charities, organizations... causes, if you will... that I am passionate about. Libraries, for instance, because the written word is becoming blase as we try to cram as much as we can into the 17 or 18 hours of waking time that we have every day. Instead, we listen to books, rather than read them. That means, if there is a word we don't understand, we're probably not in a place that would allow us to stop and look it up, learn something new... what a concept! It makes me think that, eventually, books will become like radios and TVs, just background noise. And, I find that sad. Go to this website to see a damning statistic about the average reading level of adults in the U.S. 

Another thing I feel strongly about is cooking. It is my creative outlet. When I create a brand new recipe, I'm queen of the world! I love everything about cooking... the prep, the selection of spices and herbs, the aromas. Something bubbling on a stove, simmering on a grill or baking in the oven is pure magic... all those ingredients, brought together by heat to create art that fuels the body, satisfies cravings, feeds all the senses. You feel the texture of  the foods on your hands... crisp vegetable, fleshy meat, gritty spices. You see the colors of the various ingredients forming an abstract image... red and green peppers with white mushrooms and golden onions against brown meats. The aromas tempt your taste buds and, without even realizing it, your digestive system is already starting to work. You can hear the sizzle and the bubble. And, finally, the supreme climax of tasting the end result. 

There are lots of reasons that cooking at home is beneficial, not the least of which is our health. There's some damning evidence about the state of our diets. We see it everywhere. There's no denying the obesity epidemic. Even more alarming, life expectancy is going down, despite medical advances and technology. Diabetes is one of the main reasons. Yet, experts all agree that by cooking at home, we are able to control our intake of sugar and salt, our portions, avoid preservatives and additives, while preserving and adding to our heritage, our health, our creativity... our legacy. 

And, just to make sure you were paying attention, there's a link between our decline in education and rise in obesity. Do your research. Be smart. Take control.

And, in answer of the prevailing question... yes, I read cookbooks! Call it quirky, but it's where I get my inspiration. One I highly recommend is LooneySpoons. It's chock full of nutritious recipes, helpful hints, cooking tips and amusing anecdotes and cartoons. 

So, in the words of Bill Haley and His Comets... get out in the kitchen and rattle those pots and pans!! http://youtu.be/7CXFXB4uknI

Asian Slaw

This salad is super crisp, with a sweet and sour sesame dressing that is very low in calories. 

I used about two cups of shredded cabbage, about 1/2 cup carrot straws, two sliced mushrooms, sliced radishes, red onion and cucumber to taste, 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, and 1/2 cup water chestnuts. 

The dressing is 1/4 cup rice vinegar (or regular white vinegar), 3 tbsp sesame oil (you could use olive oil and season with sesame seeds, but sesame oil is about 1/3 the calories of olive oil), 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp teriyaki sauce, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp lemon pepper (or use lemon juice and ground pepper) and 1 tbsp honey. Amounts can be adjusted according to your own taste. Mix the dressing ingredients well, pour over the salad and toss.

Finally, before serving, throw in some crunchy chow mein noodles.

Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc 2012 Review

Tonight, with my lover-ly spinach tuna artichoke salad (recipe here... super good), I'm enjoying Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc), 2012, from Sonoma County, California. OK, first of all, check out the winery. It looks like a villa on the Riviera. No, scratch that. It looks like heaven. It's called Villa Fiore, House of Flowers. Yeah, after seeing that, I'm raring to go to my office... NOT! I may need to rethink my retirement plan with regard to state of residence. 

The winery is actually in Healdsburg, California, located on the Russian River. It hasn't been in operation very long, just since 1985. The gardens were planted by owner, Rhonda Ferrari-Carano. And, no, there's no relationship to the world-renowned car manufacturer.  

The term Fume Blanc is just a fancy name for Sauvignon Blanc and was promoted by Robert Mondavi to identify the specific Sauvignon Blanc grapes produced from vine cuttings that originated in the Sauternes vineyards of Chateau d'Yquem, in the Bordeaux region of France and supposed to be, like, the most superior grapes in the Universe. Well, la-di-da, la-di-da, la, la. 

OK, let's get to the wine. I smell predominantly pears, with a little bit of peach and almonds. There's more pear on the taste, with a little bit of pineapple and grassy lime. The winemaker's notes say something about kiwi (which I couldn't identify) and guava (which I've never tasted), and then talked about some spice notes (which my naive palate couldn't pick out). The finish is really crisp, and there's just enough acidity to work well with food. It was really good with my salad but, because the winemaker's notes said it worked well with sushi and cheese, I tried it with the cheeses I had available in the fridge — sorry, no sushi. I tried it with a hickory smoked Swiss, a sharp cheddar and mozzarella. The cheddar won, but I liked it better with the salad of spinach and tuna, which could count as sushi, I guess... kind of... maybe. 

The wine is very affordable, about $15/bottle — at which I must exclaim... they must sell a HELLUVA lot of wine to maintain THAT winery for those kind of prices!!! Previous vintages were consistently rated between 89 and 91, this particular wine has been rated at 90 by Connoisseur Guide. It has a little too much pear taste for me, but definitely worth the price. At 13.8% alcohol content, please drink responsibly. 

Someone Show Old Man Winter the Door!

I'm a four seasons type of person, and I'm not talking about the hotel chain — although I'm pretty sure I could be persuaded in that area if the budget allowed. As a rule, I'm usually nostalgic about the beautiful fall leaves being blown from the trees only until that first beautiful snowfall makes everything sparkle like a fairyland, while happy to see those first spring buds when the trees look like they're dressed in cotton candy and even on through the heat of summer, when my garden and lawn are at their full depth of color and lushness. 

Fast forward to this year... I'm done with winter, OK? D-O-N-E! It's April... the last full week of April, even. And, incredibly, our beautiful flowering trees and those other messengers of spring, tulips and jonquils, are now being threatened by a late-season freeze. I'm not talking about an hour hovering close to the freezing mark. Oh no! I'm talking about a forecast of snow flurries and temperature of 30 degrees overnight. Show of hands... who didn't get the memo that sweaters would be required the day after mowing the lawn? That rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, lied through his fat cheeks and buck teeth. Oh, the humanity! Problem is, I'm old... and stubborn. Changing course, direction or, more importantly, mood requires more than one cold night. 

I'm committed to spring, and it's full steam ahead... and that includes food. I'm ready for farmers' market vegetables, those that still have dirt clods on them and smell earthy. Unfortunately, it's still going to be a while before I'm free from spending time in the produce section of the supermarket, trying to divine if that tomato is going to taste like an Heirloom or paper mache or from scrubbing my cucumbers to remove that waxy feel so I can feel good about eating the skin. However, I'm determined to have some facsimile of springtime in my diet. And, with that, I give you my antipasto salad. 

This is a perfect winter-spring limbo dish. There's plenty of summer vegetables, with hearty ham in a freshly made sweet vinaigrette.

The nice thing is the ingredients can be whatever your personal taste dictates. This is made with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, thinly sliced cucumber and summer squash, three kinds of olives (Spanish, black and Kalamata), two types of onions (pearl and red), julienne-cut carrots, chopped celery, cauliflower, broccoli and asparagus (blanched), banana peppers, chopped parsley, thinly sliced ham, three types of cheese (cubed mozzarella and cheddar, and crumbled feta) and bowtie pasta, cooked al dente. Possibilities also include red, yellow and green bell pepper, zucchini, salami and radishes, as well as different types of pasta.

The vinaigrette is 1 tbsp lemon juice, 3 oz white wine vinegar, 3 oz extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp Italian season mix and 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper, all well blended. Pour over the full mix of vegetables and toss well. One person described it as a "party in my mouth." Easy to make, it's best made ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld and will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. Serve with seasoned crackers, as I did here, or garlic bread. Or, if you're unwilling to defy Mother Nature, it would even be good with onion or tomato soup.

Horseradish Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

For a little zing with a roast beef or salmon salad, mix together well two ounces of olive oil, two ounces of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon minced parsley, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish.

You Say Toe-pee-kah, I say Tuh-pee-kah

I'm talking about Topeka, Kansas, of course. In the language of the Kansa People, who originally inhabited the area, Topeka means "to dig good potatoes," referring to the prairie potato, which was a staple of the Plains Indians. Wait a minute... this is Kansas, right? So, how did Idaho become "the Potato State?"

Being from Texas, I have to say my knowledge of Kansas was based on the very limited experience of driving through on family trips and witnessing the monotony of a flat, featureless landscape with nothing to draw attention except an occasional barn. In my mind, it was just a step above the Texas Panhandle in that it did, at least, have grass. Add to that perception the general opinion of the folks of my current home state, Missouri. Their feelings about Kansas is a watered-down antagonism that goes all the way back to pre-Civil War, and is now manifested in college rivalries. So, my own idea about the real Kansas primarily came down to my interaction with the nice folks I knew who lived in Kansas, but worked in Missouri. Hmmmm... that spoke volumes. Does nothing want to stay in Kansas? But, my interpretation was undeniably skewed.

When a fellow history geek friend asked me to join her in an exploration of Topeka, I was skeptical, but did some research. OK, there were a few things that piqued my interest. It seemed worth a 90-minute drive and weekend road trip. Frankly, I had a feeling it would be a semi-sedate two days, with plenty of down time between attractions. Instead, I'm just glad I took comfortable shoes! There is much to see and do in Topeka, believe it or not.

A lot of people probably think it ghoulish, but I happen to love walking through old cemeteries, looking at the different styles of monuments, from the garish to the nondescript, and speculating what it represents for each individual person and his or her family. The Topeka Cemetery was full of interest! For instance, a mausoleum which had a carving representative of the Egyptian god Horus on the lintel and a stained glass window with the emblem of the Knights Templar. What was the connection? There are several unique monuments, old intermingled with new, and a row of crypts dating back to 1890.

Next stop was Old Prairie Town, revealed to us by the adorable Mable, our tour guide. We saw a one-room schoolhouse that was in operation from the 1890s to the 1950s. The high point of the tour was the Ward log cabin, original to the site, built by the first settlers of Topeka and located right next door to the newer Ward-Meade residential mansion, with its beautiful gardens. And, the tour was topped off with a Green River drink served at the period drug store. Don't ask, just enjoy!!

The Brown vs. Board of Education is a must see for anyone visiting Topeka. It is a comprehensive look at the landmark Supreme Court case that was the catalyst for change in America's perception and laws regarding segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.

The Kansas Museum of History is chock full of all things Kansas, from the time of the Ancient People, right up to modern day.

And, you must make a stop at Lecompton, Kansas, about 20 minutes east of Topeka on I70. It was the territorial capital of Kansas. Constitution Hall, the original government building for the Kansas Territory, offers a thorough explanation of how important Kansas was to the election of Abraham Lincoln and, ultimately, the Civil War. And, the old Lane University, which was built to be the Territorial Capital Building, is wall to ceiling full of artifacts from the 1800s, including Civil War ordinance, farm implements and household items.

If you haven't visited Topeka... GO!! There's so much to see. I highly recommend the Fairfield Inn off Hwy. 470 and Wannamaker. It's very affordable, the staff were extremely guest conscious and the beds were to die for!! It is in a convenient location and even has an indoor pool and health room. Breakfast and WiFi are included in the price of the room.

Crustless Spinach Portobello Pie

I decided to try my hand at culinary improvisation. I'm not a huge fan of pie crust. I get that you need something to act as a foundation for all the good parts of pies, but I usually bypass the top crust of double-crust pies and start digging in at the level of the filling. And, working with phyllo dough is off-the-charts annoying. So, I conjured up the idea of using portobello mushrooms as the foundation for a spinach pie.
Ingredients:

4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, separated

1 small chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pkg chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon Greek seasoning mix (thyme, dill, mace, cinnamon, basil, fennel, rosemary)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup low fat Ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Infuse 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with a parmesan herb mixture to brush on the portobellos. I broiled them cap side up on an uncoated cookie sheet, just long enough to dehydrate them, about 10 minutes.
Saute the onion and garlic in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.

Mix together the egg, seasoning mix, Ricotta cheese and lemon juice. I added the sauteed onions and garlic to the spinach, added the egg mixture and stirred to blend well.
Arrange the portobello mushrooms on the bottom of a pie plate and spoon the spinach mixture on top. Top with the Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese is melted.


Disclaimer: I'm an amateur cook, novice gardener and frustrated writer... photography is not my gig — at all. But, I also don't believe in misleading my readers. The picture is my actual pie. Trust me, it tasted a lot better than it looked. I just wished I had thought to include artichokes! If you try that, let me know how it turned out.

"The Widow of the South" by Robert Hicks

This historical fiction pulls you in slowly, but inescapably. Hicks' style of prose reminds me of Charles Dickens. He uses a lot of detail and verbose descriptions and, while I was reading, I couldn't help but think that no one really analyzes their own feelings in that way. Yet, the minute details are absolutely essential to convey the depth of feelings of these real-life characters. And, that is what this book is about... the sentiments and emotions ravaged by life and conflict, especially during the time of our nation's internal rage against itself... the Civil War.

It tells the story of how a senseless and bloody battle which sealed the fate of the Confederacy just may have helped a woman already damaged by irreconcilable loss to find her sanity and her destiny. The true story of how Carnton, her plantation home, became the largest privately held Confederate Cemetery in the U.S. and the final resting place for 1,500 casualties from the Battle of Franklin, is one of determination, honor and redemption, told from a viewpoint of feelings and thoughts of Carrie MaGavock and the people who made up her world. Thought to be insane, unable to find meaning of her life, Carrie begins a painful journey of understanding the mysterious fragility of life by recognizing the unexplainable inevitability of death.

Before delving into the book, I recommend reading a synopsis of the history of the Battle of Franklin, a conflict fraught with failure from the firing of the first shot to the unimaginable number of casulaties at the conclusion. It will help set the scene and the mood of the entire story, while every character searches for the reasons for survival. Is it truly just luck, or is it destiny?

Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc 2011

It's 65 degrees outside. I've been shopping for a tree, top soil, plants and bulbs in anticipation of getting down and dirty — literally — tomorrow. So, in celebration of the entrance into Spring, I'm reviewing a white wine tonight, Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from the Groenekloof region of South Africa. 

Wine making in South Africa goes all the way back to the mid-1600's. The vineyards have the unique advantage of a Mediterranean climate with oceanic air on three sides of dry, hot soil. The grapes grown are primarily Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.

I specifically chose this wine because the wine maker's tasting notes described it as "savory." I'd never seen that word applied to a white, and thought, "We'll see." 

The color of the wine reminded me of yellow sapphires, which I found appealing. It's almost as if it's appearance promises a smooth, fragrant, fresh experience. On the nose, I smell ever so faintly some jasmine with grapefruit. What I especially like is that there is no "pucker" effect on the first sip, like I get with most whites. It's very smooth, no bite at all, with flavors of peach, grapefruit and herbs. And, yes, I would even say it is savory. You know the phrase "mouth watering" associated with the word savory? Most of the time it's triggered by aroma, sometimes by sight of a food you're familiar with, and it's absolutely essential to digestion. Well, I have to say, this wine is mouth watering by means of taste. My mouth is refreshed, literally, because of its nice long finish that reminds me of green tea with lemon.

It worked very well with my light dinner of hummus, fresh veggies, and rosemary crackers, but I thought it probably would have tasted even better with a Caprese salad or a nice Greek salad, maybe antipasto, something with a little more oomph to satisfy those salivary glands that are now wide awake. In fact, I think it would work well with any food, because it does not overpower the palate, but prepares it. While white wine is not my first choice, I will definitely choose this one again. Extremely affordable, about $14/bottle. Rated 86 by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, consumer reviews placed it even higher at 91.

Coppola's 2010 Claret

My blog is about discovery of what is possible after 50... new adventures, so to speak. One thing I found a latent passion for is wine. And, not just the drinking part, although I do enjoy trying to identify the complex flavors found in wine. I'm also able to satisfy my history nerdiness, as well, by researching the varietals, vineyards and processes that go into the making of it. And, just as I love trying new restaurants, I also love trying new wines. So, a portion of my blog will be dedicated to reviewing new wines.

I had seen the wine designation Claret before, while reading Agatha Christie books, and just associated it with English women of eighth generation nobility who would insist on taking afternoon tea breaks that included cucumber sandwiches and petite fours with a teeny glass of sherry. So, when I had the opportunity of saving an almost full bottle of leftover Claret from its inevitable oxidated demise three days after being opened, I really didn't expect it to be worth drinking, much less to actually like it. Incredibly, the wine was still quite good and surprisingly to my taste. As is my habit, especially with a favorable experience, I dug into some research about the wine, Francis Ford Coppola's 2010 Black Label Claret.

I learned that Claret is not a varietal but, rather, a method of blending. But, the story of this wine goes a little deeper than that. It is produced by a blending process that is a replication of one used by the rather fascinating Captain Gustave Niebaum, a Finnish sea captain, who by 1850 was the leading fur trader in the world — operating from the Alaskan Commercial Company, a trading company he founded based in San Francisco — and was the Russian Consul to the U.S. in 1867. He explored much of Alaska, prepared most of the maps of the area and was a strong advocate of the U.S. purchase of Alaska. But, he also established Inglenook Winery, in 1879 in Rutherford, California, a small village in the Napa Valley. It was the first Bordeaux-style winery in the U.S., making him kind of the father of Bordeaux blending in America. Francis Ford Coppola purchased Inglenook in 1975 with money he made from "The Godfather." (See? I wasn't kidding about the history nerdiness.)

What is Bordeaux-style? It's a blending of of the grapes grown in the Bordeaux region of France, which are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and small amounts of Malbec and Carmenere, aged at least one year in oak. The French chose the name Bordeaux. The English, historically at odds with the French on so many levels, chose to call the wine Claret, an anglicized version of Clairet, the most common wine exported from Aquitaine for the 300 years it was under English control. While the French word Clairet actually pertained to a rose wine, over the years the term Claret has come to mean any red wine blended with grapes traditionally associated with the Bordeaux region of France. 

So, let's get to the wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (79%), Petit Verdot (13%), Malbec (5%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). I'm not much of a purist when it comes to red wines. I really prefer the blends, and this one is a new favorite.

On the nose... vanilla and strawberries that leads really well to an earthy palate of nutmeg, coffee and leather. It would work well with any savory foods, like beef stroganoff or prime rib. Best part... it is a fraction of what you would pay for an imported French Bordeaux (less than $20/bottle) and is consistently rated 86 points with consumer reviewers. Highly recommended.