Not about Food, not about Painting............

This particular posting is way off my usual route. I received this poem today from a high school class mate (Wyandotte High School, Class of 1959). It seems to me this poem needs to be passed along, so here it is.
A POEM WORTH READING

~ Author unknown ~

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
Though a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state.
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young.
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Someone who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician’s stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, though small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end?

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part,
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Patriotism – Pass it on!
YOU can make a difference for our country; it seems our politicians can only screw it up.

Color, Color and More Color!

It happened, and we were ready!  It took all of us to pull it together, working long hours, while in some cases, still working on paintings.  But, at the end of the day, the gallery looked beautiful, the food was pretty darned good and the art was looking great!

I have to tell you, the gallery looked beautiful because of Jacquie Davis. She worked for 3 days, scrubbing, polishing, shining, while we were busy at our easels! She was on top of a 10 foot tall ladder pulling down worn awnings; she was on her hands and knees with a scrub brush in her hand. There wasn't an inch of the gallery she did not work on, inside or out.
Jacquie is not one of the artists at For Art'sake, but her husband, Claud, is.  Claud and Jacquie also invited me to spend the night in their guest room so I didn't have to drive home, which I greatly appreciated! I discovered by 10pm, it hurt to stand, sit, lie down, cough, move in general; my bones ached, my head hurt, and I still haven't figured out why.

The North Gallery was filled with paintings by David Gross, Claud Davis, Cher Ulrich and myself. The jewelry was by 5 or 6 jewelry artists, including Amy Thomas of Bonner Springs. There was pottery, fiber art, and metal sculptures. With sparkling clean windows and new lighting above them, our front windows were very interesting.

In the South Gallery, our guests found the paintings of David Robey, and the lamps of Dale Langner and a large table covered with Somerset Ridge Wine and platters of food. Scattered about the gallery were tables and chairs for our guests to enjoy as they visited.

The show will continue to hang for at least 30 days. I will keep you posted as to the future shows at For Art'sake Gallery and Artist's Co-Op Studios.

Thank you to everyone who dropped by, I can't tell you what it means to us. Please return soon!

If you missed our opening celebration, please join us anytime. We are located on the west side of the town square at 10 S Silver in beautiful little Paola, Kansas. It is just 25 miles south of Kansas City!



some of the Somerset Ridge Painters on hand to join in on the celebration
l to r: Vicki Johnston, Kristin Goering, me, Maria Johnson and Audrey Benskin



Now, on to other business....I heard a rumor that the first lady was trying to start a movement against butter. Need I say more? You have read my recipes! Butter is a necessity! So, I decided to share a blog by David Lebovitz. Go to http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/09/how-to-make-irish-butter/

Hope you enjoy it!

Spice it up!

One thing I truly enjoy about pulling a show together for a gallery, after the paintings are hung, is planning the food. A gallery, worth its salt, serves great food and wonderful wine on opening night at the Artist’s Reception. It should be a celebration! It should be creative, a feast for the eyes! Being the “Foodie” that I am, I am always on the lookout for new, fun appetizer recipes for just such occasions.


Most galleries serve big bowls of pretzels, chips, etc. with an occasional cheese tray from Sam’s or Costco. Here at For Art’sake, we are all “Foodies” and love to cook. Well, maybe not David and Claud, but they do love to eat! So, we plan a great array of party food for our events.

The secret is to have food that can be picked up and eaten in one bite. That way there isn’t a problem with used plates and forks lying around the pieces of art! So, we have been talking finger foods for days now.

The menu will come together as the food is brought in from our collective kitchens. You all know how plans can change as the day progresses? Well, that can happen to a menu also.

It sounds like there will be some Oriental, maybe a little Mexican, some German and of course, Italian.

While thinking about the recipes I might use, I decided I should share some of them with you. After all, you “Foodies” hang in there with me when I go on and on about the vineyard and painting. You deserve recipes for your patience.

The “usual” cocktail buffet table includes Deviled Eggs, Meatballs, and something with shrimp or crab. It is usually a shrimp or crab dip. Boring!  I like to shake it up a bit......there is no reason to always serve the same old thing!

The first recipe is from Master Cook and it is called

Buffalo Style Deviled Eggs

12 Eggs, at least 1 week old (they peel easier!)
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 ribs celery, finely diced

Hard cook eggs. Cool, shell, then cut in half to make 24 shells. Mash yokes and mix well all other iingredients, except diced celery. Spoon or pipe the yoke mixture back into shells. Garnish with diced celery.

Next is a meatball recipe from the National Pork Producers Council. Italian meatballs are spectacular, but every now and then, you just want something a little different.

Pork and Apple Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded pared apple
1/4 cup soft rye bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup apple jelly

Sprinkle salt, cinnamon and pepper over pork; add apples, bread crumbs and walnuts. Mix lightly but thoroughly.

Shape mixture into 40 balls (1 scant tablespoon each). Brown balls (half at a time) in large frying pan. Pour off drippings. Add water, cover tightly and cook slowly 15 minutes. Remove balls to warm chafing dish. Stir apple jelly into cooking liquid and cook until melted. Pour sauce over meatballs.

Now, for the Crab recipe. This one is Oriental, served with a great Plum Sauce.

Crab Spring Rolls with Plum Dipping Sauce
3/4 cup cooked crab meat, flaked
1/2 cup cabbage, minced
1/3 cup cooked green beans, chopped
1/3 cup raw bean sprouts, chopped
2 tablespoons canned bamboo shoots, chopped
1 teaspoon pickled ginger, minced (1 to 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grated carrot
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped (1 to 2 teaspoons)
Spring roll (Lumpia*) wrappers

Plum Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons plum jelly
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Put 3 tablespoons of filling on front section of the spring roll wrapper. Form the filling into approximately a 3-inch by 1 1/2-inch mound. Fold one end of the wrapper over the filling. Next, fold the 2 sides toward the middle, then roll the wrapper up and place seam side down on a platter. At this point, the spring rolls may be sliced in half and served on a garnished plate with the dipping sauce, or they may be left whole and fried in hot oil, my preference.

Plum Dipping Sauce Instructions:
Combine ingredients and gently heat until jelly is melted. Serve warm. Makes approximately 1/4 cup.
I usually triple this part of the recipe. I love lots of Plum Sauce!


Now, mind you, if you are coming to the Artist’s Reception on Saturday evening, no matter how well I plan, I can’t guarantee these particular menu items will actually be there. But there will be food!
The Color, Color and more Color Show will be this Saturday evening, 9/18 from 6 to 8pm.
For Art'sake Gallery,  10 South Silver, Paola, Kansas.

I was just thinking back on the time when I used to post a new blog, almost every day. I wonder how I had that much free time! Now, I have to really work at finding a few hours so I can write a new posting once a week! There is a reason for my shortage of time, and only one reason and it is spelled PAINTING!

David Gross in studio

When I decided it was time to either give up painting or paint until I learned the things I needed to learn,  I chose painting. I searched for a studio and found one in Paola, Kansas, of all places. The small town atmosphere, the quaint town square, the great rent prices (!) all helped me make my choice. But the truth of the matter is this....David Gross and Claud Davis are the reason I am there.  These two gentlemen are my studio mates. We paint together, in our studio, 7 days a week, rain or shine. I have discovered this decision to join them has been one of the top 3 choices of my life. I can't put a value on what I have learned from each of them. David is an amazing painter who is an experienced teacher.  After a week or so, he figured me out; It seems I need to be "shown how to" because his terminology is so different than mine. I couldn't figure out what he was asking me to do! Once that was figured out, we became good friends and my painting has changed dramatically.

Claud working on painting

Claud, on the other hand, is not a teacher, but he is a painter! Standing a few feet away, I can watch Claud working on incredible paintings...UPSIDE DOWN! He doesn't sit when he paints. He stands before his easel for hours at a time, working on the most detailed paintings you can imagine. His attitude and work ethic is truly inspiring.

Okay, enough about how I spend my time.

Now I want to extend a personal invitation to you. David, Claud and I are having a group show along with several of our fellow co-op members. Our opening party is this Saturday evening at For Art'sake at 10 South Silver, on the town square in Paola, Kansas, from 6 to 9 pm. Please join us for our celebration and the unveiling of our latest paintings.

 I am anxious to show you Ponte Vecchio and my just completed Somerset Autumn on Wea Creek. And for fun...a few abstracts.

Hope to see you there!

Setting up for a day of painting

Today was a great day! I arranged for Claud Davis and David Gross to join me at the vineyard to spend the day painting. We set up our easels under the tent that was up for the harvest event on Sunday, and spent the day talking to Somerset Ridge Winery visitors and painting. We had decided to each paint a winery/grape painting, just to keep with the theme of the day. When I saw Claud"s and David's paintings, I decided to do a landscape of the creek that I love and wanders through Somerset, Wea Creek. When you have painters such as Mr. Davis and Mr. Gross, you try to avoid painting something that people will compare to theirs! I'm no dummy!

Anyway, we were there from 11:00am to 5:00pm and it was a day rich with fun, laughter, great conversation and some pretty spectacular painting! Claud and I each unveiled our most recently finished paintings; his "Yvonne's Forest", a glorious large painting of a field of vibrant deep pink Asters, and my "Ponte Vecchio", which is hardly a secret by now!

left to right: me, Claud Davis and David Gross

As you can tell by the photos, we concentrated on painting....... some of the time. We loved chatting with the people and saw some old friends.
Claud finished his painting of the grapes just as the winery was closing. I will photograph it tomorrow and post it soon. You won't believe it!

Tuscan Grape Bread and a painting, Apples and Pears, by Vicki Johnston

Before we left the vineyard, we picked several pounds of Norton grapes. I just baked a Tuscan Grape Bread to share at the vineyard tomorrow. It is two layers of bread dough with a layer of wine grapes (seeds and all!) and walnuts baked in the middle. There are more grapes on top, sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with honey and baked to a golden brown.
Here is Judy Francini's recipe. If you can't find wine grapes, I would not substitute table grapes. Try fresh blueberries instead.

Schiacciata con l’Uva Tuscan Grape bread

1/4 cup olive oil
1 rosemary branch
2 lbs red wine grapes, Concord grapes or blueberries
1 lb flour
1 cake fresh yeast
1/2 cup sugar
honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Heat rosemary branch in olive oil. Remove rosemary.
• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water.
• Place flour in a large bowl and add the yeast mixture. Stir to mix. Add the rosemary-scented oil and 4 Tbs. sugar.
• Knead dough until smooth.
• Place in greased bowl.
• Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Divide dough in half. Roll out into a thin rectangle.
• Place on greased cookie sheet.
• Top with 1/2 of the grapes.
• Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with oil.
• Cover with other half of dough, rolled out as before. Seal edges by folding bottom edge over top.
• Press down on dough to crush grapes.
• Cover top with remaining grapes.
• Crush these too, to release juices.
• Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with honey.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden. Baste, if possible, with any juices.

Read more from Judy, straight from Tuscany: http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/

Life is good....busy, but good. At least half of all the grapes have been picked, therefore, we are half way through harvest! Yeah! This last weekend over 3 tons of grapes were picked and crushed. That means we are now moving on to the red varietals.

At the studio, I have finally, at long last, completed Ponte Vecchio! It should be dry and ready to hang at the vineyard this weekend. I have invited David Gross and Claud Davis  to join me for painting in the vineyard. We will set up our easels and each work on a painting during the winery hours both Saturday and Sunday. We are also going to each bring a completed painting to hang for the weekend. I have seen the paintings by David and Claud, and you are in for a treat! So, please join us.....come sit on the veranda with a chilled bottle of crisp Chardonel or Oktoberfest wine, while enjoying some of Chef Kamal's Hummus and Pita Chips. There will be live music both afternoons. AND,  It is going to be in the upper 70s, temperature wise! See....it's true...Life is definitely good!

On Friday evening, the Crossroads Art District will be hosting the First Friday's gallery tours. I have a very special friend showing at the Leedy Voulkos Gallery http://www.leedy-voulkos.com/. Kristin Goering's paintings are always as fun and as vivacious as Kristin is herself! Also showing in the Crossroads area is Anne Garney. Landscape Paintings by Anne will be at The b Gallery. I am looking forward to visiting with both of these artists and seeing their latest work!

Things will be changing at For Art'sake in the next week or so. Our next show opens on September 18th with a fun Artist's Reception with plenty of wine and food starting at 6:00pm. The theme of the show is Color, Color and More Color, and trust me, there will be lots of it! Please join us for the evening.  For Art'sake is located at 10 South Silver, right on the square in Paola, Kansas. I bet the paintings David Gross, Claud Davis and I work on this weekend at the vineyard, will be a part of the show!

Italian Harvest Grape Pie
We will be the picking the first of the red grapes during this weekend's harvest . To celebrate, I am going to be baking Tuscan Wine Grape Pie  - Schiacciata con l'Uva. One of the nicest things about autumn in Tuscany is Schiacciata con l'Uva, an astonishingly rich, sinfully juicy wine grape pie whose country roots are clearly revealed by the dough and the crunchiness of the grape seeds. I use the recipe from my friend, Judy Witts Francini. You need wine grapes for authentic Schiacciata con l'Uva, and those I have! I think maybe I'll make enough to have some  at the winery on Sunday! You had better come to the winery!

It's Harvest Time at the Vineyard!

Harvest weekend number one is over at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery! A crew of 65 volunteer pickers were greeted by Cindy and Dennis Reynolds at the winery early Sunday morning before heading into the vines. 

The crew harvested the Chardonel grapes first, which is a white wine grape that produces a high quality wine with varietal character. Chardonel is distinguished by its superior wine quality combined with high productivity and cold hardiness superior to its acclaimed parent, 'Chardonnay'. Next the crew moved into the Traminette vines. Traminette is a late mid-season white wine grape which produces wine with pronounced varietal character likened to one of its parents, 'Gewürztraminer'. Traminette is distinguished by its superior wine quality combined with good productivity, partial resistance to several fungal diseases, and cold hardiness superior to its acclaimed parent, 'Gewürztraminer'
All of this is bound to be more information than you wanted!

Dennis and his crew of 4 "cellar rats" worked until very late in the evening, crushing and pressing the day's harvest, resulting in tanks full of fresh juice!

Dennis told the guest harvesters to watch for 2010 Chardonel which will be on the shelves next year and to remember they helped picked the grapes!

Lunch is served

One of the events our pickers enjoy is our Gourmet Harvest Lunch complete with wine! I have been the chief cook and bottle washer at the vineyard for the last 8 years. This year, I have the help from Donna Nagle and her delightful helpers at Molly's Table . Using the traditional recipes of Somerset Ridge, Donna is making it possible for this old lady to retire, maybe! The lunch was a refreshing menu of Greek Salad, Grilled Chicken Skewers, Dolmas, Pita Bread, fresh Tomatoes from the Somerset Ridge organic garden, and for dessert, Koularakia, a Greek Cookie. The wine Cindy and Dennis served was Flyboy Red and a Traminette wine, Oktoberfest.

Harvest will continue over the next several weeks, but the Winery Tasting Room is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11am to 5 pm. On Sunday, the hours are 12 noon to 5pm. 

 Fall is a wonderful time to visit  Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery. Please drive out to visit us! Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Ponte Vecchio, an oil painting , 30" x 40",
from an original photograph taken by
Betsy and Ben Nanson

I am actually pleased with my latest painting, and believe me, that is rare. I normally stand back and look at a painting and immediately feel I should have done this, I should not have done that…..blah, blah, blah. Mind you, I am not saying I think Ponte Vecchio is perfect, or even good, (Okay, so I do think it is good, but don't tell anyone I said that!) I am saying I am happy with the piece because I have learned so much by painting it. It does not photograph well under the lighting in the studio, but I am posting it anyway

I am usually a pretty fast painter, never more than 5 or 6 hours on a canvas. Can you imagine my surprise at realizing I spent over 80 hours painting Vecchio! Of course, I had an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other….both named David Gross. David and I share studio space at For Art’sake in Paola, Kansas. He is literally 10 feet away. I would be painting, or more accurately, pondering my painting, when I would hear this voice over my shoulder saying “Want to know what I think?” You simply do not turn down advice, observations, views, sarcastic remarks, etc., from a nationally know and highly respected master painter! “YES, David, tell me!”

With David’s knowledge always available, easily accessible, and generously given, I have found I have learned respect for the process of painting and an immeasurable respect for the influence it has on the finished painting. David has taught me one simple brush stroke can change an entie painting.

I am in the final stages of my painting. I had never glazed more than 2 paintings in my life and Vecchio was begging to be glazed. The bridge stretches over the Arno River in Florence, Italy. Built right on the bridge are shops, originally built for the gold and silver merchants. The colors are amazing, and these wonderful buildings with red tile rooftops reflect in the water below. It is that water, the Arno, that I wanted to glaze to give the river depth. This glazing process takes a while to dry, and each application must be completely dry before the next layer can be applied. So, that is where I am now, sitting and pondering my painting....willing it to dry quickly!

During the time I have been working on Vecchio, David was working feverishly on a show that opened August 6th at the Hilliard Gallery in Kansas City. I spent hours watching him create beautifully executed paintings. It was an experience to see him work with composition and color, and the brush work! Like a child, I wanted to try everything I was learning! I would move over to my easel, and there it was, Vecchio, waiting for me…..again, still….I was sure would it would never be done! Yes, I am still working on it, but it is getting so close. I am pleased, and I am looking forward to starting my next painting. I'm thinking another view of Lago di Como is in my future.

Okay, all of this talk about Italy has me hungry!
The heirloom tomatoes at the vineyard are going crazy.  I'm thinking maybe 21 plants might be borderline extreme tomato growing for a little organic garden, but what the hell, we've got tomatoes!
Here is a simple recipe to take advantage of this summer's crop. Hope you enjoy it!

Pomodori Ripieni     serves 6
6 round, ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup uncooked rice-I use arborio
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped basil
salt
2 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano
extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the top 1/3 of the tomatoes and save. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, chop and put in a bowl. Add the rice, garlic, basil, parmigiano-reggiano and season with salt. Moisten with a little olive oil. Fill the tomatoes 2/3 full with the rice mixture and put top back on. Place stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish and pour in 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake for half an hour. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more or until, rice is done. Serves: 6 as a side dish

2. This is great right out of the oven or at room temperature.

This last Friday night, while attending the David Gross show at the Hilliard Gallery, our group went to Extra Virgin, a Michael Smith restaurant here in Kansas City. One of the appetizer menu items served were chickpea fingers. They did not resemble the Panella I learned to love while in Sicily. Where Michael’s were thick and pale in color, the Sicilian panella are thin, crispy and golden brown!

Panella (also spelled panelle and panelli) is a Sicilian savory fritter made with a finely-ground flour from ceci or chickpeas. Sold at street stands and street markets in Palermo, fried panella are eaten as is, or multiple slices are piled in a sesame roll and enjoyed as a sandwich. Panella are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Serve panella as a snack or as a side dish similar to polenta crostini. Sometimes we were served a little warm tomato sauce on the side for dipping the Panella.

It didn’t take me long to figure out a plate of Panella and a glass of Sicily’s Nero D'Avola made for a happy cocktail hour!

Nero D'Avola is Sicily’s most well known wine. The Nero D'Avola grape is grown from one end of Sicily to the other, with the finest growing on the slopes of Mt. Etna. An interesting fact about this grape is until the 1980s, commercial use of Nero d'Avola was dedicated almost exclusively to fortifying weaker reds in France and northern Italy. In the past Nero d'Avola, like other Sicilian reds, was often syrupy, with an alcohol content reaching eighteen percent --too strong as table wines. The name, which literally means "Avola Black," is a good description.

New viticulture techniques and night harvesting --placing the grapes in cooled vats to prevent premature fermentation-- have been used by a few vintners to retain flavor without producing an overpowering wine. (The idea of night harvesting is interesting to me. So often September here in Kansas is HOT! Night harvesting would definitely be cooler for the pickers, and serving a late night supper out in the vines, complete with candle light and soft Mediterranean music, sounds heavenly to me! One question….how do you find the grapes in the dark!?)

We were served Nero d'Avola everywhere we went. I was okay with that, as long as we had Panella too! Here in the good old USA, I’ll take Flyboy Red! It is a perfect match for Panella! But then, so is Oktoberfest, that crisp fruity white I love to pair with food. Decisions, decisions!

1 cup chickpea flour

2 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Olive oil for frying

Coarse salt

In a bowl combine the flour and water until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Spread it quickly before it cools with a spatula onto a baking sheet.

You want an even layer that is 1/2 inch thick. Try to spread it into a rectangle or square which will make it easier to cut later. Dip your spatula into some water and smooth the top of the dough.

Allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.

Cut into 3-inch squares.

Heat about 1/2-inch of olive oil in a large skillet. Use a spatula to lift the squares off of the baking sheet. Fry the panella 2 to 3 minutes per side until crisp and golden.

Transfer panella to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with salt, if desired, and serve.

It is almost HARVEST TIME!

This time every year, my heart starts doing a little jig….The Dance of Harvest! It used to be the most exciting time at the vineyard because we could really see our progress.  Now, my heart does its little dance because another year has been conquered! How Dennis and Cindy manage all of the many challenges presented by the vines, the weather, the demand for product, bottling, releasing new wines, the employees, their mother-inlaw/mom,  I will never know! And that is just their work related challenges!

But, survive they have….with great gusto! Oh wait a minute; that is from a beer commercial….. Oh well, survive they have!

Here it is, harvest time again. The grapes look wonderful! We have more grape producing vines this year than we have ever had; over 8000 vines….meaning more grapes to pick. In my world, that means more harvest meals to prepare! Fortunately for me, my dear friend and fellow food enthusiast, Donna Nagle, of Molly’s Table in Paola, is stepping up to relieve this poor old woman! Oh, don’t for a moment think that I won’t be there, hands into everything! I could no more give up harvest at Somerset Ridge Vineyard than I could give up breathing!

I still remember our first harvest. It was a summer not too different than this one….temperature wise. It was hotter that the devil. We started picking at 5:30 to 6am every morning, so we could quit by 10am when it was already 100 degrees. Dennis’ mom, Mae, and I would stand on either side of a vine and clip the clusters, dropping them into a bucket. At the same time, we fought off robins with mean little expressions on their faces….we were stealing their food!
Today, the 11 acres of vines provide enough food for the birds plus make thousands and thousands of gallons of juice for Dennis to turn into delicious Somerset Ridge wines! I have checked; there will be plenty of Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc grapes to make Arch’s wine, Flyboy Red!

This past week, juice has started flowing into our tanks. We haven’t started the estate vineyard harvest yet, that will probably be in another 2 weeks. (Watch for the vineyard’s newsletter for the notice to sign up for a harvest date. Trust me, once the announcement has been released, all spots are filled, usually within 2 hours! I talked to a woman at the vineyard yesterday. She missed out last year, so she said she is carrying her blackberry with her at all times so she doesn’t miss out again this year! That is a loyal picker!)

Yesterday, Dennis, Alex (my grandson) and Cody, an employee in the vineyard, worked all day in the hot sun, and by 4pm, they had pumped over 1500 gallons of just pressed La Crescent juice through the filter and into one of the winery’s huge, beautiful stainless steel fermenting tanks from Italy!

La Crescent is a grape with a French background, and has been developed by the University of Minnesota to be a cold loving hardy vine. The berry itself is round; yellow-amber in color with a waxy bloom when ripe. As a fairly new white wine lover, I am anxious to see what Dennis does with this one! And, of course, I am anxious to see what foods can be paired with it!

I will be blogging about harvest over the next 6 to 7 weeks. I hope my enthusiasm for harvest is infectious rather than boring! Bear with me, when harvest is over, it is back to the kitchen! October always sends me dashing to the kitchen to fill the house with aromas of freshly baked goods with apples and cinnamon, black walnuts and pecans. Big pots of soups and stews, taking advantage of the final crop of fresh herbs and vegetables. I can hardly wait!

First Friday in Kansas City

First of all, I can't believe it has been 2 weeks since I posted my last entry! I know I've been working hard, but 2 weeks! I should have a lot to blog about.....

Tonight was what is called "First Friday" here in Kansas City. The Crossroads Arts District is a neighborhood of art, one of a kind stores and wonderful restaurants. Each month thousands flock to this neighborhood to enjoy the galleries, shops and to dine. To check it out for next month, go to www.kccrossroads.org

David Gross, seated before 3 of his paintings

Today was very special. I took my studio mate, Master Painter, David Gross, to the opening of his show at the Hilliard Gallery, 1820 McGee, Kansas City, MO. David has been painting continuously for 6 weeks while preparing for this show called "Assorted Spaces". Many of the paintings in the show were painted in our studio at For Art'sake in Paola, Kansas. I have to tell you, watching an artist of David's caliber, do a painting from start to finish is such a treat, not to mention quite a learning experience!

    Shubunbin Pool

A David Gross Landscape

David's family help him celebrate the opening

The Hilliard is a great gallery, located in an amazing space. If you have never been to the Hilliard, go soon while "Assorted Spaces" is still hanging.  Enjoy the paintings of David Gross!

And of course, you are always invited to our studio in For Art'sake at 10 South Silver in Paola.

As for the dining part...

After enjoying David's show, the Somerset Ridge Painters and spouses and partners enjoyed

Michael Smith's Extra Virgin, a restaurant featuring Mediterranean tapas.

Our table was laden with small plates of food that made the tabletop look like a painting!

We enjoyed Braised Beef Short Ribs, Chickpea Fries,

Deviled Eggs, Gratin of Spanish Bacalao, Spanish influenced Chicken Livers,

(actually, the Spanish influenced the recipe, not the chickens!) 

Lamb Kebabs with apricot & mango chutney, Salads of many variates

and Michael's Homemade Chips of Potato, Plantain and Bacon. 

Delicious!

Lidia!

"Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare!"

               Lidia Bastianich

Today was a good day! My daughter and son-in-law, Betsy and Ben Nanson, invited me to join them for brunch at Lidia's, one of Kansas City's leading restaurants.

Lidia Bastianich opened her restaurant Felidia Manhattan's East Side in 1981. It is here that many of Lidia’s devoted fans find her greeting each guest with the same warmth and passion that she exhibits through her television shows and cookbook; but today, she was here in Kansas City. She comes to Lidia's once every 6 weeks,making sure her restaurant is running smoothly.

Kansas City's Lidia's is warm and friendly, even if it is located in a huge former railroad house just north of Union Station. The colors are warm and inviting; the mouth blown glass light fixtures are outstanding, as is the art work hanging on the walls of the restaurant and bar areas. The overall feel of the restaurant is that of a beautiful wine cellar.

Lidia's food is excellent. Her three fresh homemade pastas are always a treat. Today at brunch, Betsy and Ben both ordered the fresh pasta trio, with the Brunch Buffet of antipasto and desserts. The pasta is served tableside. Your large dinner plate is placed before you, then a server appears to serve hot, freshly prepared pastas, straight from the skillet it was prepared in. The flavors and aromas are wonderful! I had both of Lidia's broths; chicken (a true test of a chef's worth) and her tomato vegetable based broth. They were both delicious!

My thanks to Jason Connor, Director of Operations for the restaurant. I am in hopes that I can return the many kind things he and his staff did for me, by inviting them to Somerset Ridge as my guests for a tasting and maybe even some of my food!

So what was the highlight of the day? My conversation with Lidia. She took the time to talk to me about my blog, my travels in Italy, Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, and her television program which I record every Saturday. She signed my cookbooks and posed for a photo with me. As we were talking about her television show, an old friend of mine, Anita Johnson from Germany, came up to speak to both of us. She expressed her appreciation to Lidia for this week's show featuring Spaetzel, that wonderful dumpling/noodle from Germany, Austria and Northern Italy. I was working at the vineyard while it was being aired, but I will turn it on tonight!
 Lidia was born in Pula Istria on the northeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, which became Croatia in 1991. Because of the history and location of her homeland, Lidia grew up eating the foods of many cultures. Lidia has 5 grandchildren, and she is seeing to it that they learn the history and the foods of Istria. It is obvious Lidia loves to feed her grandchildren just as much as I love to feed mine. We Grandmothers have a lot in common!

Thank you Lidia, Jason, Betsy and Ben!

To read more about Lidia, her restaurants and cookbooks, go to

http://lidiasitaly.com/

One of my favorite recipes from Lidia....

Frico with Apples and Montasio Cheese

                                                                Frico con Le Mele
                                                                         Serves 6

2 Golden Delicious apples or other firm apples (about 10 ounces)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound Montasio cheese, shredded (I found it at Whole Foods, but visit http://montasiocheese.com/)

Recommended Equipment: A 10-inch nonstick skillet

Peel and core the apples, and slice into wedges about 1/2-inch thick. Pour the olive oil in the skillet, and set over medium heat. Scatter the apple wedges in the pan, and toss to coat with oil. Cook and caramelize the apples for about 8 minutes, tossing frequently, until tinged with brown and softened but not mushy. Spill the caramelized apples onto a plate.
Sprinkle half of the shredded Montasion in an even layer over the bottom of the skillet. Return the apples to the pan, spread them evenly on top of the cheese, then sprinkle the remainder of the shredded cheese over the apples.
Lower the heat, and let the frico cook undisturbed until the bottom is very brown and crisped, about 10 minutes. If the cheese releases a lot of fat in the pan, blot it up with paper towels. Shake the pan to loosen the disk, put a large plate on top and invert, dropping the frico ontot he plate, then slide it back in the skillet, top side down. Cook until the second side is crisp and brown, about 7 minutes.
Slide (or invert) the frico onto the plate, blot up oil, and slice into six wedges. Serve hot.
I love it with Somerset Ridge Oktoberfest Wine, chilled.

Daughter Betsy told me her favorite dish at Lidia's is available on line. Go to  http://lidiasitaly.com/
I have not prepared this myself, but it comes highly recommended!
Fresh Ravioli Stuffed with Pear and Pecorino Cheese. 
Serves 6

3-4 Bartlett pears, peeled and cored (approximately 1 pound)
3 tablespoons mascarpone
1 pound grated fresh Pecorino Romano cheese (for stuffing of ravioli)
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano to finish pasta
Fresh egg pasta (see recipe below)
4 ounces aged grated Pecorino Romano cheese
6 ounces butter
Black peppercorn to taste
On a cutting board grate the pears and the fresh pecorino cheese in two different mounds, using the side of the grater with the larger blades. In a bowl, mix this together with the mascarpone and remaining Pecorino Romano. This is your stuffing for the ravioli.

Prepare the pasta (see below) pulling it very thin and into a form of a rectangle and continue with the ravioli as described.

In a sauté pan, melt the butter with 8 ounces of water. Cook the ravioli in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and then toss the ravioli together with the melted butter in the saute’ pan for a few seconds. Remove from heat and finish with the aged Pecorino cheese and peppercorn flakes.

Fresh egg pasta:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, or as needed
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Warm water as needed

Spoon 2 2/3 cups of the flour into the work bowl of a large capacity food processor fitted with the metal blade. Beat the eggs, olive oil and salt together in a small bowl until blended. With the motor running, pour the egg mixture into the feed tube. Process until the ingredients form a rough and slightly sticky dough. If the mixture is too dry, drizzle a very small amount of warm water into the feed tube and continue processing. Scrape the dough out of the work bowl onto a lightly floured wood or marble surface.

Knead the dough by gathering it into a compact ball, then pushing the ball away from you with the heels of your hands. Repeat the gathering and pushing motion several times, then press into the dough, first with the knuckles of one hand, then with the other, several times. Alternate between kneading and “knuckling” the dough until it is smooth, silky and elastic—it pulls back into shape when you stretch it. The process will take 5 to 10 minutes of constant kneading, slightly longer if you prepared the dough by hand. (Mixing the dough in a food processor gives the kneading process a little head start). Flour the work surface and your hands lightly any time the dough begins to stick while you are kneading.

Roll the dough into a smooth all and place in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least one hour at room temperature, or up to 1 day in the refrigerator before rolling and shaping the pasta. If the dough has been refrigerated, let it stand at room temperature for about an hour before rolling and shaping.

For Ravioli:Divide the dough into three equal pieces and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Working with one piece at a time, roll the pasta out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle approximately 10 x 20 inches. Dust the work surface lightly with flour just often enough to keep the dough from sticking; too much flour will make the dough difficult to roll. If the dough springs back as you try to roll it, recover with the kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Start rolling another piece of dough and come back to the first one once it has had a chance to rest. Let the pasta sheets rest, separated by kitchen towels, at least 15 minutes before cutting them. Roll each piece out to sheets about 30 inches long by 11 inches wide. Keep two of the pasta sheets covered with kitchen towels and place the third on the work surface in front of you with one of the long edges toward you.

Arrange twenty of the filling mounds in two rows of ten over the top half of the dough, starting them about 1 ½ inches in from the sides of the dough rectangle and arranging them about 2 ½ inches from each other. Pat the fillings into rough rectangles that measure about 2 x 1 inch.

Dip the tip of your finger into cool water and moisten the edges of the top half of the dough and in between the mounds of filling. Fold the bottom of the dough over the mounds of filling, lining up dough to the bottom firmly, squeezing out any air pockets as you work. With a pastry wheel or knife, cut between the filling into rectangles approximately 2 ½ x 2 inches. Pat lightly the tops of the ravioli to even out the filling. Pinch the edges of the ravioli to seal in the filling. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough.

As Lidia says at the end of each television program..."Tutti a tavola a mangiare!" That means "Everyone to the table to eat!" She doesn't have to tell me twice!

Earlier this week, I was told about an amazing dinner that was developed and prepared by Executive Chef Chris Wofford of the Eldridge Hotel in Lawrence, Kansas.


My daughter and son-in-law attended the dinner to celebrate their anniversary. Knowing they would be tasting some wonderful beverages, they arranged for me to pick them up following the dinner. What they didn’t know was the beverage was bourbon. Seven different bourbons!

Chef Chris Wofford paired each bourbon with a different course, so by the time I picked them up, they were stuffed and had enjoyed just about as much bourbon as they could deal with!

At Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, we are certainly familiar with pairing wine with food, but I wouldn’t know where to begin with bourbon. Here is what Chef Chris came up with:

Upon arrival, the guests were served two fingers of Makers Mark. After “two fingers” I would need a bed!

First course arrived and to everyone’s delight, they discovered all courses featured wild game and bourbon. They began with a Rabbit Confit with Wild Mushroom and Sharp Cheddar Johnny Cakes, served with another two fingers of Bulleit Bourbon, described as having hints of oak and spice with notes of vanilla and honey. YUM! Particularly the Rabbit Confit! Both Cindy and Dennis felt it was the best part of the evening.

Next came the Roasted Breast of Pheasant with Wild Greens and a Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette. This course was served with, yes, another 2 fingers of bourbon….this time it was Bakers Bourbon, noted for the flavors of toasted nuts, fruit, and vanilla with a silky texture.

I should tell you that the dinner took 4 hours, and the diners did eat large amounts of food, in case you were wondering!

When Course #3 was served, it was Red Deer Flank Steak with Venison Sausage, accompanied with Hoppin’ John, and Raspberry BBQ Sauce. The Knob Creek Bourbon was rich, sweet, woody, full-bodied, almost fruity and of course, two finger’s worth!

2 more to go!....The Forth course was Rack of Wild Boar, one of my favorite meats! It was served with Three Peppercorn Hominy Grits, Blackberry Molasses Gastrique. (Wondering about the word “gastrique”? That is a French term meaning to form a glaze by reduction. Gastrique is a thick sauce produced by a reduction of vinegar or wine, sugar, and usually fruit.) This course was accompanied by Basil Hayden Bourbon which is said to be spicy, peppery, with a hint of honey. It is light-bodied with a gentle bite. I’m not sure how any bourbon can be described as having a gentle bite! I would think by now the lining of their esophagi would be gone!

Alas, we come to the Fifth and Final Course. Chef Chris had prepared Pecan and Chocolate Cigars! He chose Bookers Bourbon as the final drink because it is intense with hints of fruit, tannins and tobacco.

Speaking of tobacco, there was a gentleman there who hand rolls excellent cigars and he brought one for each guest. Dennis, being a smart son-in-law, put his out before he got in my car.
Both Cindy and Dennis were very happy on the drive home. They enjoyed their celebration and loved every course. They discussed the different wild game, what they liked best, what they liked least, how the bourbon worked with the game. In a nutshell, they loved it all!

So, back to “gastrique”….You may prefer a blood orange gastrique, or maybe just a simple lemon gastrique, both excellent with seafood. But to me, the wild boar sounds wonderful with the Blackberry Molasses, so, here is a recipe for you.

Blackberry Molasses Gastrigue
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

To prepare, place berries in a small, heavy saucepan; partially mash with a fork. Stir in sugar, vinegar, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Drizzle on slices of Roasted Pork for an “almost” wild boar!

What would you serve with your Boar and Blackberry Molasses Gastrique? You could go with the simplicity of Mashed Potatoes, or maybe you want to go with Italian Polenta. How about good old Southern Cornbread Dressing? The richness of the meat with the sauce could definitely carry a starch. The chef served another typical Southern specialty, Grits. Great idea.

Hope you try a gastrique soon. With an arsenal of sauces perfected, you can make a perfect dinner!

By the way, my liquid refreshment was a Diet Coke from Sonic Drive-in. It was delicious!

If you were among the guests who attended the opening of the One Woman Show by painter Vicki Johnston, you not only saw her wonderful paintings, but you were fed well! Molly's Table, the restaurant owned by Donna Nagle in Paola, Kansas, just south of Greater Kansas City, is in a great old building, just a few doors off of the town square, was decked out with Johnston's paintings and Molly's desserts and Somerset Ridge's wines! Needless to say, a great time was had by all!

Vicki was present, looking beautiful as usual, dressed in black and white. Also present were the Somerset Ridge Painters, talking to the guests about the artist's work. Soon the restaurant was full of very happy people, enjoying the paintings, the food and the wine....great combination!

The one painting that everyone seemed to see as the "Star of the Show" was a 40" x 40" painting of a rooster with style and attitude! He doesn't have a name, so if you can send me a suggestion, I will forward it to Vicki. He deserves a name! send to kaytucker@kc.rr.com

Iif you are looking for a fun place to have lunch, make it an outing to Paola, Kansas! Molly's Table will be there waiting for you. The paintings will be hanging for the next few weeks, before Molly's closes for 2 weeks for a much deserved vacation! When they reopen, who knows, maybe Vicki will have a few new pieces added to those hanging now! After all, as the day ended yesterday, there were 5 paintings that went to new homes!

It has been another good day. Vicki Johnston's paintings are hanging at Molly's Table, ready for the big celebration on Sunday. Vicki's food paintings look perfect on the brick walls in Donna Nagle's restaurant in Paola, Kansas. There is one wall of vegetables such as asparagus, a garlic bulb. a pea pod and a tomato, all on black backgrounds. Another wall is all fruit. Gorgeous lemons that make you want to make lemonade; apples that look realistic enough that you want to reach out and grab one to insure the doctor stays away; a bowl of cherries that makes you sure life is......

                                             And wait until you see the paintings of cakes!

Remember, Sunday, 3 to 6 pm, Molly's Table,

117 South Pearl Street, Paola, KS. 

Lot's of desserts by Molly's,

wine by Somerset Ridge and

the paintings by Vicki Johnston!

Don't miss it!

Once the show was hanging, it was back to the studio to paint. I never picked up a paint brush! I have close to 60 hours on this current nightmare and I sat and stared at it. Studio mate, David Gross, tried to encourage me....that's what studio mates do. But the longer I looked at it, the more flaws I found. I wandered out to my car and took the long way home.

I fixed a treat for myself when I arrived home....a glass of Sangria!  Sangria is a traditional wine punch from Spain. I opened a bottle of Somerset Ridge's Buffalo Red, a semi-sweet red wine that is smooth and rich with bold flavors of cherry & plum with a spicy finish. Some sangrias have an extra kick with the addition of brandy, but I find I love it without that kick. That choice will be yours. Give this recipe a try. It is perfect for a summer evening!

Berry Peach Sangría

1 bottle Somerset Ridge Buffalo Red wine (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup orange juice, or juice of 2 large oranges

1/3 cup lemon juice, or juice of one large lemon

3 tablespoons brandy (optional)

1 cup raspberries, blackberries, fresh or frozen

2 peaches, quartered and sliced

12 ounces club soda ( I leave this out most of the time, but it is excellent with it)

Ice

In a 2 1/2 quart pitcher, stir together first 4 ingredients. Add berries and refrigerate 2-3 hours to allow flavors to mingle. About 1 hour before serving, add peaches. Add club soda to sangría just before serving. Pour into glasses filled with ice. Garnish with berries and fruit slices.

                                                                        4-6 Servings

I hope to see many of you this Sunday!

There are many reasons I am so excited about this event,

#1....These paintings!

#2....This artist!

#3....The location!

#4....The Food and The Wine!

So, how is your garden doing? We have had lots of rain, some good hot days, warm nights. By now, we are seeing lots of cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, etc. Within a short time, we will be scratching our heads, wondering what we are to do with our bumper crops! It is the same every year. Zucchini is particuarly abundant as the summer goes on. We fix it every way we can think of, and still there is more.
Here is a salad you might enjoy, it was one of Arch's favorites. He loved cucumbers! Arch has been on my mind a lot; we were married 12 years ago today, on July 11th.

Cucumber Hazelnut Salad
2 large cucumbers, seeded and diced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced, separated
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 large carrot, grated
1 large avocado, diced
1 cup unflavored yogurt
3 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash Tabasco
1/2 cup roasted and chopped hazelnuts

Mix all vegetables together in a large bowl. Combine yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Toss with vegetables and garnish with roasted hazelnuts.

Did your Mom or Grandmother ever make Chow-Chow? It is a very old recipe, one for canning so you can enjoy your homegrown vegetables into the winter months. The vegetables need to be chopped, the size of the chop is up to you.

Chow-Chow

3 tablespoons pickling spice
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups water
4 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 cups chopped onions
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 cups chopped green tomatoes
2 cups vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 jalapeno pepper, or more if you like it HOT!

Place water in pot with pickling spice and salt. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 10 minutes. In a large pot, mix the remaining ingredients. Pour the spiced water through a strainer into the pot with the vegetables, vinegar, sugar, and hot pepper. Cook slowly for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring often. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Store in sterile half-pint jars or refrigerate.
This is so good on a grilled hot dog! Not bad on beans! And delicious on a burger! Then this winter, fix a pot of Ham and Beans.

Do you have Sunday, July 18th circled on your calendar? That is the day Vicki Johnston's new paintings go on display at Molly's Table in Paola, Kansas, just 20 miles south of Kansas City.

The event will feature

the newest paintings of

Vicki Johnston

the desserts of

Molly's Table

and the wines of

Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery

Sunday, July 18th  3:00-6:00pm

Molly's Table

117 S Pearl

Paola, KS