Oktoberfest is the festival to end
all festivals that is celebrated around the world but started in Munich, Germany
for a royal wedding in 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to all the
festivities held in fields just outside the city gates. And from there the
world adopted this grand event. It runs from late September to the 1^st
Sunday in October. Be sure to include plenty of German music when you celebrate.

MENU

5
black peppercorns

Use
a mortar and pestle or a baggie and hammer to crush black peppercorns and
juniper berries together.

In
a medium-sized saucepan combine peppercorn mix, sliced onion, wine, vinegar,
water, and bay leaves. Bring marinade to a boil over high heat. Remove pan from
stove and let cool to room temperature.

Trim
excess fat from roast. Set beef in a deep flat bowl or pot just large enough to
hold it comfortably. Pour marinade over the top. Add more wine if marinade is
not halfway up the sides of the meat. Turn meat to moisten all sides. Cover pan
tightly with foil or cling wrap. Refrigerate for 2 – 3 days. Be sure to turn
the meat over at least twice a day.

Preheat
oven to 350° F (180°C).

Remove
meat from marinade. Pat dry with paper towels. Strain marinade through a fine
sieve set over a bowl. Discard spices and onion, but reserve marinade.

Melt
lard in a Dutch oven over high heat until it sputters. Add roast and brown well
on all sides. Adjust heat so as not to burn the meat. Transfer meat to a platter.
Pour off and discard all but 2 tbs. (30ml) of fat. Add onions, carrots, and
celery to pot. Cook over moderate heat until they are soft and light brown, 5 –
8 minutes. Sprinkle flour over veggies. Cook, stirring constantly 2 – 3 minutes
or until flour begins to color. 

Pour
in 2 cups (450ml) of reserved marinade and ½ cup (120ml) water. Bring to a boil
over high heat. Return meat to pot. Cover tightly. Cook in the oven for 2 hours
or until meat shows no resistance when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Transfer meat to a heated platter. Cover with foil to keep warm. 

Discard
veggies. Pour liquid from pot into a measuring cup. Skim off fat. You need 2½
cups (570ml) liquid for the sauce. If you have more, boil briskly to reduce the
amount. If you have less, add beef stock. Combine liquid and gingersnaps in a
small saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. The
crumbs will dissolve and thicken the sauce. Strain sauce through a fine sieve.
Keep warm on very low heat until ready to serve. 

To
serve, carve meat into ¼ inch (.64cm) slices. Arrange on individual dinner
plates or a large platter. In either case moisten the meat with a little sauce.
Pass the remaining sauce in a gravy boat. 

*Rosemary
is a good substitute for juniper berries. Use one fresh sprig. 

Add potatoes to a saucepan that holds them comfortably. Pour stock
halfway up the potatoes. Top off with water, covering potatoes by an inch
(1.25cm) or so. Add bay leaf. Set a lid on top.

You can do up to this point earlier in the day. Leave on the counter or
stovetop until you are ready to cook.

Bring pan to a boil over medium heat. Adjust the lid and heat so the water
continues a soft/light boil, but does not spill over. Cook 15 – 20 minutes,
then test for doneness. A fork will insert easily. 

Drain potatoes and discard bay leaf. Sprinkle pepper over potatoes.
Add butter. Stir carefully so as not to smash potatoes. 

Don’t have bay leaf? Add 1 tablespoon (20ml) or so of dried basil to
the pot. When you drain the potatoes most of the leaves will be gone, but the
good taste remains. 

Wash
cabbage under cool water and then remove tough outer leaves. Cut cabbage into 4
pieces. Remove core. Shred easily by slicing each section into thin strips. 

Place
cabbage in a large mixing bowl. sprinkle with vinegar and sugar. Toss with a
spoon to cover the shreds evenly. 

Slice
apple into thin wedges. Melt lard or bacon fat in a large pot. Add apples and
onions. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until apples are lightly
browned. 

Add
cabbage, onion with cloves, and bay leaf. Stir well while pouring in boiling
water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat so cabbage does a slow
simmer. Cover and cook 1½ – 2 hours, or until cabbage is tender. Check
occasionally to be sure cabbage is moist. If it seems dry, add 1 tbsp. (15ml)
or so of boiling water. When cabbage is tender there should be almost no liquid
in the pan. 

To
serve remove whole onion and bay leaf. Stir in wine and jelly. This recipe
freezes nicely.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

Taylor’s cookbooks, Hot Mean Wear Aprons, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Sizzling Summer, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.

Fall begins with this…

It’s officially fall at my house!

I know the official date is September 22 this year, and that the official calendar date occurs on the autumnal equinox when and day and night are almost equal—in most locations. I also know that now it’s officially spring in the Southern Hemisphere. But I digress.

As you might have guessed, I don’t follow the notion that fall begins on September 22, or sometimes on September 21 or September 23, depending on the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the time it actually takes the Earth to complete its orbit around the sun. Because it takes 365 and ¼ days for the Earth’s orbit the September equinoxes shift about 6 hours later each year, eventually moving the date by a day.

So, if I don’t recognize the Equinox as the start of fall, when does it start? Fall begins for me in the grocery store, night or day, and it depends upon when I spot this beauty on the produce stand.

Yep, you see it right. Fall begins for me when I find caramel apples in the grocery. I start watching for them in early September, savoring the thought of a crisp apple covered in caramel and chopped peanuts.  They come in packs of three at my Kroger and when my daughter lived at home it was one apple for each of us.  Then when she moved out, I usually ate the third apple when the hubby was at work and then resisted getting another package and hiding it from the family. Now that Hubby’s retired I have to split the last treat. But that’s okay, because when they’re in season he always picks up an extra pack for us. Last night he brought three caramel and cinnamon streusel crusted apples home. Can you say apple pie on a stick?

I justify this sweet treat because apples and nuts in moderation are good for you. Caramel not so much. Apples are loaded with fiber and quercetin, a natural antihistamine. When eaten on a stick, or off the stick, apples are a raw food. Nuts have good MUFA fats (Mono unsaturated fat) which means the caramel apple has no saturated fats and lots of fiber. A great combo for lowering my high cholesterol. I ignore the sugar for this seasonal treat. It only happens once a year and I just eat more fiber to counter the sugar’s bad affects.

Have I made you hungry for a caramel apple yet?  Just in case, here’s a link to an easy recipe to make your own caramel apples. Enjoy, and welcome to fall!

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicably attracted to him, he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

~ Second Edition Available Soon ~

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins.

Catherine loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Learn more about Catherine Castle on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out Catherine’s Amazon author page and her Goodreads page. 

It’s estimated that nearly 500 animal species have become extinct since
the beginning of the 20th century. Among them the Passenger Pigeon,
Japanese Sea Lion, Western Black Rhinoceros, Golden Toad, Caribbean Monk Seal,
and Mexican Grizzly Bear, now gone forever.

And yet, for most of us, the absence of these creatures makes no difference
in our daily lives. Perhaps that’s why some people roll their
eyes when they hear about saving the tiny Snail Darter or the
Polar Bear or the Gray Wolf.

But what if a creature existed that could change lives with its
passing? And I mean change in a big way.

Meet the cassowary.

I first became aware of the giant, Australian bird that vaguely resembles an
ostrich, but which sports a fabulously-colored keratin casque, while
walking in the Daintree Rainforest – a UNESCO site like the Great
Barrier Reef over which it hovers – that has one of the most complex ecosystems
on Earth, hosting species whose ancestors date back 110 million years.

“The cassowary is extremely important,” our guide explained. “Without
the bird, the forest would not exist.”

Daintree is primordial. Giant strangler figs crawl across the forest floor.
Dappled sunlight sneaks though a thick green canopy. Massive ferns sprout
from leaf-littered soil. The outside world is muted, and the sight of
a dinosaur might not seem strange.

I learned the cassowary is a one-bird master gardener, a creature
that combs the forest floor eating fallen fruits, even gobbling up plants that
are toxic to other creatures. The bird consumes up to 150 different types of
fruits. The existence of 70 to 100 plant species depends on the
cassowary pooping out their seeds in a pile of protective,
compost-like dung, the smell of which repels seed predators. The cassowary is a
“keystone” species, which means a species on which others in an ecosystem
largely depend, one that, if removed, would cause the ecosystem to change
drastically.

So, no cassowary, no rainforest. But there’s more. Below Daintree are
mangroves, a mucky area rich in bio-matter that filters down from the forest.
All types of young creatures – crabs, jellyfish, snappers, jacks,
red drums, sea trout, tarpon, sea bass, and even juvenile sharks – thrive in
the protection of the fertile water of the mangroves.

 

Offshore, the Great Barrier Reef follows Australia’s eastern
coast. There, too, the nutrients from the forest help feed the tiny
creatures that build the reefs. This fertilizer promotes the growth of
phytoplankton which nourishes the zooplankton on which the coral
polyps dine. Without this sustenance the coral dies, losing the ability to
protect the shoreline from waves, storms, and flooding, which leads to loss of
human life and property.

Also consider that roughly 25% of the world’s fish species spend part of
their lives on the reefs. If the Great Barrier Reef dies – note that half of
the more than 1,400-mile structure has already perished – vast fisheries could
collapse leading to starvation that could ultimately affect billions of people.

Which brings me back to the cassowary. It’s estimated that only 12,000 to
15,000 of the birds remain in the wild. Loss of habitat is decreasing their
numbers, as are attacks by dogs.  Another problem is humans driving too
fast.

Why should we care?

I think the cassowary is but one example of the interconnectedness of life.
Perhaps that’s something we should think about.

Please allow me to give you a brief intro to my latest women’s fiction novel for your reading pleasure.

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century
magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.

When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.

Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

Autumn
in Canadian cottage country can be a beautiful, yet sad time of the year, and
our Labour Day Weekend reminds us that the season is about to change over soon.
Many cottagers or campers start to shut down their vacation properties in
anticipation for those cold, winter months. However, some hearty souls keep
their cottages or trailers open to make the most out of their investments, and
have come to rely on nearby towns for their services and supplies. In my book
series, Mysterious Tales
from Fairy Falls,
I created the world of a small, tourist town named Fairy Falls to accommodate
the flow of cottagers and travelers all-year-round. Then, I added an uprooted
teen with a psychic ability, an attitude, and mystery to solve into the mix and
you can well imagine the upheaval it brings to that peaceful, tiny town.

 The
following recipe boasts the most tender and succulent pork chops you’ll ever
taste, whether you’re sitting on the shoreline or huddled in a warm, cozy cabin
ready to chow down on dinner. With a prep time of 15 minutes, and cook time of
8 hours and 30 minutes in the crock pot, this meal gives you plenty of time to relax
with your family or friends, and enjoy those last days of summer until fall kicks
in at the cottage or campground.

What You Need:

6
pork chops

Salt
and pepper to taste

Garlic
powder to taste

½
cup all-purpose flour

1
large onion, sliced ¼ inch thick

2
cubes chicken bouillon

2
cups boiling water

2
tablespoons all-purpose flour

1
(8 ounce) container sour cream

Slow
cooker

What You Do:

SEASON
pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and then dredge in ½ cup
flour. In a skillet
over medium heat, lightly brown chops in a small amount of
oil.

PLACE
chops in slow cooker, and top with onion slices. Dissolve bouillon cubes in
boiling water and pour over chips. Cover, and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.

PREHEAT
oven to 200° F (95° C).

AFTER
the chops have cooked, transfer chips to the oven to keep warm. BE CAREFUL, the
chops are so tender they will fall apart. In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons
flour with the sour cream; mix into meat juices. Turn slow cooker on HIGH for
15 to 30 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over pork
chops.

SERVING
SUGGESTION: Serve with noodles or rice. *We actually used home fries, and it
tasted like scallop potatoes with the sauce.

Seeing
as you’ve got a long wait for those pork chops to cook, why not relax on the dock
or sit by the shore, and visit the small, tourist town of Fairy Falls? You can
start with Lost and Found, Book #1 of Mysterious Tales from
Fairy Falls. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.

I’ve been thinking about writing this for a long time, but never put the actual words to paper. Something always stopped me. When the story is vital, and the memories are bittersweet, it’s very hard to transform into words your emotions. At least, it is for me.

So, the women of my family: my great-grandmother Tatiana, my grandmother Vera, my mother Karina, and my aunt Stella.  Even the names sound lovely, old-fashioned, and classy, don’t they?

Three generations, four amazing women who shared blood, but were as different from each other as night and day, or as only mothers and daughters can be. Four women, four fascinating life stories. 

Today, I will tell you about my grandmother.

Her name was Vera, but we called her Verunya. Even her daughters, my mother and my aunt, referred to her by that endearing nickname. No one in the family knew when exactly it started or who started it. But someone did, and it stuck. For three generations.

As a matter of fact, she had two names: Vera, which means “faith” in Russian, and Gulbahar, which means “spring flower” in Azeri. Why? My grandmother was unique in more ways than one. You see, her mother was from a prominent Russian family, and her father….. Well, here’s where we draw a blank. To this day, no one in the family knows who his ancestors were. But as the family lore goes, my great-grandfather was kidnapped as a child and raised in Iran in a Kurdish family. When he met my great-grandmother Tatiana (and no one is sure when or how he ended up in post-revolutionary Azerbaijan, a republic of former USSR) he was so lovestruck that he converted to Christianity to get permission to marry her. And so, Meshady Abbas became Artemy Kurdov. My grandmother Verunya was the only child of that unusual union.

To say that she was a complex woman is truly an understatement of the century. Stunning, strong-willed, capricious, multifaceted, she looked fragile like a china doll, but was stronger than steel. She was beautiful and knew it. She drove men crazy and enjoyed it.

But she wasn’t flighty, shallow, or mean. There was not a single humble bone in her body, but she never hurt anyone on purpose. She worshipped at the altar of high fashion, but sold without hesitation her favorite dress in order to buy her two little daughters Christmas gifts.

She had a huge heart, and loved all four of us, her grandchildren, to distraction. And every time one of us would visit her, before she would open the door, she’d call out, “My dearest one has come!”

She was not your traditional grandmother. She was not traditional anything, period, and that was a huge part of her charm.

For me, she was a personification of everything female. Always dressed to kill, sporting an impeccable manicure and pedicure, she could apply mascara and her famous cherry red lipstick even half asleep. And grey hair? She refused to even acknowledge its right to exist.

She fell in love at 16 with a man who was almost twice her age. Needless to say, no one could stop her from marrying this dashing hunk who happened to be a popular jazz singer. My aunt was born less than a year after, and my mother three years later.

Then, tragedy struck. My larger-than-life grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. He died three months later, leaving a 20 year-old widow with two toddlers on her arms, no income to support them, and no place to live in a strange city. You see, my grandfather Sergey Periev moved his family from Baku, when my Verunya lived all her life, to Yerevan, where he was offered a position as a lead singer in Armenian Jazz band. The apartment they were living in was a rental for the members of the band only, so after his death my grandmother was asked to vacate it. And the year was 1942, the second year of World War II.

But instead of falling apart, this young girl, a child herself, grabbed her two daughters and whatever meager possessions she had, and returned home. With no help from the well-to-do in-laws, who decided they didn’t need an additional burden, she struck out on her own.

I can only imagine how scared she was. She needed to support her family, but had no real profession or formal education. What she had in abundance was sheer guts and a spine of steel. And a true gift that fate bestowed upon her: her amazing voice.

So, shaking off her own fears and insecurities, my Verunya stuck her perky nose up, squared her fragile shoulders, and set to pursue a career as a singer. And the rest was history. She became a star. In my former country, USSR, the name Vera Perieva was familiar to millions.

In her early thirties, she met her second love. Mikhail Kauffman was her impresario. It was a long, happy, and content marriage. But then cancer struck again, taking away the man who became a true father to my mother and aunt, and loving grandfather to my cousins and I.

When in 1991 our family relocated to the USA, Verunya tried really hard to adjust to her new country, but that proved to be a challenge. The language barrier, failing health, advanced age—everything added to the load.

She passed away quietly in her sleep on one brutally cold October morning, wearing an impeccable manicure and pedicure, with not a single grey hair offending her trade-mark mahogany mane.

Last February would have been my grandmother’s 105th birthday. I’m sure the angels threw a huge party for our Verunya, with my mom and dad, and all our dearest departed friends and family in attendance. And then the birthday girl sang, and her deep rich soprano flew over heaven making the Almighty sigh with pleasure…..

Talented author Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website.