Described as “seasonal, modern and seafood-centric,” Sedalia’s Oyster and Seafood beckons diners for a unique experience. Oysters are plentiful, served raw or grilled, as are other delicacies like pickled Spanish mackerel, octopus antichuchos and the anchovy plate. Other goodies include the poached white asparagus with egg and mussel escabeche, alongside a yummy focaccia with Szechuan oil, and beef heart anticuchos. Cocktails are playful and light, with options spanning from spritzes to beers and a curated wine list. Top off your meal with the succulent sorghum custard. 2727 N.W. Tenth St., OKC; sedaliasokc.com
Copaneazi’s serves up pizzas Neapolitan style – “tender, light and moist with a slight char on the crust,” according to its website, all created in a stone-fire oven. All about inclusion, diners can find options that are friendly to all: omnivores, vegans, vegetarians and those gluten-free. The pizzas are broken up into “reds” and “whites,” depending on sauce. Red highlights include the Fughettaboutit, with roasted red pepper, artichoke, grilled onion, mushroom, arugula and balsamic; and the Bronx Tale, with sweet and spicy Italian sausage, roasted red peppers and pesto. From the white side, try the Irishman, with mozzarella, fried potato, onion, pepperoncini and fried rosemary, or the Wise Guy, with grilled cauliflower, castelvetrano olives, red onion and calabrese pesto. Start with garlic bites, bruschetta, roasted cauliflower or a Caesar salad, then wash it all down with a craft cocktail or glass of wine. 522 S. Boston Ave., Ste. 104, Tulsa; copaneazis.com
Tiffany Taylor leads the kitchen at upscale steakhouse the Hemingway on Tulsa’s Cherry Street.
Photo by Stephanie Phillips
Most chefs have fond memories of watching their grandma at the stove – Tiffany Taylor, however, does not.
“My grandmother was a horrendous cook,” she remembers with a laugh. “And I was an incurably picky eater. For five years, all I would eat was peanut butter and honey sandwiches.”
Fast forward to adulthood, and Taylor found herself married and working at a job she hated. In her off hours, she became enthralled with food – not eating it, but learning about it.
“I wanted to know about every spice, its uses, its history. My husband got fed up with my complaining and forced me to take a day off and visit a cooking school,” she says. “I visited the school and quit my job the next day.”
Upon graduating from OSUIT’s culinary program, Taylor found work at Southern Hills Country Club; Justin Thompson’s Juniper and Freya; and Rivea, a Las Vegas restaurant owned by Alain Ducasse. After her Vegas stint, Taylor paired up with Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, who was then-host of the number one show on the Food Network. She cooked meals for the film crew.
“They were all giant foodies. I made lunch and dinner for them six days a week, and it wasn’t sandwiches,” she says. “It was a full gourmet spread. Then I got pregnant and couldn’t do those hours. Ree knew this, and found me and my husband little makework jobs just so we’d continue to get a salary.”
And then one day, a world-famous film director came to town. Martin Scorsese was filming a movie in Osage County and needed a private chef. Taylor beat out dozens of applicants to get the job, and she spent 14 hours a day cooking in a little trailer on the prairie.
Tiffany Taylor leads the kitchen at upscale steakhouse the Hemingway on Tulsa’s Cherry Street. Photos by Stephanie Phillips
“All he did each day was answer questions, solve problems non-stop,” recalls Taylor. “His mealtime was his only rest from that, his only time to decompress. I did my best to make it happen. Instead of facing him with yet another decision, I’d have the menu planned and ready to plate.”
And what’s he like to cook for?
“Oh, he’s a wonderful man. Very quiet. He’s a very adventurous eater, he’s traveled the world and knows all about food,” she says.
After the movie was over, says Taylor, “I didn’t know what to do.” But she soon saw the ad for the Hemingway, and here she is – executive chef of that glorious, glamorous steakhouse on Cherry Street, a place whose dining room is so elegant that people go quiet for a moment when they first see it.
But she doesn’t see herself as the boss.
“You can say I’m executive chef,” she says, “but that’s just a title. I work alongside my team. After all that time working alone on a film set, it’s such a joy to be part of a team. And the team we have now, it’s beautiful, and I’m honored to be a part of it.
I haven’t yet put my touch on the menu, though I’ve planned seven or eight new items I’ll roll out soon. I wanted to take the time to know my team, know the restaurant before introducing new things. It’s not about what I like to cook, but what’s right for the restaurant. And what’s right for the diners.”
Photos by Stephanie Phillips
Corn Cakes
3 cups – Cut corn (thawed if frozen)
2 cups – Water, divided
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. – Semolina
2 tbsp. – Corn starch
1 tbsp. – Kosher salt
½ tsp – Ground coriander
½ tsp – Ground cumin
¼ tsp – Paprika
¼ tsp – Cayenne
¼ cup – Chives, minced
1. Blend 2 cups of cut corn with a ½ cup water in a high-power blender until mostly smooth.
2. Transfer corn mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Stir in remaining 1 ½ cups water.
3. Add dry ingredients to corn mixture and stir to just combine.
4. Gently stir in remaining 1 cup corn and minced chives. Set aside.
5. Over medium-high flame, heat a teaspoon of avocado oil in an 8-inch nonstick saute pan. (This is my preference, you can easily substitute canola oil. Just don’t use your nice olive oil here.)
6. Spoon ¼ cup mixture into pan. You should be able to fit 2-3 cakes at a time.
7. Let cook until bottoms and edges are starting to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes.
8. Use a spatula to carefully flip to other side. Cook until bottoms and edges are golden brown, about 4 minutes.
9. Remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack on a half sheet tray. Keep cakes warm by keeping sheet tray in an oven set to Low (200F) while cooking off the rest of the batter. These can also be reheated in a dry nonstick saute pan or in an airfryer.
Faisal Abdelsamad is an energetic young man with a warm smile. Growing up in Amman, Jordan, he took on roles around the house.
“My mother had a full-time job,” he recalls. “So my brother and I tried to cook to help her.”
He quickly fell in love with it.
“Whenever I feel stressed, I cook,” he says.
When he first came to Tulsa six years ago, the only job he could get was washing dishes at a restaurant. His first day at work, he remembers, “I began thinking, one day I must be an owner.” So he worked from eight in the morning till 11 at night, day after day, year after year, until now – running his own bright, new restaurant on 11th Street.
He uses family recipes, and sometimes he makes mansaf, the unofficial national dish of Jordan. But for the most part he does “a mix of food from Syria, Jordan and Lebanon,” dishes we all know, such as kebabs, tabouli, hummus and babaganoush – and he does them well.
The ground beef kebabs are fine and beefy; the chicken kebabs are redolent of spice; the babaganoush has a rich, smoky flavor; the fuul is a rich, flavorful bean stew; and the other small plates, especially the hummus, just beg to be eaten.
What’s Abdelsamad’s favorite?
“I love the mixed plate, because it has everything,” he says.
Seasonal menus, local ingredients and farm-to-table flair can be found at Edmond’s Farmers Grain Kitchen + Cellar.
Photos by Tiffany Jewel Photo Co.
Get ready to experience a tantalizing culinary journey of Oklahoma’s finest flavors. Farmers Grain Kitchen + Cellar is the ultimate tribute to our state – brought to life via an incredible collaboration between Edmond natives (and brothers) Payne and Cy Mills.
Using the freshest seasonal ingredients, complemented by expertly paired wines from sommelier Cy, this restaurant is sure to tantalize your taste buds in a delightful celebration of Sooner State flavors.
Located in the heart of Edmond, the restaurant stands proudly where the state’s first mill and grain elevator opened its doors in 1871. This pride of place makes it a unique hub for local diners. From the carefully crafted seasonal menu to the curated wine and cocktail list, everything about Farmers Grain is designed to bring out the nuances of the best in regional ingredients.
The menu, which changes quarterly, features made-from-scratch items that celebrate the unique taste profiles of the season. This past winter, for example, featured the restaurant’s take on a crab cake, made with local crayfish, endive, turnip and tomatoes. The spring menu will be just as inventive and flavorful.
Fresh green tomatoes and forged morel mushrooms are two items Payne looks forward to incorporating into the menu in the following months. He says the kitchen is playing with the idea of making an international dish with the available equivalent in Oklahoma – for example, an Oklahoma-inspired paella with barley, venison and locally sourced crayfish.
Payne’s menu is intentionally small. He works with local farms as much as he’s able, including the Mills Family Homestead – the Luther farm he shares with his wife, Rachel, who is the pastry chef at the restaurant.
Carried over from the winter menu, the short rib stroganoff, along with the bread and tallow starter, continue to delight guests. Payne really enjoys featuring braised items on his menu, and this is a fine example of his strong, technique-driven background. Slow simmered short ribs are served over egg noodles, with a rich mushroom cream sauce. The egg noodles are made fresh each day using chicken and quail eggs from chef Payne’s farm.
Chef Payne Mills is passionate about getting locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Photos by Tiffany Jewel Photo Co.
Bread and tallow is the restaurant’s take on traditional bread and butter. Aforementioned pastry chef Rachel Miller makes phenomenal artisanal bread with sprouted grains. This bread pairs nicely with tallow, a herbous rendered beef fat, that is whipped until light and airy. It’s served with seasonal items like pickled vegetables or chopped herbs.
Sommelier and co-owner Cy has crafted a wine list and seasonal cocktail menu that is both familiar and adventurous. He strives to create offerings that honor the seasonal flavors of the food while also pushing guests to try something new. His food and wine pairings highlight all aspects of the meal’s flavors.
The La Perlina Moscato, for example, is a perfect accompaniment to the bread and tallow starter. On the winter menu, the Elysian Fields with mezcal, rosemary, honey simple syrup, fig jam and orange was a standout with its smokey and sweet notes.
Farmers Grain Kitchen + Cellar is a restaurant with deep roots in Oklahoma’s past and an eye on its vibrant future. However it’s more than just a restaurant; it’s a celebration of Oklahoma’s bounty. When asked to describe themselves, Payne summed up what they do perfectly.
“Imagine a chef went out to grandma’s ranch,” he says. “The idea being if you went to a local farm, what ingredients do they have available? That’s what we try to play with.”
No matter what you decide to try on the menu, the warm hospitality paired with unique ingredients and flavors at Farmers Grain Kitchen + Cellar is sure to make you feel like family. From Payne’s creations to Rachel’s pastries and Cy’s beverage knowledge, this family-run, farm-style restaurant has something to please everyone.
Pat Gordon; Winter Dinner: An Evening with Patrick Gordon, Tulsa Botanic Garden
Emily Underwood, Jameson Pelton; Dance of the Two Moons, Indian Health Care Resource Center, TulsaSusan & Mayor G.T. Bynum; Brainiac Ball, Family & Children’s Services, TulsaAnn Hargis, Dillon Walker, V. Burns Hargis; Second Century board event, Oklahoma Hall of Fame, OKCKate Gordon, Natalie Simon; Boots and Ball Gowns, Infant Crisis Services, OKCKendra Barnes, Erin Engelke, Amanda Miller; Giving Society Luncheon, Calm Waters Center for Children and Families, OKCAlexander Mickelthwate, Kelli O’Hara, Jane Jayroe-Gamble, Jan McDaniel; An Evening with Kelli O’Hara, OKC PhilAnn & V. Burns Hargis; Multiple Sclerosis Advocate Award Dinner, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, OKCAsha Richardson, Richard Dreyfuss, Jaya Richardson; Richard Dreyfuss event, Tulsa Town HallLauren Avery, Blake & Whitney Mathews, Jamie Ariana; Sapphire Celebration, Riverfield Country Day School, TulsaAnn & Mark Farrow; Winter Dinner: An Evening with Patrick Gordon, Tulsa Botanic GardenTim and LeeAnn Loposer; Winter Dinner: An Evening with Patrick Gordon, Tulsa Botanic Garden
Pictured is a photograph of an illustration by James R. O’Neil that depicts the Battle of Honey Springs, which took place in Checotah during the Civil War, August 1863.
Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
Eventually bested in a tug-of-war match with a neighboring community over becoming the McIntosh County seat, Checotah went on to take full advantage of its position at the crossroads of two major highways – and at last report, is doing quite well, thank you very much.
The construction of Interstate 40 in the 1960s, and before that, U.S. 69, created inter- and intra-state traffic that has brought a large measure of economic success to Checotah. Chamber of Commerce office manager Jerri Holder says with the traffic they bring, these highways help the community immensely.
“We’re at the crossroads,” Holder says. “It’s a great thing for Checotah.”
After statehood came, Checotah and Eufaula battled to become the county seat. Eufaula was the eventual winner in a tussle that, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society, led to gunfire in 1909. But even without the courthouse, Checotah became a significant community – and today, the city of about 3,400 people is a stronghold of activity, with a variety of events in town and close by throughout the year.
The city features two unique museums – the Katy Depot Museum and the Heartland Heritage Center Museum and Gallery, plus an historic Civil War battlefield close by.
Within its history, Checotah gained the unofficial moniker of “Steer Wrestling Capital of the World,” with several steer wrestling champs headquartered in Checotah, and an annual event – the three-day Duvall Steer Wrestling Jackpot that begins May 19 – that annually draws contestants from across the U.S. and several other countries.
Another significant event, geared towards celebrating Checotah’s heritage, is the 57th Old Settlers Day celebration, scheduled for June 10 this year. Holder says the day will be marked with an array of enjoyable activities, plus food, arts and crafts sales and inflatables.
Checotah’s history began as a spot on another road – the pre-statehood Texas Road, which was a major trade conduit between Kansas and Texas. In 1863, Union and Confederate forces were fighting over control of the roadway, and the July 17, 1863, Battle of Honey Springs is noted by historians as the most significant Indian Territory encounter of the war.
The Battle of Honey Springs, which took place in Checotah during the Civil War, is often the subject of reenactments. Photos courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
Battlefield site director Adam Lynn says remnants of the original road remain visible today. A re-enactment is scheduled Nov. 4 and 5 on the historic battlefield, located northeast of Checotah just off U.S. 69.
A new, 7,000-square-foot visitor center opened at the battlefield in November, Lynn says, offering visitors several ways to fully comprehend the events that took place.
The visitor center features exhibits, artifacts, graphics and includes a narrative that fully explains the battle’s significance in the war between the states.
The engagement involved about 6,000 Confederate Indian Brigade troops and 3,000 Union soldiers, helped by the First Kansas Colored Volunteers. Lynn says that while the combined Union forces were outnumbered, they had three times the number of artillery pieces, which ultimately proved significant in deciding the winner of the four-hour battle.
He says the battlefield is a good place to visit any time, with walking trails and signs that explain the events that led up to the battle and its historical significance. Among the exhibits is a Civil War-era cannon that offers a good spot for photos.
For More Information:
Checotah Chamber of Commerce 918-473-2070 checotah.com
City of Checotah 918-473-5411 cityofchecotah.com
Katy Depot Museum 918-473-6377 checotah.com/katy-depot
Heartland Heritage Center Museum and Gallery 918-916-9015 checotah.com/ heartland-heritage-center-museum-gallery
Most people think exercising has to be a formal session – where you walk into a gym or a room in your home designated for that purpose.
If you want to work out but can’t seem to find structured time frames to get it done, don’t despair. Many everyday tasks can be easily turned into a fitness activity. Here are a few suggestions to get started:
Walk, Walk, Walk
Walk whenever you can and leave your vehicle at home. If you must drive to your next destination, park further away and walk part of the way. Walking is one of the best exercises you can undertake, and it gets you outside to enjoy the sunshine.
Avoid the Elevators
Whether at work, at play or just out and about, try to bypass elevators and take the stairs. Your legs will thank you (eventually), and you’re burning extra calories along the way.
Sub Happy Hour for Gym Time
Are you a regular at Happy Hour? Skip it on a scheduled basis and plan to hit the gym or walk in the park. Maybe some of the friends you meet up with are just as interested in getting fit as you are. Ask around and try to buddy up for exercising.
Exercise at Home
One of the easiest ways to work in fitness at home is to find a routine you can do while watching your favorite pieces of media. Already have an exercise bike or treadmill? Set it up so you can watch your TV while you exercise, and the time will fly by. The same thing goes for floor and weight routines.
If you pay someone to do your chores at home, or you allocate them to your kids, take back a few and turn them into workouts. Stop and think about how much activity such work really is – running a vacuum and mopping are options that can be done vigorously.
Yard work has its merits as well. Cutting the grass with a push mower instead of a riding mower can cover lots of muscle activity and burn a tremendous amount of calories, based on just how great an area the lawn covers. Hedges need trimming? Do it yourself. Have a garden that needs to be hoed? Even more opportunities to get fit await in your own space.
According to Tulsa trainer John Jackson, working in fitness outside the gym is a good idea, particularly after you have been committed to a gym for awhile and have seen some results.
“After achieving a structured and consistent level of fitness, varied training forms can be implemented,” he says. “Incorporate dynamic movements while on your leisure walk in a park. For instance, take a brisk walk for two minutes and then skip for 30 seconds.”
Jackson notes that a few basic tools outside the gym can include elastic bands, light dumbbells and a weight vest for resistance movements.
“Do lunges for 30 seconds, combined with dumbbell squat presses for 30 seconds,” he advises. “These types of workouts can be challenging and fun individually or with a group. I would suggest discussing your fitness plan with a health professional and incorporating the appropriate techniques to maximize your fitness goals.”
A set of healthy food. Fish, nuts, protein, berries, vegetables and fruits.
If you’re wanting to eat healthier and, as a result, shed a few pounds, there’s no shortage of food plans, programs and diets from which to choose. While experts often say the best plan is the one you stick with, not every option is going to offer the benefits you need. To help sift through your choices, Jenny Lange, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Norman Regional Health System, shares her best practices when considering a new food or diet program.
Be a suspicious consumer.
Lange says any company, social media influencer, family member or friend who is offering nutrition advice that’s very restrictive is most likely selling something.
“Black and white information doesn’t take into consideration what is feasible for you, your family, your preferences, time or energy,” she says. “For example, there is often misinformation regarding greens/reds supplement powders. No one really needs to pay for these to be healthy. You can get the exact same benefits from those powders that you get from eating red and green fruits and vegetables —and they don’t even need to be fresh fruits and vegetables to have the same benefits.”
Know that you can’t out-supplement a ‘poor’ diet.
In this instance, the definition of a poor diet can vary.
“Poor diets can look like highly processed, high sugar and high fat foods,” says Lange. “And poor diets can also look like one green juice plus 13 daily supplements plus sea moss plus…insert the latest diet craze item. I often see people who are…yes, over nourished with nutrient poor foods. However, I also see many people who have succumbed to diet culture and invest their time, energy and sanity into preventing various disease states, yet are undernourishing their bodies, and thus inducing said disease states they intended to prevent.”
Live a little.
While a healthy lifestyle does require moderation, Lange says not to deprive yourself of the food items you crave. On special occasions, it’s okay to celebrate and enjoy yourself.
“However, if I feel I have been having too many sweets,” she says, “I make sure to get plenty of helpings of protein and other veggies to make sure that I am not only nourishing my body with the nutrients it needs, but honoring my body with the desserts I crave.”
Talk to a dietitian.
If you’re serious about reaching your health goals, Lange recommends referring to a registered dietitian nutritionist for professional guidance.
“We consider the whole picture with regard to giving nutrition advice,” she says. “For example, my favorite ‘feasible’ recommendation I am often giving is to not be afraid of microwave cooking. It’s fast, easy and retains the most nutrient density in vegetables than any other method of cooking. Not to be biased, but I never see influencers recommending this as a strategy to increase vegetable consumption.”
Whether canned, fresh or frozen, Lange encourages everyone to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for nutrient-rich meals.
Vividly turquoise and fed by melting snow, Lake Louise is a stunning blue sapphire cradled in the Rockies, colored by sunlight as it reflects off suspended glacial sediment. In the summer, the lake’s hue presents a striking contrast to the red canoes floating above.
Named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the sixth of Queen Victoria’s nine children, Lake Louise is a natural alpine lake a mile long and a third of a mile wide, five thousand feet in elevation. At one end, Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier stand majestically against the azure Alberta sky. At the other, the enchanting Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise sits on the very edge of the water.
It was in 1890 when the Canadian Pacific Railroad opened the Chateau, as the locals call it, one of many grand CPR hotels built to encourage train travel. The idea worked – the hotel was a huge success. Walk the lake trail, hike to a high-country tea house, and then take advantage of the 539-room resort’s aquatic pool, steam room, whirlpool, fitness center and seven restaurants. What’s not to like?
Speaking of accommodations, the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff is also excellent, built into the side of a cliff up by the original springs. And the magnificent Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, another CPR project, should be considered, too.
Back at the lake, the easy out-and-back hike around it starts at the Chateau, takes a little more than an hour and is open year-round. In the winter months, cross-country skiers frolic on the frozen waters, horse-drawn sleighs patrol the shoreline, and ice climbers feel compelled to ascend frozen waterfalls. The park is home to a trio of top-notch snowboard and ski areas, too.
Lake Louise usually melts by late May and the alpine hiking season begins a few weeks later. The tea houses at Lake Agnes and the Plain of Six Glaciers, open from June to mid-October, are popular day hikes. Earl Grey and snacks can be found at 7,500 feet.
The lake itself is situated inside Banff National Park, a 2,560-square-mile swath of pristine beauty just west of Calgary, Alberta. In fact, Banff is Canada’s first national park.
Welcome sign in Alberta, CanadaRed canoes in the blue waters of Lake Louise Moraine Lake panorama in Banff National ParkBanff National Park, Rocky Mountains, CanadaMajestic mountain river in CanadaAlongside luxury accommodations, Lake Louise and the surrounding areas welcome tourists for a bevy of outdoor activities.
In 1883, railway workers discovered a natural hot spring at the base of Sulphur Mountain in the town of Banff, about 40 minutes southeast of the lake. That area is now a National Historic Site called Cave and Basin, and features hot springs spouting from the ground, a replicated 1887 bathhouse and a circa-1916 swimming pool. There are nine naturally-occurring hot springs in the Banff area.
Golfers take note – The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course is more than 100 years old and has matured into one of the world’s most beautiful courses, winding between and around Tunnel Mountain, Mount Rundle and the Bow River.
Get a different perspective on things by climbing aboard the Banff Sightseeing Gondola just outside of town. In eight minutes, you’re taken to the 7,486-foot-high station at the pinnacle of Sulphur Mountain. Enjoy the views from one of the many restaurants up top. The wildlife is plentiful in the park – elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, grizzlies, caribou, moose and bald eagles.
Eighty miles northwest of Lake Louise is the amazing Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a glass-bottomed walkway suspended a thousand feet above the floor of the Sunwapta Valley. The unobstructed views of the snow-topped mountains, rushing waterfalls and the valleys beyond take your breath away.
The skywalk is in Jasper National Park, and it’s a gorgeous drive up from the lake to the 4,200-square mile park, the town of Jasper and the very fine Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge …yes, another of Canada’s impressive, historic railway hotels.
