Here Comes The Sun

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September 25, 2012

This month, lucky children all over Oklahoma are off to the pumpkin patch where they’ll pick the best of this year’s harvest with one end in mind: the mighty jack o’ lantern. A few industrious kids might go so far as to smash the filling to make pies, but most of the pumpkins will simply end up shriveled on the threshold by the month’s end – their once-ghoulish grins sagging.

Worst-case scenario, the pumpkin will actually get pushed off the steps into the flowerbed where it will, in the spring, create a wild pumpkin vine, something I know all too well about from personal experience.

To be honest, I’d like to avoid this whole situation but the reality is my daughter, now 3, is finally getting to the age when she can scoop with real enthusiasm. My plan is to put my pumpkin to good use with a bright, sunny breakfast treat from Malawi, in southern Africa, called Mbatata. These beautiful, sunrise-colored biscuits are traditionally made with sweet potato, although pumpkin strikes me as the perfect seasonal variation.

Malawi is affectionately called the Heart of Africa because of the warmth and friendliness of her people. Similarly, these biscuits have been the happy heart of my breakfast table since I first tried them last winter. When served straight from the oven, split and spread with softened pats of butter, this is about as moist and tender as biscuits get.
Don’t even get me started on the fact that sweet potatoes and pumpkins are healthy. It’s just a win-win when you put them in biscuit form.

Sunrise Biscuits

4 tbsp. salted butter
1/3 c. milk
3/4 c. baked, mashed sweet potato or pumpkin
Pinch ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking pan. Roast the sweet potatoes or pumpkin until soft; be sure to slit sweet potatoes with a knife so they don’t burst. This can take up to an hour. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. While the sweet potatoes or pumpkin are still very hot, add 3/4 cup to a bowl with the cubed butter. Allow the heat of the sweet potatoes or pumpkin to melt the butter; if you’re making this with cold, leftover sweet potatoes or pumpkin, melt the butter before combining the two ingredients. Add the milk, pinch of ginger and salt. Stir in the flour and baking powder. The salmon-colored dough will be very moist.

On a heavily floured board, with heavily floured hands, press the dough flat, about one inch thick. Dip a cookie cutter into flour to keep the biscuit dough from sticking, then cut biscuits out of the rolled out dough. Lay the biscuits on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden, just like the glimmer of the perfect sunrise. Enjoy with a softened pat of butter. Makes roughly eight biscuits.

Recipe adapted from World Cookbook for Students.

The Pour

By

Staff

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September 25, 2012

Oklahoma weather tempts us with crisp fall-like days in September, but generally it’s October when autumn gets started in earnest. With this change, thoughts turn to classic seasonal flavors and warming comfort foods and drinks. Ryan Stack, bar manager at Juniper Restaurant & Martini Lounge, has seen this play out with customers at his bar. He says the sweltering summer weather had everyone reaching for light chardonnays and rosés, refreshing cocktails made with sparkling wine and fruit juices and ice-cold summer brews. Now customers have a taste for familiar earthy flavors suitable for fall.

Stack says that as Juniper developed the fall menu they’ve kept libations in mind, tailoring their famous infused spirits to match the season. A clear winner is the apple cinnamon bourbon – Bulleit infused with Granny Smith apples and fresh ground cinnamon – that is used to create a Manhattan that pairs perfectly with heartier fare such as pork belly and duck.

“It’s a twist on a classic that reminds people of the best parts of the fall,” says Stack.

Apple Cinnamon Manhattan

3 oz. apple cinnamon infused Bulleit bourbon*
1/2 oz. Formula Antiqua Sweet Vermouth.
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a cherry.

*If you’d like to experiment with making your own infused liquor, a number of good tutorials are available online.

The Fall Harvest

By

Jami Mattox

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September 25, 2012

The colors of fall show up in everything from the leaves falling from trees to the fashion that hits the runways. Even the culinary senses tend to dull; gone are the uplifting colors of the summer harvest, the tomatoes, squash, peppers, cucumbers replaced by warming, one-pot meals and casseroles that offer comfort from the chilling outdoor temperatures. But can you imagine a fall full of bright reds, sunny yellows, deep greens and vibrant purples, colors that in food scream vitamins and health? For the savvy vegetable gardener, there is no reason to do so.

Oklahoma’s fall largely translates to warm days full of sunshine, followed by cooler nights. According to information provided by the Oklahoma State University Oklahoma Cooperative Extension office, this environment creates optimal soil conditions that are perfect for growing vegetables. Most summer staple crops in the state – including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant and squash – will produce a fall crop when planted in mid- to late summer. Other crops that are more conducive to cooler weather, like carrots, greens and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, also produce well in Oklahoma falls. Of course, if the garden isn’t already planted, it’s too late for a fall harvest this year, but never fear: Many Oklahoma farmer’s markets remain open through most of October. If your fall harvest isn’t in the works already, the vendors will be happy to accommodate.

Simply Healthy

By

Staff

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September 25, 2012

Fall is here, and it’s time for everything apple. As kids, we gave them to our teachers and were always told that eating one a day would keep the doctor away. It’s an old adage, but is there any truth to it? Actually, there is. Apples are a good source of vitamin C and contain antioxidants, which can help prevent diseases including cancer, heart disease and even asthma. Likewise, they have been shown to lower bad cholesterol (LDL), and contain a decent amount of dietary fiber. Apples can even aid in the prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. Besides all of this, they are a delicious, low-calorie, anytime snack that can curb your appetite if eaten about 30 minutes before a meal.

Keep in mind, however, that not all apples are created equal. Granny Smith, McIntosh and Golden Delicious are best for cooking and baking while Red Delicious, Honeycrisp and Gala are best for eating out of hand. Apples are so versatile though, you will be able to find just the right apple for every occasion.

So pack an apple for your teacher, coworker, friend or anyone else you care about and don’t forget to include one for yourself, too.

Pound The Powder

By

Michael W. Sasser

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September 25, 2012

Settle into your accommodations upon arrival Friday night and acclimate yourself to the environment. At more than a mile above sea level, it’s advisable to take it easy while you adjust to the altitude. Conveniently, though, it’s a good opportunity to explore the historic Victorian mining town of Crested Butte proper and its quaint streets, shops and pubs. Relax over a drink or try the small plates at Django’s Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Having done your advance research on specific ski areas based on your aptitude and desires, head off for a full day on the slopes after breakfast Saturday. Keep in mind, however, the array of other activities available in the area, particularly if you’re traveling with children or with non-skiers. The options include a tubing hill that’s lit for nighttime use, an Adventure Park at the base area of Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR), lift-serve tubing, snowcat driving and day and moonlight snowshoe tours just at the resort itself. Other winter sports opportunities abound in the vicinity. One good way to improve your ski skills is CBMR’s terrain park program, which is designed to offer a clear progression to guests. You’ll surely be exhausted by day’s end, so enjoy dinner at the Franco-American bistro, Soupçon, or the romantic Eastside Bistro.

Kick off your Sunday morning with breakfast at your accommodations or at the well-regarded, family-friendly Izzy’s. Afterward, head off to a second day on the slopes or enjoy a full or part of the day experiencing a few other appealing aspects of the area. Consider learning more about the colorful and unique history of the town at Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum. Alternately, visit Montanya Distillers for a look at the operation and a taste of their award-winning artisanal rum. The Trailhead Children’s Discovery Museum is a fun option for kids and is located in the Outpost Building next to the Mt. Crested Butte base area. Scenic walks and drives abound, weather permitting, as well. End your Sunday and your Crested Butte experience with dinner at Marchitelli’s Gourmet Noodle, or enjoy heaping portions of Mexican-inspired fare at Teocalli Tamale. Whether you ski to the last possible moment or kick back and relax while taking in the view of the decidedly Shangri-La environment, you’re bound to take home memories to last a lifetime.

Stay In Style

Grand Lodge Crested Butte is a full-service hotel located just 200 yards from the ski lifts at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Comfortable, convenient and with a good mix of room configurations, the Grand Lodge also offers wi-fi, satellite television, refrigerators, coffee makers, in-room safes, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards and more. Amenities on the property include heated indoor/outdoor pool, spa, hot tub, fitness room, steam room, plus a welcoming restaurant and bar. www.skicb.com

Lodge at Mountaineer Square is located at the base area just steps away from the ski lifts and features studio, one, two, three, and four-bedroom suites with deluxe amenities, including indoor/outdoor heated swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, sauna and fitness room, bell, valet, concierge services and a full-service front desk. With nearby shuttle service available to whisk you to the heart of town and a cozy and friendly restaurant and pub setting on site, the Lodge at Mountaineer Square also benefits from lauded customer service. www.skicb.com

The Elevation Hotel & Spa is the only full-service ski-in, ski-out hotel at Crested Butte Mountain Resort and features 262 rooms and spacious suites. First class amenities abound, such as swimming pool, hot tub and wireless internet, spa treatments and fitness center and valet, bell and concierge services. Mountain views and slope-side dining accentuate the natural majesty of the setting. www.skicb.com

At a Glance

Access: Travelers can fly direct to Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport from markets that include Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver and Houston. The Alpine Express shuttle provides transportation to town.
Population: Crested Butte, approx. 1,500; Mount Crested Butte, approx. 800
Climate: High altitude climate with severe weather possible in the winter, mild summers and extended periods of sun and snow on the edges of fall and spring.
Main Attraction: Skiing and snowboarding dominate activities at this “the last great Colorado ski town” in season, either at Crested Butte Mountain Resort or backcountry. Mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking and whitewater rafting are among the most popular activities in warmer months.

Hot Picks

Play: Take a break from the slopes for free ice skating and sledding at Nordic Ski School in Crested Butte. Big Mine Skating Park is also free and oriented toward skateboarders.
Commute: The free shuttle from Crested Butte to Mount Crested Butte includes a handful of stops in town, augmenting the pedestrian nature of the historic Colorado village.
Judge: Crested Butte is one of the towns that claims to have hosted the launch of mountain biking. Evaluate the possibility and more at the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum, located at the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum.

Visit Online

www.visitcrestedbutte.com

Egalitarian Eating

By

Brian Schwartz

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September 25, 2012

Sometime in the early 1990s, in a rugged, brick-walled building on the gritty fringes of downtown Tulsa, a glass-plating factory closed its doors for the last time. A lot of buildings in that area were being abandoned in those days. And around the same time, a young man eager to make his mark on the world cruised those deserted streets, gazing at those venerable yet forlorn buildings and dreaming. One day, he vowed, he would make one of them into something glorious.

On an August afternoon 20 years later, the sun blazing down on a neighborhood that’s lately become a vibrant, vital part of downtown, that same man, Lee Brennan, stands outside the 90-year-old glass factory. In less than a month, Brennan’s new restaurant will open. Swarms of workers exit the building. Brennan greets each one by name; “They’re the hardest working crew around,” he says. Brennan’s a hands-on boss, involved with every detail. “This will be an outdoor lounge,” he says, his arm sweeping toward a vast expanse of patio. “People can stretch their legs here, then go back inside or sit down a while.”

Scattered around will be comfortable padded armchairs and sofas. (The upholstery is waterproof.) Brennan doesn’t think of Rusty Crane as a restaurant, or as a bar, or as a venue for live entertainment, though it will be all three. He thinks of it as a place where friends and family will gather, will have fun and linger.

Brennan uses the word “accessible” a lot. He dreams of a place that will be fun for everybody, hip downtown hangout where one won’t have to be trendy to be welcome. Creative snacks and entrees lovingly made from scratch that even the pickiest eater – an eater who looks at words like “gourmet” and “haute cuisine” with a mix of fear and loathing – will love.

A family on its way home from a baseball game at nearby ONEOK Field might stop for burgers. They’d sit outdoors or at one of the casual seating areas inside. Downtown office workers may rendezvous at the bar, where they’ll be dazzled by an elaborate selection of signature and classic drinks. Couples who crave a touch of elegance and romance will head for the intimate booths and tables just beyond the hostess station. That hostess stand is a breathtaking Art Deco creation from the 1930s. Brennan has a scavenger’s eye for hidden treasures, and he’s used them, along with the weathered brick and the rusty steel girders of the original 1922 building, to make the decor unique and special. The 30-foot bar is accented by original terra cotta from the old Mayo Hotel. Some of the tables were made from the worn, mellow wood of the building’s antique doors. The huge, old elevator, complete with vintage bulbs and buttons, becomes an intimate booth for tables.

Like the decor, the food is eclectic and creative. “It’s happy food,” Brennan says, and quirky combinations abound. The Mediterranean taco marries tortilla and hummus. There’s an enchilada with chicken Alfredo and fresh spinach; it’s called a Yumlada. A lot of effort goes into procuring the finest ingredients.

Leaving the building, Brennan detours to a loading dock to point out the old crane hoist that inspired the name Rusty Crane. It’s not rusty, he admits, but, “I thought it’s a fun name, and I chose it to show that everyone, whatever their dress or mood, whatever their walk of life, can have fun here.” But what is his favorite sort of customer? “Oh, I’m like an old grandma with her grandkids,” says the youthful Brennan. “I make each and every one of them feel that he’s my favorite.” 109 N. Detroit, Tulsa. 918.232.2262

The Buzz: Green And Grilled

By

Jami Mattox

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September 25, 2012

Health food is a hot commodity right now in the restaurant industry, and Oklahoma City’s Green And Grilled is on the forefront. Providing customers with foods as fresh as possible, the eatery’s proprietors are promoting a simple way of promoting clean, healthy eating. Diners may choose from a list of grilled proteins that include steak, chicken, pork and tofu marinated in green onion and adobo; each protein is served with a salad and a choice of rice, potato, corn-on-the-cob or avocado. The meal is light, refreshing and a great alternative to mid-day lunch counters that can pack in hundreds of extra calories in just one sitting for diners. Green And Grilled also offers entrée salads as well as a soup du jour. Eating healthy never tasted so green or good. 8547 N. Rockwell, Oklahoma City. www.greenandgrilled.com – Jami MattoxHealth food is a hot commodity right now in the restaurant industry, and Oklahoma City’s Green And Grilled is on the forefront. Providing customers with foods as fresh as possible, the eatery’s proprietors are promoting a simple way of promoting clean, healthy eating. Diners may choose from a list of grilled proteins that include steak, chicken, pork and tofu marinated in green onion and adobo; each protein is served with a salad and a choice of rice, potato, corn-on-the-cob or avocado. The meal is light, refreshing and a great alternative to mid-day lunch counters that can pack in hundreds of extra calories in just one sitting for diners. Green And Grilled also offers entrée salads as well as a soup du jour. Eating healthy never tasted so green or good. 8547 N. Rockwell, Oklahoma City. www.greenandgrilled.com

Faves: Dalesandro’s

By

Brian Schwartz

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September 25, 2012

If you go to Dalesandro’s for the first time, you might think you’ve mistakenly wandered into the elegant wine bar next door. The high white walls, track lighting and framed modern artwork provide no clue that this is an Italian family restaurant. But it is. Founded by Buzz Dalesandro more than 20 years ago with the help of his restaurateur father, it’s currently run by Buzz’s son, Sonny. The food you eat is based on recipes handed down from Sonny’s great-grandmother, whose family hailed from the rugged hills of Basilicata, the arch of Italy’s boot. The dishes are lusty, exuberant, Italian-American fare: a six-layer lasagna made with goat’s milk ricotta as well as mozzarella, linguine with fresh tomatoes and basil. The food is robust, hearty and perfectly prepared, and the portions are enormous. The Pollo Arrosto con Capellini features half of a four-pound chicken along with the angel-hair pasta. Regulars know to stop by Friday or Saturday for the weekend special of Swordfish Piccata. The fish, breaded and sautéed in butter, sits atop capellini and comes with a sprightly lemon-caper sauce. It’s just like Grandma’s cooking – if Grandma is a top-notch chef. www.dalesandros.com

What We’re Eating

By

Staff

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September 25, 2012

Sauces

Chuy’s
Chuy’s is a Tex-Mex chain that, much to Texas transplants’ delight, has finally found its way north of the Red River. The restaurant, which opened the doors to its first restaurant in 1982, offers the standard fare expected from traditional Tex-Mex eateries. Tacos are filled with sirloin, fajita chicken or guacamole; burritos showcasing beans, ground sirloin, oven roasted chicken or fajita meats are topped with your choice of sauce – and the sauce is the appeal of Chuy’s. Eight unique sauces, ranging from a mild tomatillo to the spicy hot hatch green chile, complement burritos or hand-rolled enchiladas. Each table is also served Chuy’s Salsa Fresca and Creamy Jalapeno sauce along with fresh chips. 760 N. Interstate Dr., Norman; 10808 E. 71st St., Tulsa. www.chuys.com

Spuds

City Bites
Once a staple served alongside a hulking steak, baked potatoes have come into their own, now starring as the entrée. Loaded spuds are only as creative as the creator, and the creators at City Bites, a local deli chain in the Oklahoma City area, are plenty creative. Hungry customers can satiate big appetites with creations like the Fiesta Spud, packed with seasoned ground beef, cheddar, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos. And how about that pot roast spud, topped with meat, carrots and gravy? There is also the classic, which boasts bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and onions. It’s impossible to make an incorrect choice at City Bites; just know that to order one of these behemoths, come with an empty stomach. Many locations in the Oklahoma City metro area. www.citybites.net

October Scene Gallery 2012

By

Staff

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September 25, 2012

Sunrise Biscuits

Apple Cinnamon Manhattan

Stay In Style

At a Glance

Hot Picks

Visit Online

Sauces

Spuds

Most popular

Editor's choice

918.744.6205