Christmas Pickle Tradition

had to borrow a christmas pickle photo, i dropped and broke our christmas pickle. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Christmas Pickle Tradition

While its origins are somewhat unclear, it's believed to have German roots and possibly originated in the United States.

According to the tradition, the pickle ornament is the last one to be hung on the Christmas tree, hidden among the branches. On Christmas morning, the first person to find the pickle ornament receives a special blessing for the upcoming year or a small gift.

This tradition has variations in different families or regions, where finding the pickle might result in the person receiving an extra present, being the first to open gifts, or being designated as the "lucky" one for the day.

Some have suggested that the tradition originated in Germany as a way for families to bring a bit of extra excitement to the holiday festivities. The tradition isn't widely known or practiced in Germany itself.

Do you follow the Christmas pickle tradition?

Charlotte

Girl's' Homesteading Weekends

Michele Broxton, left, and I talked about keeping bees July 9, 2022 at her Girl’s Homesteading Weekend. (Ozark Farms photo)

Girl’s Homesteading Weekends

Do you remember heading home for a weekend and finding yourself baking pies, canning jam and making cookies with your Mom and family?

I do and hopefully passed that legacy on to my stepchildren when they spent their weekends with me. There’s something gratifying about working together and passing on skills especially making a meal, or parts of a meal.

Michele Broxton from Ozark Farms Market in Rolla, Mo. is taping into that yearning for simpler days. She sponsored the first Girl’s Homesteading Weekend July 8-9, 2022 that included discussions on what it was like to live on a farm milking cows, raising ducks, making pies and sourdough bread among other things. A farm girl herself, MIchele shared stories of growing up on a farm and what she learned from that experience.

There were also discussions under an outdoor tent on managing cattle and bees.

Cattle and beekeeping discussions took place outdoors under a tent with roaming ducks and chickens nearby. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Ozark Farms Market is a relatively new local business off Highway 72. Michele started making pies as part of her church ministry in 2017 and today has a working kitchen daily making fresh bread and cookies. She plans to add a deli soon and features a number of vendors with local wares. The market serves not only nearby campers but the local community as well.

Part of the front of the Ozark Farms Market off Highway 72. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

As part of her market inventory, Michele is adding local vendors including handmade soaps, hand painted furniture and my beekeeping books.

Michele Broxton, owner of Ozark Farms Market off Highway 72. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

The last time I spoke with Michele she was recuperating from the homestead weekend so grateful for the new friendships and interest in continuing the event. Of all of the things the weekend generated Michele said she was most happy about the camaraderie. Many of those attendees have already signed up to come back September 16-17, 2022 for the fall session.

To accommodate the interest, Michele said she has doubled the fall seats but they are almost gone. If you want to enjoy a couple of days learning something new as well as making new friends, sign up and join us! Cost is $129 for the two days not counting overnight accommodations. The fee includes all meals and supplies.

Restocked pile of A Beekeeper’s Diary at the checkout counter. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

And if you stop in earlier to enjoy a glass of milk and freshly-baked cookies, pick up one of my beekeeping books, you can’t miss them at the checkout counter!

Charlotte

Delicious Wild Violets

Picked some of my wild violets for a salad with broccoli. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Delicious Wild Violets

As tea parties and slowing down become more popular, so will using edible flowers. One of my spring favorites are wild violets, also called common violets. The young leaves as well as flowers are edible. The flower stems have a mild citrusy flavor. The flowers are high in Vitamin C.

Wild violets growing alongside one of my small ponds. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I love wild violets in any shape and color. I have them growing as path borders all over my hillside. They don’t always stay where I plant them so I periodically have to move them back to where I want to see them.

Wild violets grow well in both sun and shade.

My patch of yellow violets, not ready to be picked for a salad. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Although purple seems to be the most common color. I also have wild violets that are white, yellow and white with blue/purple.

When picking violets to eat, make sure you are getting them from a spot that hasn’t been treated with chemicals.

Gently wash them before adding to anything you plan to eat.

Wild violets are also fun to add to ice cubes for a pretty addition to lemonade or just to make a glass of water look interesting.

This salad has both purple and blue common violets. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

This simple salad with red onions, lettuce and violets was a nice spring snack with steamed broccoli.

Charlotte

St. James Marketplace Cafe

Cole slaw, chicken salad, broccoli soup and caramel apple pie. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

St. James Marketplace Cafe

So happy to have one of my favorite local places to have lunch re-opened again.

The St. James Marketplace Cafe, is now open Wednesdays thru Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 2: 30 p.m. Plenty of time to get one of their excellent cinnamon rolls for breakfast and turn around to get lunch for take out.

Located at 211 North Seymour in St. James, Mo., the cafe also caters. They have fed our local bee club beginning beekeepers for several years now providing a variety of homemade breads, excellent salads and delicious deserts.

Jessie Scrivner-Gunn keeping the lunch line moving. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Due to COVID, our catered bee club class lunches were individually packaged.

Thanks Debbie, we’re so glad you’re keeping our beekeepers so deliciously fed!

Charlotte

Tea Infusers

My two favorite tea infusers, each for a different kind of tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Tea Infusers

I love drinking tea, as much for the routine that surrounds it as for the warmth it brings. To that end, I have a number of tea infusers from grated spoons to these two charmers, both gifts from friends.

There are a number of different tea infuser sizes because there are different kinds of teas. In general, larger tea infusers are used for loose leaf teas. The leaves expand when exposed to hot water so they need room to release their flavors and aroma.

Tea powders, often in tea bags, work well in smaller tea infusers just because there isn’t much to expand.

In the photo example, loose leaf tea would work well in the left tea infuser. Tea bags would work well in the silicone orange fish on the right.

Maybe because I have used the right tea cup a number of times but I read that silicone-based tea infusers sometimes have a plastic taste. I don’t pick that up with this tea cup but then it’s been well used so maybe it wears off over time.

As we move into the holiday season, consider giving a fun tea infuser as a gift. It’s something someone may use every day and think of you. I know I do with these two gift infusers!

Charlotte

Wild Violet Ice Cubes

Missouri wild violets in frozen ice cubes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Wild Violet Ice Cubes

Spring in Missouri is a wonderful season for wild violets. There are several kinds from white to yellow, white and purple and my favorites, all purple. Viola sororia, commonly called woolly blue violet, is a common Missouri native wildflower which occurs in woods, thickets and stream banks throughout the State. You can also find them in many lawns.

According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, these are stemless, rhizomatous, low-growing perennials (3-8" tall) which feature downy, basal, wide-heart-shaped leaves and large blue-violet flowers. Each flower rests atop its own leafless stalk.

Blooms in early spring and sometimes intermittently into late summer.

Wild violets also happen to be edible. I have added them for years to salads. They add a slight citrusy taste and look wonderful on a plate.

Some wild violets picked from my Missouri limestone hillside garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make violet ice cubes, make sure you are picking violets from an area that hasn’t been treated with chemicals and pesticides.

Carefully pick off the top flower portion. Drop into water-filled ice cube trays.

Float violets in ice cube trays, then freeze. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Freeze. Store in a bag in the freezer until you want to use.

Wild violets are listed as one of the native US wildflowers of North America. Lucky us!

Charlotte

Wood Wine Stand

Testing the no hands, no support wood wine stand on my kitchen island. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Wood Wine Stand

Have you ever lived with an engineer? They are wired problem-solvers so if you want sympathy and not solutions you need to say so. It was one of several tips I passed on to both of my sisters-in-law who early on were confused by their spouses eagerness to fix things.

So it was with big sister glee that I sent each one of my engineer brothers this handmade wood wine stand for Christmas.

It holds a wine bottle standing at an angle with no visible supports. Helps if the bottle neck is long to balance the bottle but still. Doesn’t this get your attention?

These wood wine stands were made in Missouri by the Splintered Spool, a Missouri company based in their home basement. Owners make these items when not working in full-time jobs. I found them at a local fall crafts fair. You can find them online through social media, Etsy and Facebook.

In addition to the wine stands, which they don’t currently have featured on their website, they have lovely wooden pens and bowls as well as custom totes and quilts. Their quilts are different than our custom quilts and both are interesting and lovely.

Now I’m waiting for a report from at least one engineer who will have deconstructed the design. And maybe even improved on it.

Yep, that’s an engineer!

Charlotte

Music Affects Wine?

Some of the wines getting sampled at Peaceful Bend’s Lunch and Learn class. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Music Affects Wine?

Good question, isn’t it.

I was trying to remember the special moments in my life where wine was involved and I came up short. I don’t drink much wine but I certainly have enjoyed live concerts and have my favorite music. So what happens when you combine a wine with a type of music, does it change the taste of the wine?

That was the premise of one of Peaceful Bend Winery’s Lunch and Learn series. Katie Knott led the session, noting the details of each of the three wines we tasted against classical, jazz and pop music.

Katie said the idea is that musical notes do change the wine but the group seemed split on whether the music altered the wine.

Wine and music pairings at Peaceful Bend’s Lunch and Learn series. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I can see how this would be a fun exercise at a dinner party, comparing wines with different music genres.

It helps to have lunch waiting after all that sipping, and I enjoyed my first ever shrimp taco. Without wine.

If you haven’t been to Peaceful Bend Winery, add it to your list. August Rolufs is a wonderful chef and the winery offers not only Lunch and Learn but live musical events as well as catered dinners.

But you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want, my bee buddy David spent the Lunch and Learn time outside reading a book with a very special winery greeter while his wife and I took notes in class.

Peaceful Bend Winery’s official greeter taking a break on the deck. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The winery has added a lovely outside deck area I look forward to trying out next spring. We are SO lucky to have this charming winery in mid-Missouri!

Thanks for the fun class, Katie!
Charlotte

My Favorite Cup of Tea!

My latest addition to my tea cups, this black cat tea cup and infuser. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

My Favorite Cup of Tea!

Over the years, I have collected quite a stash of tea cups, from ones my Grandmother used to use when I visited to gifts from friends. I cherish them all and think of them when I need a boost not to mention something warm to help me relax. It’s not what’s IN the cup that triggers the calm, it’s the process of having something in a cup, then waiting for it to cool off just enough so that I can sip it. By then, I am usually much more relaxed so just the thought of getting a cup can put me in that state.

So it’s with trepidation that I now confess I have a new favorite tea cup. And, I bought it for myself at a local thrift store, frankly not because I had intended to keep it but I initially intended to give it away.

The tea cup was brand new, still with the tag and cost $2.

What caught my attention was the cat design, although at first I didn’t realize it was a tea cup. The cup is tall and narrow with a lid that is a black cat head and a bottom forming the cat feet. The handle is the cat tail. Inside and attached to the lid is an infuser in the shape of an orange fish.

The fish opens so that one can easily insert a tea bag.

The tea bag goes inside the fish, which acts as an infuser. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The fish then goes back into the tea cup to infuse it with the contents of the fish.

And in the fish goes, to make me a nice cup of tea! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The process of creating the tea, including putting the fish back into the tea cup, makes me smile. I have a goldfish named Laverne, the little gold fish reminds me of her.

The handle fits nicely in mine and having a lid on the cup prevents one of my cats - and one in particular - from taking a sip out of the cup.

So when thinking about giving someone a gift, give a little extra thought to something one would regularly use, like a tea cup, and infuse it with some fun!

Charlotte

Bluebird Gardens Honey Dinner

Peaceful Bend Winery menu including Bluebird Gardens honey. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Bluebird Gardens Honey Dinner

What a delicious way to start the new year, having the honey from my garden featured in a four-course meal at Peaceful Bend Winery!

The winery has a monthly supper club where local produce is featured in their wonderful meals. I have been attending the super clubs as part of my retirement “training” by my bee buddy David, who continues to claim I am not doing retirement proper justice.

As a thank you to Katie and Clyde Nott, Peaceful Bend Winery owners, I gave them a couple jars of honey for Christmas. A couple of weeks later, Katie called and said August Rolufs, their chef, was interested in featuring Bluebird Gardens honey at their January 26, 2019 supper club dinner.

Bluebird Gardens Honey was featured in this January 26, 2019 Peaceful Bend Winery Supper Club dinner. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When August addressed the group, he said the dinner was inspired by his visits to Mexico, so appropriate since I was raised in South America including Mexico City. Mere coincidence but I thought of it as a cosmic nod to the whole evening.

Turnip taco shells were a lot of fun, and delicious. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Every course had Bluebird Gardens honey on the plate. This course was crisp and fresh with turnip taco shells, my first time eating those.

The main meat course was wild and domestic rabbits from Meusch Farms, one of my favorite spring and summer Farmer’s Market sources for lettuce, spinach and other local greens. We loved the roasted vegetables seasoned with honey, and the little sprig of peas was fun - it really tasted like peas!

The appetizer course featured rabbit with roasted vegetables. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The main course was locally-sourced lamb with a light sauce that included honey. The braised cabbage was my favorite of this dish, light and tangy, a nice contrast to the sweetness of the lamb.

This sauce with honey was scrumptious. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Desert is always a favorite and this one was another winner. The flan cheesecake reflected the traditional flavors of the classic Mexican flan with more body, and we had to double-check that the spun sugar topper did indeed include Bluebird Gardens honey.

Desert included honey in the spun sugar. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Every Peaceful Bend Super Club gives the featured product a few minutes to discuss their business. I took a few minutes to talk about the role of pollinators in our food chain and how the dinners can help keep pollinators by planting more flowers.

Did you know it takes 40,000 flowers to make one teaspoon of honey?

Talking about one of my favorite subjects, bees! (Photo by David Draker)

So there’s talking and there’s showing and for those who were interested in seeing my bee garden, Begonia Bee sat next to some photos and product samples, such as our honey sampler gift set.

It was truly an honor to be featured and a dinner that Begonia Bee and won’t soon forget!

Charlotte

Meramec Vineyards Chambourcin Dinner

Meramec Vineyards Chambourcin Dinner

I have been taking retirement lessons courtesy of my bee buddy David Draker, who has made it clear I don’t quite have the hang of sitting around not doing anything. My “lessons” include joining him, his wife Gina and his wife’s best friend Ginger Schneider at Meramec Vineyards monthly wine pairing dinners, a delicious and informative evening of tasting local wines and getting ideas of how to serve them with a variety of dishes.

It was a cold, rainy, overcast day for this particular November 1, 2018 wine-pairing dinner, the last one for this year. This was Ginger’s special evening since she won the drawing for a free dinner at the previous wine pairing. I also felt like I was a winner since this menu included, to my delight, a marvelous discovery; this dark chocolate cheesecake. Who said I can’t start discussing a dinner with dessert first?

Dark chocolate cheesecake with walnut crust topped with cherry Chambourcin reduction. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When I was working full time and traveling a lot, I made it a mission to try to find the best cheesecake wherever I was working. I had tried a chocolate cheesecake somewhere, decided it was not tasty and returned to sampling over flavors until tonight.

This dark chocolate cheesecake made by Meramec Vineyards Owner Michelle Boulware was a scrumptious surprise in every bite, the savory dark chocolate paired with the Chambourcin sweet cherry reduction sauce a perfect balance. I splurged and added a cup of coffee, which contrasted nicely against the Chambourcin cherry topping reduction. I can’t say this is why we ended up being the last people to leave the winery - again - but it certainly was a factor in why I was lingering. I was thinking how was I going to pursue finding other dark chocolate cheesecakes since I don’t travel as much when it struck me I don’t have to go far at all to revisit this one!

Ok so the dinner wasn’t about desert but it certainly was a highlight. Every course had Chambourcin in the dish so a word about this intriguing wine. According to the Meramec Vineyards website, the Chambroucin is a “medium body red wine featuring the complex Chambourcin grape. Cherry notes and smooth, peppery finish. Great with substantial beef dinners or enjoyed by a fire with a cigar for an after dinner wine.”

Our assessment during the dinner was the Chambourcin was rich and complex with “a touch of spice,” Gina said, a very interesting wine to pair with the other winter meal dishes.

The menu for the Meramec Vineyards Chambourcin Nov. 1, 2018 wine pairing dinner. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The staff do a very nice job of setting the tone for these special evenings. Instead of sitting at tables set up in a U-shape, this November 1, 2018 the tables were separated into small separate seatings, which was a nice intimate setting, easier to have conversation. A chef friend of mine from the East Coast used to say half of any meal is the visual, from the meal surroundings to how it is plated.

I love peeking through the glass doors as we arrive to see how the room is set up for the special evening.

David kept checking the little pumpkins to make sure they were real they were so cute. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The evening meal started out with a very interesting dish featuring a cheese I am not particularly fond of using - again another charming discovery. The baked Brie with a strawberry reduction, walnuts and figs was a surprising complex combination topped on the toasted bread.

I would have been happy to have just this dish as my meal!

Baked Brie with strawberries, walnuts and figs. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The baked Brie was followed by a creamed mushroom soup that was thick with cooked mushroom pieces. I have yet to meet a fungus I didn’t find tasty so the generous number of mushrooms ensured several in every bite.

Take my word for it, the creamed mushroom soup was delicious! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

What do we do in between courses? Usually we talk but this evening we had the added entertainment of having “Girl Scout” Ginger teach us how to tie the knot used to tie up the evening napkins.

Wait. It was more like she figured it out then tried to teach the rest of us. I never did get the hang of it but David came close. Gina was smart to not even try and calmly sipped her wine as the rest of us made a mess of the pieces of string, and our own fingers!

Learning how tie the napkin knot for this evening’s meal. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The main course was Chambourcin braised short ribs with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and a homemade roll with olive pieces that commanded my full attention. I took a photo of the dish but it was not in focus.

I did catch a followup photo of the creamed mushroom soup as the staff was sitting down to their meal.

Creamed mushroom soup with a generous supply of mushroom pieces. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These dinners include live music by William Owen on the keyboard. This particular evening some at our table were singing along, stopping only long enough to check their phones for some trivia, such as who was the first artist to sing “King of the Road.” Mr. Owen has been the live music at most of the monthly dinners we attended earlier this year and he has a wide ranging repertoire. He also takes requests. Luckily for everyone there I was not in the mood to sing or I would easily have cleared out the place, I am well-known within my family for being basically tone deaf but it doesn’t stop me from singing. My niece makes up for it, she’s been in Honors Choir and now is part of a Washington University a cappella group, the first sophomore to make the try outs. Yes, she more than makes up for her tone deaf aunt.

And since I mentioned the Meramec Vineyards staff, they are a welcoming and fun group who make these evenings extra special. As new owners of the winery, Michelle and Joseph Boulware have introduced a variety of menus and outside weekly live music events during summer. They are also planning seasonal events for the holidays. Follow their adventures on their “#grapelife Behind the Vine” blog and Facebook page.

Standing, right, Joseph Boulware; center, in purple, William Owen on the keyboard. Third from left, Michelle Boulware. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Meramec Vineyards will be taking a break from offering these special $40 per person monthly wine pairing dinners through the holidays but they will be back January 17, 2019 with a Norton wine pairing dinner. I suggest you make reservations, these dinners are an excellent value and were almost sold out most of the nights we attended.

Local wines, beers, daily menus, live music. Great place! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

In the meantime, they have a Bistro daily lunch menu I plan to carefully study, daily soups and sangrias, beer and a number of special upcoming events. Who is with me on the December 13 Ugly Christmas Sweater contest??

Charlotte

Prego, A Taste of Italy!

A delicious celebrating the contributions of Silvio! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Prego, A Taste of Italy!

This was a night in Italy without taking a plane or having to go very far at all courtesy of Meramec Vineyards monthly wine pairing dinners in St. James, Mo. The October 11, 2018 wine-pairing meal was in honor of “Silvio,” a renown immigrant Meramec Vineyards worker for whom the starring bespoke wine was named.

What do you suppose Silvio named his vines? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Since this is a wine named after Silvio, we looked up the details on Silvio’s Red. According to Meramec Vineyards website, Silvio’s Red is an “authentic Italian red blended wine. Fruity with vinaigrette finish. Served room temperature or chilled. Pairs well with pasta or in red sauce to deepen the flavor.”

We had a chance to taste the wine during the dinner both at room temperature and chilled. I enjoyed Silvio’s Red both ways with a slight preference for chilled.

Good to their own description, this taste of Italy kicked off the night with homemade meatballs with Silvio’s Red in the delicious red sauce. The meatballs from Wildcat Creek Meats where a meal all in themselves!

Homemade meat balls in Silvio’s Red wine sauce from Wildcat Creek meats. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The appetizer was followed by a delicious antipasto salad made with a light spicy vinaigrette that included - you guessed it, Silvio’s Red wine!

I confess, I added a little more of the vinaigrette to get the full flavor of both the dressing and the salad!

Silvio’s Red wine was also featured in the light salad dressing. (Photo by David Draker)

I usually am the one taking the photos at these dinners but this particular evening I forgot my cell phone and had to borrow my beekeeping buddy David’s phone. Since we were coordinating the meal photos, David did a good job of making sure a photo was taken of every course before I tried it.

The main course featured braised Italian sausages with peppers and onions served with a crispy polenta cake. Polenta is a dish made out of a variety of ingredients, primarily traditionally coarsely-ground corn meal.

And a particular mention of that homemade roll with olive pieces - nice savory touch!

A roll, braised Italian sausage with peppers and onions, and polenta. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Desert was courtesy of Heavenly Divine Cupcakes, an enticing cream-filled, chocolate dipped cannoli that begged the question. Does one eat it with a fork or with one’s fingers?

Cannoli desert made by Heavenly Divine Cupcakes, Rolla. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Having spent several weeks in northern Italy a couple of years ago, I remembered how Italians ate their cannoli and I did the same.

The trick to eating a cannoli is trying to keep the cream in the middle, (Photo by David Draker)

The last treat of the evening, the drawing for a free meal for the next Meramec Vineyards wine-pairing dinner. And the winner was one of the members in our dinner party, Ginger Schneider!

Ginger Schneider after hearing she has won a free meal at the next wine pairing. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It was a nice evening with a European flair. We left a couple more empty wine bottles for their next creative table decor.

A few more bottles of wine now available for table decor. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The next and last wine pairing dinner for 2018 was November 1 featuring Meramec Vineyards Chambourcin. No need to wait for the next wine-pairing dinner, Meramec Vineyards offers daily specials and family friendly Sunday brunches, no frequent flyer miles required!

Charlotte

A Taste of Chardonel, Anyone?

Guests September 20, 2018 were greeted with these lovely table scapes of apples and candles.

A Taste of Chardonel, Anyone?

A friend has decided I need lessons in retirement. One of our favorite evening past times is to go to Meramec Vineyard’s monthly pairing dinner where they demonstrate what to cook with one of their wines. Taking my assignment seriously, I take photos of the various courses and lovely table scapes and make sure leftovers make it home for later taste testing. (Well, someone has to do it!)

This particular evening it was all about apples and pears, the two fruits that provide Meramec Vineyard’s Chardonel its special notes. I prefer my wines on the red and dry side but the two bottles I took home argued that maybe I had quickly developed a fondness for this lovely white.

And with good reason, Chardonel is a “medium bodied, dry white wine with apple and pear aromas.”

Meramec Vineyards Chardonel is a delightful refreshing match to pork medallions.

As we have become to expect, Michelle Boulware, one of the “new” owners, went out of her way to set the stage for the pairing dinner with lovely table scapes. This evening, pieces of hand cut wood served as trays for a pile of candles and apples of all sizes, including charming 1-inch ones that came from Michelle’s back yard. She warned us not to eat them, they were bitter. We took a closer look, passed on taking a bite and all agreed those tiny apples were till very cute!

The evening kicked off with a french onion soup that reminded me of Famous Barr in St. Louis, which used to have a restaurant with a great french onion soup. Anybody remember that soup? How about the store. We used to make a day of it to shop, having lunch, then make a leisurely trip home. I’m starting to sound like my mother.

Meramec Vineyards french onion soup kicked off their apple-themed dinner.

After french onion soup, Meramec Vineyards offered lovely salad with fresh greens and apple and pear pieces. I though the colors really made the salad come alive!

The homemade salad dressing was made with - you guessed it, the Chardonel.

Those table scape apples almost don’t look real, do they. It’s the candlelight!

The main course was pork medallions on pasta, a nice combination with an apple-based dry wine.

Pork medallions in pasta was a great main course with the white wine with fruity undertones.

Dessert. An apple crisp topped with ice cream, perfect ending to a trip through apple land.

Michelle kept mentioning the table decor one of her assistants had put together but I didn’t get to see it until we were leaving. This could be a spot in my garden, I am always knocking a bucket with flowers over as I walk by.

Another part of the apple-themed table scape with local wildflowers.

Two-fisted drinker? Sort of, I was treated to a preview of Silvio’s red wine.

Meramec Vineyards Silvio’s Red has a special story all of its own. It’s one of their signature wines and the star of their next pairing dinner scheduled for Thursday, October 11. You will find the upcoming pairing dinner menu and other events on their website.

Ok, so who knows the story behind this Silvio person?!

Charlotte

What To Pair with Vignoles Wine

Vignoles is a fruity semi-dry wine, a good companion to summer seafood dishes.

What to Pair with Vignoles Wine

What a delicious way to learn about local wines and what dishes to pair with them. This is my second special monthly meal during 2018 at Meramec Vineyards in St. James, Missouri. The business was recently purchased by a young couple who are putting a new spin into the local favorite winery by hosting monthly special dinners paired with one of their wines.

According to Brian Boulware, they spent this summer perfecting their white wines, including the Vignoles.

This dinner was in August, the height of a hot and humid Missouri summer. The decor was tropical with gilded pineapples and palm trees, a nod to our hot tropical weather and the fruity flavors in the wine.

To kick off the evening, we had steamed muscles in a scrumptious tomato and garlic sauce. My friends and I asked for extra bread so we could enjoy more of that delicious sauce. As one of my dining companions said, there is no such thing as too much garlic.

The first course was steamed muscles in a scrumptious tomato and garlic sauce.

The second course was a refreshing spinach and strawberry salad topped by caramelized pecans.

By this point we were all speculating about what was in the water. There was a distinctive extra taste but not one of us could put a name to the special flavor.

Caramelized pecans topped the spinach and strawberry salad, so light and refreshing.

For the main course, spicy shrimp in a tomato sauce over zucchini noodles. I love shrimp but this dish was a little too spicy for my taste.

I took half of it home and had it for lunch the next day. By then the spices had settled down and it was just right.

A most generous plate of spicy shrimp on zuchini noodles, enough for a second day lunch meal.

For desert, one of my all-time favorites, crème brûlée with a lovely strawberry carved as a flower and other edible flowers as garnish.

Having tried crème brûlée at various locations around the country, this is a tough desert to get all of the elements right. The custard is usually either too heavy or the caramelized sugar is too thick.

France, England, and Spain all claim to be the country where crème brûlée had its origin. The first printed recipe for a dessert called crème brûlée is from the 1691 edition of the French cookbook Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois by Francois Massialot, a cook at the Palace of Versailles.

In England, this desert is called "burnt cream." I vaguely remember a similar dish from Brazil. Whatever one calls it, this version was just right!

A lovely strawberry carved into a rose shape on top of the lightest creme brulee.

I have to confess, I have tried a couple of times since this dinner to carve strawberries into roses. Luckily I eat the samples along the way and there is going to have to be a lot more practice before I have anything to show for it!

And what was in the water? It was lemon lime, cucumber and basil giving the ice water a delicious summer note. Reminded me of the spearmint water I like to make in summer.

I bought a bottle of Meramec Vineyards Vignoles to enjoy at home. I will get it quite cold before pouring a glass when I make a salad out of my own garden. It will be a few weeks before I plan this meal but I am already looking forward to it!

Charlotte

Dinner's Ready!

Oh, my, did this sign bring back memories but I'm not telling!

Dinner's Ready!

Did your family have any traditions when you were growing up about dinner?

We did. Whoever was home first set the table. Whoever was home last did the dishes, the one next to home last dried. We had a dishwasher but Mom liked having the kitchen clean after dinner so it was our job to get everything clean and put away before the lights were turned off.

There was no TV in the dining room - can you even imagine? We would have conversations about what happened in our day, what might happen tomorrow, and over the weekend. There were no cell phones on the table, and if the phone rang, no one answered. We were having dinner and the phone was not allowed to interrupt the time we set aside to be together.

After the table was set, we were all expected to stay close so that when Mom said "dinner was ready," everyone would settle around the table for a warm meal. Nothing out of the microwave, this was a warm dish out of the oven, or from the top of the stove, cooked from a recipe out of a favorite recipe book or a favorite recipe card kept in a recipe book. If there was some sort of bread, and a vegetable dish, it would be timed so that all three were served warm at the same time, quite a feat when I think about that today, not to mention desert.

When I became a stepmom and was coordinating my own home-cooked meals, I remember taking cues from her dinners including freezing meals ahead. I never did quite get the "hang" of repeatedly following recipes but then I didn't set the kitchen on fire, either.

I will say no more.

Charlotte

Welcome to My Kitchen Sign

Isn't this a fun welcome to my kitchen sign?

Welcome to My Kitchen Sign

I have terrible handwriting so I admire people who can beautifully write with chalk on signs. That's not what caught my eye about this sign, it was the hectic daily schedule it outlined.

Cooking for me is more of a fall and winter sport. Soups are a favorite, and cookies for our local bee club. This year I will be doing some experimenting incorporating honey into some recipes but when it comes to spring and summer...well, this sign better reflects my cooking routine.

It's not so bad. I have lost 40 lbs keeping to fresh salads and fruits, not eating after 6 p.m. and sticking to cooked chicken, salmon and turkey. I also try to button up my kitchen early in the evening so I am not tempted to eat later in the evening. All except for my hot cup of water with lemon.

Sometimes I skip the fresh lemon. Must be a Friday.

Charlotte

Spoon Rest Gift

This sweet spoon rest was a gift from a gardening friend because she said it reminded her of me. (charlotte ekker wiggins)

Spoon Rest Gift

A gardening friend shared this little bag with something she said had my name on it. It's interesting to see how others see us so I opened the bag with a smile, I love surprises!

Inside was this charming spoon rest, purchased from a nearby family-style restaurant gift shop in case you like it as well.

Besides the thought, I could quickly see why she thought of me when she saw it.

Before you ask, this came from a neighborhood family style restaurant gift shop.

The spoon rest is large. We had recently talked about wanting larger spoon rests for soup spoons so I suspected that conversation had inspired her to look at these often overlooked kitchen assistants.

The rest was easy. Honeybees, for my apiary Home Sweet Bees; ladybugs, the logo for Bluebird Gardens, and flowers, all hand-painted. 

Bees, ladybugs and flowers, my favorites. What luck to have them all together!

Giving a gift that is practical as well is an excellent combination. With some of us spending more time in the kitchen, a spoon rest is a handy item to have.

Sometimes when I find something perfect like this for a gift I also can't wait to present it.

Charlotte

My First Peach This Year

My first peach this year in a compact dwarf peach tree at Bluebird Gardens.

My First Peach This Year

As I was walking around my garden one morning, doing my usual visual inventory, I had to back track when I saw this peach. It was my first peach this year - maybe my only peach if the squirrels have anything to say about it - so I was pleasantly surprised and happy to see it. 

I kept the flowers on this tree frost free earlier this spring by covering it with one of my winter coats, not knowing if it would work or not. Not only was I happy to see that the extra effort worked, but I was pleased to see that the squirrels had not removed this fruit, at least not yet.

Several years ago, I had spotted a peach on another dwarf compact fruit tree and waited until the next morning to pick it. As I was heading out to get it, a squirrel hopped by, peach in mouth so I learned the hard way it's not a good thing to wait.

Usually local ripe peaches are available closer to August and September. Without any hesitation, I pulled this one off and took a bite. 

So good!

Charlotte

Ceramic Vegetable Measuring Cups

These delightful ceramic vegetables are a set of measuring cups.

Ceramic Vegetable Measuring Cups

Not to be outdone by my ceramic flower measuring spoons, soon after I found this set of ceramic vegetable measuring cups. There is something delightfully whimsical about these four, from the 1 cup artichoke to the 1/4 cup shallot, who doesn't love having vegetables around!

The measuring quantities are posted on the inside, although it's relatively easy to guess by looking at each of them.

This ceramic shallot is a 1/4 cup measuring cup equivalent.

In doing a little online research, it appears these are vintage 1983 Avon Gallery Originals. I am missing the measuring spoon set of hot red peppers and the hanging rack that was part of the original set.

I will add that to my list of things to look for the next time I visit antique malls, nothing like a little treasure hunt or two to focus a window-shopping trip.

Charlotte

Ceramic Flower Measuring Spoons

Ceramic Flower Measuring Spoons

Aren't these fun?

I found them at - what else - a local thrift shop. They are ceramic; the purple pansy is the smallest measuring 1/4 teaspoon, to the largest, a red poppy measuring one tablespoon. 

Like most good non-precise cooks, I don't usually use measuring spoons. My idea of measuring is several guessing shakes, a few pinches or a couple of dabs. One year my mother did give me one of those sets of plastic measuring spoons that takes up space in a drawer but I can't remember the last time I used them.

Until I found these. 

They are currently hanging from the side of a cabinet where I can see them. When I have a recipe that requires several measurements, I take them down and use them, more for the fun of it than for the measuring precision. I am sure it helps to increase the chance the dish will not only come out edible but can also be more easily replicated, something my mother would have appreciated. She never ceased to ask about a dish she liked only to find out I couldn't give her the recipe because I had just thrown it together earlier that evening and couldn't replicate it even when I tried. A number of times.

Doing a little research online, I didn't find this set but I found a similar one, featuring all red flowers, made in England. That makes sense since even the smallest British homes have their postage stamp gardens carefully planted with fresh herbs and cutting flowers.

Mom taught me to collect what I like. It's easy to get caught up in trying to invest in collectibles but something is only as valuable as what someone is willing to pay. Life is complicated enough as it is so I simplify by  picking up things I like, and then use them.

If you want to get someone on the right path cooking, a good basic recipe book like the American Cooking Illustrated Encyclopedia is a good start. But so is a set of measuring spoons that speaks to them. Even if they don't use them, they will have something they can hang as home decor on their kitchen walls as a fun reminder of you.

Charlotte