Family Excursions Archives : Page 5 of 6 : TRAVEL/FOOD

ZYDECO, GUMBO, AND CAJUN HERITAGE: IT’S ALL PART OF THE CAJUN BAYOU FOOD TRAIL

Birds, Cajun/Creole, Elegant dining, Family Excursions, Farm-to-Table, Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Historic Restaurants, Regional & Ethnic, Seasonal Recipes

Follow the Cajun Bayou Food Trail: A REAL Taste of Louisiana Cajun Country

Just 45 minutes from New Orleans, the Cajun Bayou Food Trail is a journey through the heart of Lafourche Parish and the ultimate road trip for those wanting to explore Louisiana’s food scene. Known as the Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, this region of the state takes its culinary delights so seriously that the name Lafourche is French for the fork. While some will explain, patiently, the term is a geographical reference to a split in the Mississippi River, we’re thinking that any place with a name synonymous with an eating utensil surely knows its way around a menu.

So grab your car keys and your sunglasses—but you won’t need to bring your own Lafourche as any place on the parish’s Cajun Bayou Food Trail have their own—and hit the road. There are currently 18 restaurants on the trail including the recently added Cinclare Southern Bistro.

“We’re thrilled to be included on the Louisiana Cajun Bayou Food Trail,” says Michael Dalmau, the owner of Cinclare Southern Bistro. “The restaurants that span this historic waterway might be different in what they do and how they do it but know this …. they all do it well. In South Louisiana – and especially up and down the Bayou – feeding and serving friends and family is not only what we do to pass a good time, but it’s how we show our love and support. It’s part of our DNA and that’s why we’re so good at it.”

All the stops on the trail feature authentic food accompanied by the unparalleled Southern hospitality.

According to my friend Mindy Bianca, chefs down this way tell how their favorite recipes feature the finest local ingredients along with a true love of their surroundings and heritage. The latter means treating guests the same as family–well, almost, you don’t have to clean up after dinner like you would at your mom’s. All this makes navigating the Cajun Bayou Food Trail an unparalleled culinary and travel experience.

The lives of the people of Lafourche Parish are fully intertwined with the bodies of water that are accessible throughout the region, most notably Bayou Lafourche, a 100-mile waterway that bisects the parish, and the Gulf of Mexico. Residents of the area view the Bayou and Gulf as their personal pantries, finding seafood and other delicacies within and along their waters. If you live here, you’re most likely not going to get kicked you out of the parish for not knowing how to whip up a tasty gumbo (though we can’t promise that’s true) but fortunately most if not all figure it out from an early age using recipes passed down through the generations. That’s why those following the trail get to taste dishes authentic traditional foods that are part of the Parish’s gastronomic heritage–prepared and served as they have been for as long as some can remember. But that doesn’t mean some chefs don’t do their own riff with added ingredients or other ways to make them uniquely their own.

Celebrating not only the restaurants and local food purveyors that honor the culinary customs of the region, the parish also hosts six festivals and events dedicated to honoring and preserving its distinctive traditions. Think La Fete Des Vieux Temps in Raceland, Louisiana

Calling it a cultural gumbo, Mindy says that “restaurants lean toward plenty of fresh seafood and run the gamut from mom-and-pop operations to sophisticated dining rooms.

“The unifying element is that whether it’s fried shrimp at Spahr’s, a restaurant that now has three locations and that has been a staple here for more than 50 years, or an elegant and savory alligator-and-andouille sausage cheesecake appetizer at Kincare, which offers craft beverages and a more upscale dining experience in the heart of downtown Thibodaux, your meal is going to be both delicious and memorable.”

Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to pick up a Food Trail passport and map from any of the participating restaurants or download it from this website, then eat their way through the parish. Collect enough passport stamps and you’ll earn your way into a comfy Food Trail T-shirt. Trust us and order one size larger before hitting the trail. In these ever-changing and unpredictable times, requirements for completing a passport have been modified and the Food Trail can now be experienced more “virtually,” meaning that participating Trail restaurants offer curbside service.

For more information about the dining scene in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, to download your passport and map, or to check out some pictures and start dreaming of crawfish and crabs, gumbo and gator, please visit http://www.lacajunbayou.com. The local businesses up and down the Bayou are ready to fill up your plate and offer you a lafourche to use.

Other places to dine include Rose’s Cafe, Holly Marie’s Seafood Market in Raceland, Punch’s Seafood Market in Lockport, Harry’s Poboys in Larose, Politz’s in Thibodeaux, Cher-Aimee’s in Cutoff, and C. Moran’s in Golden Meadow.

What to Do in Lafourche Parish

You can’t eat all the time, right? In between meals check out some or all of the following stops:

Swamp Tours

Described as an otherworldly experience, like time travel into the state’s prehistoric past by touring Lafourche Parish’s swamplands. Tour options includes the 2 Da Swamp Bayou Tours & Museum trips to Bayou Des Allemands with traditional Cajun music, and museum displays of artifacts Des Allemands’ early years. Airboat Tours by Arthur Matherne, open seasonally, is a high-octane thrill rides on its fleet of airboats. Torres Cajun Swamp Tours’ guides takes visitor the history and ecology of wetlands’ Bayou Boeuf.

E.D. White Historic Site

The White family was once among the Louisiana’s political elite. Patriarch Edward Douglas White was the state’s governor in the 1830s; his son and namesake became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice in the 1890s. The elder White’s home is now a Louisiana State Museum site and is a step back into the past showcasing the state’s history. Built from cypress in the Creole Plantation style in 1825, White purchased the home, re-imaging it as a Greek Revival mansion. Learn about the White family, the history of both the home’s history along with that of Chitimacha Indians and Cajun settlers, sugar plantation owners and the slaves that worked the fields in service of them by taking a tour of the E.D. White Historic Site in Thibodaux.

Restaurants in Thibodaux

Thibodaux’s restaurants and fresh markets reflect the local culture and cuisine. Top-rated restaurant spots include Fremin’s Restaurant, where you can take in the architecture of Thibodaux’s downtown area. The food is prepared with a view into the kitchen and the duck-and-andouille gumbo is like heaven in a bowl. Head to Off the Hook, a down-home spot with awesome po-boys, fried seafood and more gumbo! And try something different at the Cajun Potato Kitchen, a quirky and casual restaurant serving huge baked potatoes loaded with Cajun toppings. It’s fun and different and popular with the university crowd. Get a full list of locals’ favorite restaurants.

Bayou Country Children’s Museum

You’d be hard pressed to find another museum in the U.S.—or really anywhere—that’s a Cajun-themed children’s museum. At Bayou Country Children’s Museum in Thibodaux brings together Cajun history, education and fun, making it a great stop for family fun. Here children can play on a full-size sugar harvester, toss beads from a Mardi Gras float, climb aboard a shrimp boat and more.

Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building

The wetlands flowing through Southern Louisianna are a distinct part of Lafourche Parish where more than 100 miles of bayou meander throughout the parish. The Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building, located in Lockport is the place to learn how traditional Cajun boats were constructed, including their iconic pirogue boats and flat-bottomed vessels known locally as putt-putts that once common in the region’s bayous.

Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center

Part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve in Thibodaux, the center’s mission is to preserve Cajun tradition and offers such programs as their free Cajun music jam sessions every Monday afternoon, a Cajun-French meetup on Tuesdays, historical Thibodaux walking tours and boat tours of Bayou Lafourche. While there, stop at the Center’s museum store, which has Cajun music recordings, crafts and books for sale.

America’s Wetland Birding Trail

The trail, made up of 22 parishes includes Lafourche which is part of the Grand Isle Loop. The loop includes sections of Louisiana’s best-known barrier island as well as inland birding destinations teeming with shorebirds and seabirds. Download more information about the Grand Isle Loop on the Wetland Birding Trail.

Charter Fishing

Here are both a full list of charter boat companies in the area as well as saltwater fishing in Louisiana.

Bayou Lafourche Folklife and Heritage Museum

Located in a 1910 bank building in Lockport, , enjoy learning about the area’s fascinating history.

Mardi Gras in Lafourche Parish

They really know how to celebrate the two weeks leading up to Mardi Gras Day or as it is also known—Fat Tuesday. Typically there are more than a dozen parades roll through the towns of Golden Meadow, Galliano, Larose, as well as the parish seat of Thibodaux. Learn more about the parade schedules.

Shrimp and Tasso Pasta

Recipe courtesy of Bourgeois Meat Market, a stop on the Cajun Bayou Culinary Trail

1 lb. Bourgeois Tasso

2 lb. shrimp

1 large onion

1 large bell pepper

1 talk of celery

1 can Rotel

1 qt. heavy whipping cream

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 bag bow tie pasta

Boil Bourgeois Tasso in a pot with just a little water until tender.

Add onion, celery, bell pepper, Rotel, and shrimp and smother down.

Add heavy whipping cream and let mixture come to a rolling boil.

Lower fire and add cheese to thicken.

Combine with cooked pasta and serve.

ROCK SPRINGS CAFE: A TASTE OF THE OLD URBAN WEST

Family Excursions, Historic Restaurants, Regional & Ethnic

At one time a stagecoach stop because of its natural springs creating the ideal place for watering horses and passengers as they crossed the Sonoran Desert, Rock Springs, a chunk of land just north of Maricopa County off Interstate-17, is the site of one of Arizona’s oldest restaurants as well as an iconic salute to the old west.

It started in 1918 when Ben Warner erected a canvas tent and started selling mining equipment for those digging for gold and silver in the Bradshaw Mountain range. One of the mines, the Tip Top, ultimately yielded over $4,000,000 worth of silver. Now a ghost town with some buildings remaining, at one time the population reached 500.

Ranching was also big and so even though the stagecoach era was ending, Warner soon had gas pumps and a building that functioned as a hardware store and café with hotel rooms on the top floor. Early Silver Screen actress Jean Harlow—known for her platinum hair—stayed so frequently (why we don’t know but it may be because of the still found on the property signifying that despite Prohibition alcohol could be had here as well as water) that the room where she stayed is now a museum. Cowboy movie star Tom Mix was also said to spend the night.

I-17 was a sheep trial back then and herds of 20,000 sheep were driven up the dirt trail to Flagstaff. The Rock as it was called had the only telephone in the area. The number, if you needed to call, was Yavapai County #93. The post office was housed in the hotel and Warner was the postmaster until it closed in 1955. There were no tanker trucks delivering gas and so Warner brought it in five-gallon cans. Because cars used a lot of water back then, there were canvas bags that could be filled with water to take along for when the radiator went dry.

“Cars going up the incline which was made of gravel and dirt would stop here to add water to their radiators,” says Augie Perry who owns the Rock Springs Café outside of Black Canyon City.

Now you can buy all the hardware you want at one of the big box stores in Phoenix, everyone has cell phones, the hotel is closed, and the rooms where people stayed are now used to sell arts and crafts but much of Warner’s original store remains. The original flooring, timber, and staircase remain as does the reputation for traditional American diner food—steak and eggs, chicken fried steak, liver and onions, fried chicken, and grind the meat for the hamburgers and meat loaf they serve.

Mrs. Warner made pies and Perry has kept up that tradition as well but on steroids. Rock Springs Café sells about 120,000 handmade pies a year—their busiest times being around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. During the regular non-holiday week, they sell 250 to 350 pies daily and 500 each day of the weekend. The demand was so high that they started shipping pies about six years ago.

Their most popular pie is the Jack Daniels Bourbon Pecan Pie which Sean Penn ordered when he stopped by a few years back. My favorite is the Tennessee Lemon Pie, but for whatever taste, there’s a pie—chocolate silk, lemon meringue, banana cream, mixed berries, you name it. Their cream pies have a signature top to them—beehive cones that twists up and has been lightly given a pass over with a torch for a slight touch of golden brown atop the peaks. The pie business is so good that Perry, who has a long history as a consultant for large restaurant groups and also owns another eatery in Prescott, Arizona, has just renovated the old stone building where the Warners lived into The Pie Box. It had fallen into disrepair but now will sell pies and other pastries and feature seating areas both inside and out. Another plus, instead of crowding the restaurant and gift shop, people can come and get their pies here.

The property—about 60 acres—is private and it’s a free-range place. For Great Lakes people like me, that doesn’t mean much but in Arizona that translates to cows getting to roam free—which they do. Typically, in the morning they come around to drink from the spring. We haven’t heard of any ordering a pie to go but may be that’s next. They usually are gone by afternoon, maybe because they don’t want to be in vicinity when it comes time to make hamburgers. Because there’s a spring here, the gardens are pretty and lush with flowering plants, grass, and leafy trees. A small collection of historic buildings sells Native American art, organic and freshly grown produce, and specialty foods. There’s a wide selection of foods in the gift shop area of the café as well including cactus candies and other cactus goodies. Another room contains a huge Brunswick Bar built in 1856 and other artifacts from its early history.

Rock Springs in the 1920s and 1930s was what Perry describes as being an “urban western” place with a mix of cars and horses. That’s in comparison to Tombstone which was “frontier western”—pretty much just horses. Whichever you stumble upon, it’s a refreshing reminder of what the west once was like.

Chicken Fried Steak

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra tenderized)

Kosher salt

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

Gravy:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 to 4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix the milk with the eggs. In another bowl, flour with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne.

Sprinkle both sides of each steak with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture, coating on both sides. Dip in the milk/egg mixture, again coating each side and then dip on both sides in the flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the steaks three at a time making sure not to crowd them until their edges turn golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Drain on paper towels and cover with another plate or tin foil to keep warm. Repeat with the next batch..

After all the meat is fried, pour off the oil/butter/dredgings into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the oil back to the skillet and heat.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the hot oil. Mix the flour using a flour and stir until it turns a deep golden brown color.

Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick.

Jack Daniel’s Pecan Pie

6 servings

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

3 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cup Pecan halves

2 1/2 tbsp Jack Daniel’s

1-9 inch pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven at 375.

In a bowl, add sugar, melted butter, Jack Daniel’s and stir well.

Then add dark corn syrup, beaten eggs, pecans and stir well.

Place filling into pie shell. Transfer pie onto cookie sheet and place in oven.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Then lower to 350 and bake for additional 25 minutes or until pie has set.

Tennessee Lemon Pie

3 eggs, separated

Zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup extra-fine sugar, divided

1 9-inch Pure Butter Pie Crust, pre-baked (see recipe below)

In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg yolks for 2 minutes. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.

Transfer mixture to a double boiler and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick and a thermometer reads at least 182°F, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer or stand mixer, until stiff peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat until just combined.

Fold egg whites into the custard, until just combined. Pour into pre-baked pie crust and then bake for 15 minutes, until pie is set. Top will lightly brown.

Pure Butter Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted and very cold

1/4 cup buttermilk or ice cold water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon extra fine granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place flour in a bowl of an electric mixer and place in freezer along with mixer’s paddle attachment for at least 20 minutes.

Cut butter quickly in small cubes and place in freezer for 15 minutes.

Combine buttermilk with salt, sugar and vanilla extract and place in refrigerator.

Remove cold flour bowl from the freezer and add butter. With paddle attachment mix mixture on medium speed until butter pieces become smaller than peas and mixture feels like coarse meal.

With machine mixing on low speed add buttermilk mixture very fast and mix just until dough forms. Do not overmix. Chill dough in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Roll dough into desired thickness of about 1/8 inch and use for baking pie. Shapes of leaves can be cut out for pies if desired.

For more information about Rock Springs Café, (623) 374-5794; rocksprings.cafe

Historic Swiss Journeys

Family Excursions, Historic Restaurants, Trains, Vintage Trains

Travel back into the past by car or aboard the Treno Gottardo, a VIP train trip along an ancient trade route that crosses the fantastical Gotthard Pass, a north south journey connecting the German speaking region of Uri to the Ticino, the Italian speaking area of Switzerland.

Prehistoric Pile Dwellings in the Alps

In 2011, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee added the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling also known as stilt house settlements in and around six Alpine countries that were built from around 5,000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands to their list.

The sites provide glimpses into what life was like in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe as well as the way communities interacted with their environment. In an exciting new find, archaeologists diving in Lake Lucerne discovered pile dwellings from the Bronze Age.

Exploring Roman History

Augusta Raurica near Augst/Kaiseraugst, a 2000-year-old settlement on the southern bank of the Rhine, is located near the beautiful city of Basel. Named after the Celtic Rauriker tribe and the Roman Emperor Augustus, the city at its peak had a population of around 20,000 with workshops, commercial enterprises, taverns, temples and public baths closely strung together. Because no new towns were established during the Middle Ages or our modern area, Augusta Raurica is amazingly well-preserved.

Visitors can view the myriad of wonders discovered here like the largest silver treasure dating from Late Antiquity, a Roman domestic animal park with ancient animal species, and the architectural remnants of the city, the museum offers great insights into the daily lives of the people who lived here around the time of Christ’s birth.

1821—Napoleon’s End

On May 5 was the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon I on the island of St. Helena, where he was placed in exile. His stepdaughter Hortense des Beauharnais also lived in exile at Arenenberg Castle and Napoleon Museum in Switzerland.

As the only German-speaking museum on Napoleonic history, a special exhibition during the “Année Napoléon 2021” will take place from October 10-24, 2021, showing the long lasting influence of Napoleon on Switzerland even today.

Inventing Milk Chocolate

Food and beverages reflect a country’s culinary traditions and customs. Many of today’s Swiss cheese brands go back to the 12th century, but Daniel Peter’s much newer creation in 1875 really took the world by storm—a passion that continues today. Peter was able to solve the problem of how to combine chocolate and milk. Most Swiss cities offer chocolate tours and several chocolate brands features visitor experiences.

Newly Restored LGBT Pioneer’s Spectacular Painting Returns to Monte Verità

After a lengthy restoration, the super large circular painting “Il Chiaro Mondo dei Beati” or “The Clear World of the Blessed” by Estonian artist and LGBT pioneer Elisàr von Kupffer (1872-1932) is on display at the Monte Verità museum complex located in southern Switzerland near Ascona.

Ballenberg

Instead of destroying more than one hundred historic buildings, many of them farmhouses, were instead carefully taken dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum.

The museum is nestled in the beautiful pastoral landscape of the Bernese Oberland and can be reached by bus from Brienz. The many hands-on activities were created to provide insight in old traditional crafts like forging, weaving, and herbal medical treatments

Destination Kohler Opens The Baths of Blackwolf Run

Elegant dining, Family Excursions

Destination Kohler–one of the world’s foremost golf resorts and home to four Pete Dye championship courses–unveils The Baths of Blackwolf Run, the resort’s unique and entertaining 10-hole, par-3 course.

Spread across 27 acres between the first and 11th holes of Meadow Valleys, The Baths of Blackwolf Run offers holes ranging from 60 to 160 yards and four strategic water features, or “Baths,” situated throughout that are not forced carries unless desired. Although the course will play as a 10-hole course, The Baths’ imaginative routing allows for flexible alternatives for shorter or longer golf experiences.

Adding to the atmosphere, The Baths features a two-acre putting course, plus a log cabin food-and-beverage station with outdoor seating and a firepit surrounding the opening Bath.

Chris Lutzke and Herb Kohler designed the Baths. Lutzke spent over 30 years working alongside Pete Dye as he constructed many of his courses, including the two at Whistling Straits. Over the past three years, Lutzke prepared The Straits for the Ryder Cup, which will be contested Sept. 21-26, 2021.

Mr. Kohler, Executive Chairman of Kohler Co., has over 200 product design patents. He helped bring the course to life by calling upon his many years playing the game’s great courses in the U.S., U.K., and Europe. He also recognized a larger trend occurring within the sport of creating short layouts that promote more enjoyment for golfers of all skill levels.

“We look for ways to enhance the golf experience and grow the game for all golfers” Kohler says. “The Baths complement our four world-renowned championship golf courses while also honoring Kohler Co.’s 130-year history of bathing design. We are delighted to officially open this exciting and unique course.”

“The Baths will be a new twist for our resort guests, regardless if they are a serious player wanting to hone their game or someone yearning for an extraordinary closer to an amazing day on one of our 18-hole golf courses,” adds Dirk Willis, Vice President of Golf for Kohler Co. “Our continued mission is to find new and innovative ways to grow the game and make it more inviting and accessible to all. The Baths of Blackwolf Run allows us to do just that.”

Kohler Golf ushered in championship golf in the state of Wisconsin when it hosted the 1998 and 2012 U.S. Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run, along with the 2004, 2010, and 2015 PGA Championships at Whistling Straits.

The historic American Club is the Midwest’s only Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond resort hotel. The nearby boutique Inn on Woodlake recently launched new two- and four-bedroom suites that are well-appointed for group and buddy travel.

Tee times at The Baths can be reserved by calling 800-344-2838 or visiting the resort’s golf booking page. For golf package information, call 855-444-2838. Visit DestinationKohler.com for more information.

About Kohler Co.’s Hospitality & Real Estate Group
The Kohler Co. Hospitality & Real Estate profile includes The American Club and world-renowned championship golf venues Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. The Inn on Woodlake in the Village of Kohler is a three-diamond property. Their sister property, the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa in St. Andrews, Scotland, is located at the birthplace of golf literally alongside the 17th fairway of the Road Hole, the most famous and difficult par-4 hole in golf.

Herb Kohler created Kohler Co.’s Hospitality & Real Estate Group with the reclamation of The American Club and then built world-renowned championship golf courses, The Straits and The Irish at Whistling Straits, and The River and Meadow Valleys at Blackwolf Run. Kohler Waters Spa is the only five-star spa in Wisconsin and has four locations elsewhere in the world. The resort features 12 dining establishments from the remarkable Immigrant Restaurant and Winery Bar to pub fare at The Horse & Plow. And then there is River Wildlife. Herb Kohler believes River Wildlife, located in a forest next to a river on an early Winnebago Native American encampment, has the best country gourmet dining in the United States.

The resort is located in the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin, one hour south of Green Bay, one hour north of Milwaukee and two and a half hours north of Chicago, just off of I-43.

Recipes

Kohler’s is known for the wonderful food served at its many restaurants. Here are two recipes from Kohler chefs Paul Smitala and Evan Wallerman that showcase the creativity of their foods.

Bloody Mary Eggs Benedict

4 slices of English Muffins
8 slices applewood bacon (cooled and chopped)
1 cup mushroom duxelles (recipe below)
1 cup Bloody Mary Hollandaise Sauce (recipe below)
4 poached eggs

Toast English muffin and cover with 1/2 cup mushroom duxelles that has been warmed.

Top with poached eggs, cover with hollandaise sauce and finish with chopped bacon.

Bloody Mary Hollandaise

4 egg yolks
1/2 pound butter (melted and warm)
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco
½ juice of one lemon juice
2 cups + 2 teaspoons horseradish vodka
1/4 cup tomato paste
Salt and pepper

In a 2 quart sauce pan, combine shallot, garlic, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, tomato paste and vodka. Heat on medium, allow to flame and reduce to one cup and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

In a separate pan, melt the butter and keep warm.

In a 2 quart sauce pan bring 1 inch of water to a simmer, place a bowl on top of pan to make a double boiler. Add the 4 egg yolks and reduced liquid to the bowl and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Do not let the water boil.

Slowly stream the melted butter into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly until all the butter is incorporated.

Add the 2 tablespoons of vodka, celery salt, lemon juice, season to finish with salt, tabasco and Worcestershire to taste.

Mushroom Duxelles

2 ounces olive oil
2 ounces shallot, chopped
1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms ( 1/2 diced, 1/2 finely chopped)
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in pan. Add the shallots and sweat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they are browned and dry. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Poached Eggs

4 fresh eggs
1 quart water
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Bring water, vinegar and salt to boil and reduce to simmer.

Break eggs into separate cups. Carefully pour eggs into water. Cook for 3 minutes or until whites set up. Serve immediately or cool in ice water bath.

Sweet Potato, Beer and Bacon Waffles

2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups beer
4 teaspoons butter, melted
1 cup Neuske’s bacon,
1/2 cup sweet potato puree

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar baking powder and salt. Pour in the sweet potatoes, egg, beer and melted butter; stir with a whisk just until blended, a few lumps are okay. Fold in cooked bacon.

Heat a waffle maker to desired temperature. Follow directions on your specific waffle maker. Coat with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot surface for each specific waffle maker.

Chipotle Maple Butter Sauce

2 cups chicken stock
6 teaspoons roux (3 teaspoons butter, 3 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chipotle peppers, chopped
1/4 cup Wisconsin maple syrup
1/4 cup butter

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and stir in 3 tablespoons flour.

Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and heavy cream, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Add Chipotle Peppers and Wisconsin Maple syrup, simmer for 20 minutes.

Whisk in 1/4 cup butter.

Use on waffles.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits Explores Favorite Destinations to Visit Post-COVID

Family Excursions, Historic Restaurants

Rick’s new two-hour special premieres June 7, 2021 on public TV stations nationwide

A new two-hour public television special features travel expert, author, and host Rick Steves as he shares his favorite European destinations to visit as soon as travel is once again possible. From offbeat and romantic to picturesque and restorative, these locations offer inspiration to travel lovers who have spent the past year dreaming of their next vacation when the global pandemic ends. Co-produced and presented by American Public Television (APT), the leading syndicator of content to public television stations nationwide, Rick Steves Europe Awaits premieres June 7, 2021 (check local listings).

*Peleș Castle in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. Photo: Rick Steves’ Europe*

“When the time is right, Americans will rekindle their travel dreams, and Europe will greet us with a warm and enthusiastic welcome,” says Rick. “Europe Awaits is my dream itinerary: places away from the hubbub, places made for embracing life, and places that are good for the soul. It’s good to dream ̶ and once we emerge from this pandemic, it will be even better to travel.”

Journey (virtually that is) with Rick Steves as he recounts his recommended travel itineraries, a sure delight for both European travel aficionados and novices alike. As usual, Rick’s ability to immerse himself in fascinating destinations pays off for viewers as his presentations create a real understanding of what makes a place so fascinating including its history, culture, food, sights, and people.

In this show, Rick showcases:

– The rich history and cuisine of Sicily;
– Mykonos, the romantic Greek island in the Aegean Sea;
– Rustic and historic Porto, in Portugal’s northern region;

*Porto: Portugal’s Salty ‘Second City. Photo by Rick Steves.*

– Majestic English country views in the Cotswolds;
– An authentic taste of la dolce vita in Tuscany;
– and Romania, overflowing with vibrant traditional folk life.

“We are proud to be Rick Steves’ public media partner for more than three decades, presenting his insightful and enriching programs as he explores our world,” notes Cynthia Fenneman, President and CEO of APT. “Rick Steves Europe Awaits is a timely and relevant special that sparks our travel imagination from the safety and comfort of home.”

The seaside at Cefalù, on the north coast of Sicily. (Photo: Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)

About Rick

A popular public television and radio host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist Rick encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. He is the founder and owner of Rick Steves’ Europe (RSE), a travel business with a tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually.

RSE is designed to inspire, inform, and equip Americans in creating European trips that are

Rick lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

About Rick Steves’ Europe, Inc.

Rick Steves’ Europe (RSE) inspires, informs, and equips Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Guided by Rick’s value-driven vision, his company brings tens of thousands of people to Europe annually on organized tours, producing a wide range of travel content including a best-selling guidebook series, popular public television and radio shows, a syndicated travel column, and a large library of free travel information at ricksteves.com.

RSE’s mission is built around the idea of social responsibility, and it empowers several philanthropic and advocacy groups, including a portfolio of climate-smart nonprofits that it funds through a self-imposed carbon tax.

Rick Steves in his early years of exploration.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits is a production of Rick Steves’ Europe, Inc., American Public Television, and Detroit Public Television. Visit ricksteves.com for additional information.

Select pledge thank-you gifts for Rick Steves Europe Awaits include exclusive access to a live virtual event and Q&A session hosted by Rick from his home in Seattle, WA; DVDs of Rick’s speaking engagements; anthology sets of the Rick Steves’ Europe series; “For the Love of Europe,” a 400-page collection of Rick’s favorite people, places and experiences; and the “Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces: Art for the Traveler” coffee table book.

About American Public Television
American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Legacy List with Matt Paxton, Front and Center, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, James Patterson’s Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

About Detroit Public Television
Serving Southeast Michigan, Detroit Public TV (DPTV) is Michigan’s largest and most watched television station, with the most diverse public television audience in the country. DPTV is the state’s only community-licensed station, meaning it operates independent of any educational, government or other institution. Its funding comes solely from the community. Each week, more than two million people watch DPTV’s four broadcast channels, and nearly 200,000 people listen to its radio station, WRCJ 90.9 FM for classical days and jazzy nights. In addition, DPTV is building the next generation of public media with a rapidly growing digital presence, which now reaches more than half a million unique visitors through its website, YouTube channels and social media platforms each month. Visit DPTV.org.

Where’s Rick?

Join Rick as he travels across the world and web with an exciting itinerary of virtual events.

MAY 24: Iran: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific | Register for Free

MAY 26: Bellingham City Club: Rick Steves on the Future of Travel
12:00 p.m. Pacific | Register for Free

MAY 31: Monday Night Travel: Europe’s Eccentric Art
5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific | Register for Free

JUNE 7: Monday Night Travel: Europe Awaits!
5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific | Register for Free

JUNE 15: World Affairs Council of Tennessee: A Conversation with Rick Steves
7:00 p.m. Central | Buy Tickets

JUNE 17: WJCT: An Evening with Rick Steves
7:00 p.m. Eastern | Register for Free

Pikes Peak Cog Railway: A Ride to the Heights of Colorado

Family Excursions, Regional & Ethnic, Trains

The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, America’s highest railway takes passengers to the 14,115-foot summit where the song “America The Beautiful” was written starting this May.

The round trip aboard one of only two cog railways in the U.S. begins and ends at the new Manitou Depot and features an expansive passenger platform and viewing deck for photographs and two retail stores with snacks and beverages. Perched at the top amidst stunning views is the new fully accessible, environmentally sustainable, $60 million-plus Pikes Peak Visitor Center. Here to help visitors learn about their surroundings are digitally interactive displays that bring the history, significance and geology of the mountain to life.

There’s more adventure as well including hiking, biking, and such trail experiences as hiking on the 13-mile Barr Trail up to Pikes Peak and then riding the train down or taking the Cog up and biking down the 19.5 mile from the summit on a guided excursion.

“The Cog is an important part of Colorado and the West’s heritage,” said Ted Johnston, assistant general manager of the Railway. “We’re excited to re-open the railway for the public to experience and enjoy this scenic American adventure that has such a rich history. We’ve been working on this project for three years, and we are very excited to take our first trains and passengers up the mountain.”

Originally built in 1891 and owned and operated by The Broadmoor since 1925, this historic railway is the highest railroad in America, the highest cog railway in the world, one of Colorado’s top attractions, and one of the nation’s most unique experiences. Since October 2017, it has been undergoing a $100 million renovation of its tracks, cogs, railcars, and depot to create a new and improved journey to the summit.

Aerial shot of Cloud Camp courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Travelers who would like to ride the Cog and make their visit even more memorable may stay at The Broadmoor and take advantage of the historic hotel’s one-night package offer, which includes classic accommodations (upgrades available), Cog Railway train tickets for each person on the package, a commemorative gift, plus suites available at 25% off published rates. The rates start at $640.00 per night, based on double occupancy.

In celebration of the 130th anniversary of the Railway this June 30, The Broadmoor and Pikes Peak Visitor Center will host a celebratory event and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the historic site.

About The Broadmoor

Situated at the gateway to the Colorado Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs, it is the longest consecutively rated Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond resort in the world: The Broadmoor and its Wilderness Experience properties: The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Cloud Camp and the Orvis-endorsed Fly Fishing Camp encompass 5,000 acres. The resort campus has 784 rooms, suites and cottages.

It includes two championship golf courses, an award-winning spa and fitness center, nationally recognized tennis staff and program, 19 retail boutiques and 17 restaurants, cafes and lounges. Other activities include falconry, mountain biking, hiking, rock-climbing tours, fly-fishing, Wild West Experiences and more.

The BROADMOOR Wilderness Experience properties are three unique, all-inclusive boutique facilities that highlight an authentic Colorado experience while offering mountain rustic luxury along with The Broadmoor’s legendary service. In addition, The Broadmoor owns and manages three attractions that include the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Seven Falls and the Soaring Adventure zip-line courses.

To Get There: Colorado Springs Airport, 15 minutes from the resort, offers over 4,900 seats a day for passengers via Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier and United. Denver International Airport, 70 minutes north of Colorado Springs, hosts more than 1,600 national and international flights daily with connections to worldwide destinations. Door-to-door shuttle or sedan service from both airports is available through Gray Line.

The Ranch at Emerald Valley courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Cost: To experience the scenic 9-mile journey to the 14,115 foot National Historic Landmark of Pikes Peak may now purchase tickets online for dates and times this spring and summer. The cost for standard admission is $58.00 for adults and $48.00 for children 12 and under for advance e-ticket purchases or $59.50 at the depot ticket window. Guests may select specific seats on the train by upgrading to the reserved seating option for $68.00 for adults and $58.00 for children.

The fall and winter schedules and seasonal holiday experiences will be announced soon. Visitors interested in updates can sign up to receive email alerts on the Cog’s website.

Oatman, Arizona: A Ghost Town on Route 66

Family Excursions

From glitzy Las Vegas to the dusty winding road through high chapparal into the winding roads through the Black Mountains I arrived in Oatman, Arizona just as a bank robber and sheriff were shooting it out. Standing among the crowd who were avidly watching this wild west display were wild burros, descendants of the pack burros who once carried gear up and down the mountain passes when Oatman was a booming mining town.

Oatman Hotel, Restaurant & Bar–live music and 300,000 one dollar bills tacked to the walls.

The burros seemed non-plussed with all the action but then again, as the reenactment happens several times daily they probably were in a been there, done that kind of mode. And yes, maybe there was a little jealousy because for the most part, the burros are the main attraction in this old west town. They even have their own Facebook page. Though Oatman once had its glory days when it was a boomtown. That was back in 1915 when two miners struck gold—about $10 million dollars’ worth. The population swelled to 3500. But Oatman was a settlement well before that dating back to when gold was first discovered in the 1860s though they didn’t get a post office until 1906.

When the gold ran out, the mine shut down in 1924. But because Oatman was on Route 66 it managed to hang on even after an Interstate further was built further north. Not being a major stop on a highway was a good thing for history buffs and probably the mules. Most of the buildings are original to the late 1800s and early 1900s since no fast food franchise or other chains set up shop here and there was no need for burro removal. So Oatman remains as it was over a century ago.

But there’s been a steep drop-off in population and according to the 2010 Census 128 people inhabit Oatman now. As for how many wild burros live in or around town on any given day hoping to be fed by tourists, that’s hard to say. I counted seven but there may be more.

And, of course, you have to count the two ghosts who are said to haunt the Oatman Hotel. One is William Ray Flour, an Irish miner who over-imbibed one too many times and died behind the hotel. Known as Oatie, it seems that since he was staying at the hotel he decided to haunt it. But Ollie, whose real name was Olive Oatman, is the real star when it comes to the town’s ghosts. Back In the 1850s, she was traveling with her family from Illinois when they were attacked by members of the Yavapai tribe. Of the nine Oatmans, six were killed immediately while Olive and her younger sister Mary were taken into captivity. Olive believed her brother Lorenzo was among those killed, but it turned out he was just grievously injured and left for dead.

About a year later, the sisters were traded for beads, horses, some vegetables and blankets to the Mohaves (we spell it Mojave now days) and off they went with their new captors. Somewhere along the line, Olive and Mary had their chins tattooed with the image of a Mohave blue cactus and photos taken of her on display in town show a very pretty woman with a complicated tattoo on her chin. It isn’t known if Olive considered herself a captive after spending five years with the Mohave or whether she was now part of the tribe. Some stories say she had two children with one of the Mohave men and the cactus tattoo was a sign of acceptance. But whatever was going on, times got tough when a severe drought hit the area and Mary along with other Mohaves died of starvation.

In the meantime, Lorenzo, who was looking for his sisters, discovered that Olive was alive and authorities at Fort Yuma negotiated her return in exchange for more goods.

Now here is the intriguing part. Though much of what happened to the Oatman family occurred near Oatman, it doesn’t appear she ever lived there. She ended up marrying a banker who made a fortune and they lived in New York and Detroit. A book written about the family’s experience helped fund both Olive and Lorenzo attendance at the University of Pacific. As for the book itself, Olive’s husband bought up as many copies as he could and had them destroyed

So why she haunts Oatman, I’m not sure but I guess it could be because the town is named after her. I’m also not sure why movie stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, who are said to have honeymooned at the Oatman Hotel when they married in the 1930s, still haunt the room where they stayed. If I were a movie star of the Silver Screen era, I’d be haunting the Beverly Hills Hilton instead.

The Oatman is no longer a hotel, and the upstairs is now a fascinating museum of its mining days. But the restaurant remains open and its walls and even part of the ceiling are covered in one dollar bills. Since It’s composed of two rooms and a bar, that’s a lot of money. Our waitress says they estimate the total to be around $300,000. We added a dollar of our own with one of the two staplers they keep on hand just for that.

The Oatman burros have a much better gig than their forebears. They’re supposedly wild but as one of the main attractions in town, they stand in the middle of Route 66 barely glancing at the cars they’re blocking. and crowd the wood sidewalks in front of the stores. I had to step out in the road to get around one who seemed to think he had more rights than me—and that’s probably true since I was just visiting. Several vendors sell burro food and so the burros are kept busy having their photos taken, eating food from visitors’ hands or being hugged by young children. A baby burro had a label attached to its forehead saying not to feed it. Instead we watched as it drank milk from its mother.

Burros being burros, they don’t seem to change emotions no matter what’s going on around them.

So I finally got to see burros and visit a ghost town, all for the cost of a bison burger and Burro Ears (which the menu assured me weren’t from burros but were actually house made potato chips, thinly sliced and fried, and served with a sour cream/salsa dip) at the restaurant along with a dollar bill stapled to the wall. Overall, it was a much better deal than playing the slots in Vegas.

Other menu items included Stinky Cheese Fries–cheese fries topped with grilled garlic, Burro Drop (a town joke since Route 66 as it goes through town has to be cleaned up constantly from, well, you know—burro drops) which is a skillet dish with hash browns, onions and green peppers topped with gravy and cheese, beef stew, chili, wings, and shakes. Desserts included cakes and pies.

Steak Fingers from Faith, Family & the Feast. Photo by Shannon Rollins.

Beef stew, chili with beans, and bison meat would have been typical fare in mining towns back then though I don’t think the chicken wings and nachos also on the menu would have been common. Overall the trip to Oatman has inspired me to visit other ghost towns wherever I’m traveling and to discover more about the foods eaten when the west was being settled.

Enchiladas from *Faith, Family & the Feast*. Photo by Shannon Rollins.

I had previously interviewed Kent and Shannon Rollins, author of Faith, Family & the Feast: Recipes to Feed Your Crew from the Grill, Garden, and Iron Skillet, and turned to his cookbook as a start for learning about cowboy food. Below are several of his recipes. For more, visit http://www.kentrollins.com

Cowboy Kent Rollin’s Authentic Cheese Enchiladas

12 guajillo chilis stemmed and seeded

2 ancho chilis stemmed and seeded

4 New Mexico chilis or Cascabel chili stemmed and seeded

2 chili de arbol stemmed and seeded

4 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 teaspoons whole oregano

2 teaspoons whole cumin

5 peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick

4 tablespoons butter divided

1 large white onion chopped

2 cups con de pollo or chicken broth

4 tablespoons butter divided

½ teaspoon allspice

2 tablespoons avocado oil

6 to 8 Corn tortillas

Monterey jack cheese thinly sliced

1 block Queso Fresco

Mexican Crema for topping

Add the guajillo, ancho, New Mexico and de arbol chilis to a stock pot. Cover the chilis with water and bring to a low boil for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.

Strain the chilis from the pot and place in a blender. Add 1 cup of the chili liquid and garlic cloves. Blend well. Pour the contents through a strainer and set aside.

Add the sesame seeds to a medium cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until they are lightly toasted. Stir in the cumin and oregano and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the spices from the skillet and place in a grinding rock (mortar and pestle). Add the peppercorns and cinnamon stick and crush into a fine powder. Set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender.

In a large cast iron skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the blended red sauce. Stir in the chicken broth, crushed spices and allspice. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

In the medium skillet add the avocado oil, and heat over medium heat. Add the tortillas, one at a time, and cook about 30 seconds per side or just until they are tender. Remove and place on a wire rack or cutting board.

Dip the tortillas in the red sauce making sure to coat both sides. Lay the tortillas flat and layer down the center with onions, 1 to 2 slices of Monterrey cheese and 1 to 2 tablespoons queso fresco. Tightly roll up and place in the large skillet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Cook the enchiladas in an oven heated to 350 degrees F. for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are warmed through.

Place on a serving dish and spoon over the leftover red sauce, sprinkle with crumbled Queso Fresco and drizzle with the Crema. Serve immediately.

Kent Rollins’ Steak Fingers

3, 5 ounce cubed round steak

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch divided

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 ½ tablespoons Red River Ranch Seasoning see substitution below

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups buttermilk

Oil for frying

Cut the steak into about 1-inch strips and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking powder and Original seasoning.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

In a deep fryer or Dutch oven add about 3 inches of the oil and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Dredge the meat strips in the flour mixture and then dip in the buttermilk mixture to generously coat. Repeat back in the flour mixture, wet mixture and finish in the dry mixture. Set on a wire rack for at least 3 minutes to let the batter and flour dry which will help it stick to the meat.

Fry the strips about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Place them on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Kent’s Original seasoning is available at KentRollins.com or substitute your favorite all-purpose seasoning or 1/2 tablespoon pepper, 1/2 tablespoon seasoned salt, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook: From Delicious Dole Whip to taste Mickey Pretzels, 100 Magical Disney-Inspired Recipes

Adams Media, Family & Kids Cooking, Family Excursions, Game of Thrones, Home bakers, Home Town Fun

Love the food served at the Disney Parks? While we can’t take home the rides or just the feeling of being there, we can cook some of the dishes that make eating there so enjoyable. For that we have Ashley Craft, author of The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook: From Delicious Dole Whip to taste Mickey Pretzels, 100 Magical Disney-Inspired Recipes to thank.

From the book: “The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook offers one hundred easy recipes for the best of Disney’s magical cuisine. Whether you’ve been to the parks a hundred times and are craving your favorite Disney dishes, or you’re just looking for something Disney-inspired to make you feel like you’re on vacation, each recipe has been thoroughly tested to ensure a taste worthy of a certain mouse. The recipes are also organized based on the Disney Park where each one is featured, beginning with the first park to open, Disneyland, and ending with the newest park, Disney California Adventure.“

Craft grew up so close to Disney World that she fell asleep each night listening to the music coming from the park. She later worked there and about three years ago started her blog https://ashleycrafted.com/

Organized by parks, Craft’s recipes include dishes from Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney California Adventure. She opens each of her chapters with the park intro, the types of dishes you’ll find and a map so that you can actually located them.

A bestseller on both The Wall Street Journal Bestseller and USA TODAY Bestseller lists, the book is published by Adams Media ($14.99 Amazon price).

The following recipes are excerpted from The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook by Ashley Craft. Copyright © 2020 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Photography by Harper Point Photography.

Mickey Pretzels

Serves 4

1.5 cups warm water (110°F)

1 (1⁄4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons salt, divided

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon room-temperature water, divided

1⁄4 cup baking soda

1 large egg

4 teaspoons Kosher salt

‌In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water and sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit 10 minutes.

‌Add brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Using the flat beater attachment, beat on low speed to combine. Mix in flour. Switch to dough hook attachment and knead 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic.

‌Remove dough and spray bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Return dough to bowl. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large ungreased baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large pot over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil.

‌Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into eight equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough into a rough heart shape. Using a sharp knife, lightly score or scrape the Mickey shape into the dough. Once you’ve achieved your desired shape, cut all the way through the dough.

‌Add baking soda to pot of boiling water. Working with one Mickey at a time, use a big, flat spatula to carefully lift a dough Mickey into baking-soda bath, and poach 15 seconds. Remove to prepared baking sheet.

‌In a small bowl, mix together egg and remaining 1 tablespoon water. Brush onto Mickeys. Sprinkle remaining salt over pretzels.

‌Bake until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Photography by Harper Point Photography.

Gaston’s Giant Cinnamon Rolls

Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom

Disney Parks have sold cinnamon rolls for a long time—regular, boring-sized cinnamon rolls. But in 2012, they upped their cinnamon roll game when they introduced the Warm Cinnamon Roll to their line-up. It is about 8″ square in size and is smothered in frosting and butterscotch topping. It is perfectly made for the man who eats five dozen eggs each day—or your whole family!

SERVES 8

For Dough

3⁄4 cup salted butter, melted, divided

1 1⁄2 cups whole milk

6 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 (1⁄4-ounce) packets active dry yeast

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cup room-temperature water

2 large eggs

‌Grease a 9″×13″ pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.To make the Dough: In a medium bowl, combine 1⁄2 cup melted butter and milk.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 1⁄2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add water, eggs, and butter mixture. Using the flat beater attachment, mix until well combined. Add remaining flour 1⁄2 cup at a time while mixing until Dough starts to form a ball.

‌Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead Dough on low speed 5 minutes.

‌Remove Dough from bowl, sprinkle some flour in bowl, and place Dough back in the same bowl. Let rise 10 minutes in a warm place.

For Filling

2 cups light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 cup salted butter, softened

To make Filling: In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter together. Set aside.‌

Roll out Dough into a long rectangle, about 3′ × 2′. Spread Filling evenly across the whole surface of the Dough. Starting at short end, roll Dough like a jelly roll. Make a cut in the center of the roll, and then cut about 6″ from the center on either side to make 2 giant rolls.

Place both rolls swirl-edge down in prepared pan.

Drizzle remaining 1⁄4 cup melted butter over rolls. Allow rolls to rise at room temperature 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bake rolls 20 minutes, then cover loosely with foil and bake another 10 minutes.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

1⁄4 cup salted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners’sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons heavy cream

‌To make Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add cream cheese and butter. Combine and heat until melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners’ sugar. Add vanilla, cream, and salt. Stir, then set aside.

For Butterscotch Topping

1⁄2 cup light brown sugar

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened

1⁄2 cup heavy cream

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make Butterscotch Topping: In a separate medium saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, butter, and cream. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add salt and vanilla. Set aside.

‌To serve, place each giant roll on a large plate. Drizzle cream cheese frosting in one direction along each roll’s swirl, then drizzle with butterscotch in the other direction.

COOKING TIP

The dough leftover on either end of the giant rolls need not be wasted! Make cuts about 1–2 inches along the extra roll. Lay swirl-side down in a glass 9” x 13” baking dish greased with cooking spray and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Photography by Harper Point Photography.

Mangonada Smoothies

Hollywood Land, Disney California Adventure

This delicious and refreshing Mexican treat sure helps beat the heat on a California summer day. The mix of salty, spicy, and sweet is so satisfying. Actually, a recent study found that adding salt to a sweet treat helps release the sugar flavors and brings out even more of the sweetness!

SERVES 2

1⁄2 cup pineapple juice

1⁄2 cup guava juice

1 cup frozen mango chunks

1⁄2 cup frozen peach chunks

1 whole fresh banana, peeled

4 teaspoons chamoy sauce, divided

1⁄2 cup fresh chopped mango

1⁄2 teaspoon chili-lime seasoning

‌Combine pineapple juice, guava juice, frozen mango chunks, frozen peach chunks, and banana in a blender and blend until smooth.

‌Drizzle 1 teaspoon chamoy sauce each inside walls of 2 drinking glasses. Divide smoothie mixture into glasses, add 1⁄4 cup fresh mango to each cup, drizzle another 1 teaspoon chamoy sauce in each glass, and sprinkle 1⁄4 teaspoon chili-lime seasoning on each.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook is s one of nine in a series of unofficial cookbooks that includes The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook and The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook, all published by Adams Media.

White Stallion Ranch: A Taste of the Old West

Family Excursions, Historic Restaurants, Regional & Ethnic

I had thought that dude ranches, the kind of places out west where you’d go to spend time galloping across the plains or desert with a background of mountain ranches, were out of the past. Popular around the time of Theodore Roosevelt who loved to ride and hunt, dude ranches first became big shortly after the Battle of Little Big Horn (though why a massacre of U.S. troops would be beguiling I don’t know) back in the 1880s, they attracted people not only from America but also Europe.

But unlike,western movies which had their heyday between the 1930s and 1960s and now are hardly ever made anymore, dude ranches have survived. Now called guest ranches, their numbers have fallen because the land they occupy is sold to developers for higher prices than owners can make offering lodging and horseback riding.

And so, when my husband saw a deal for a long weekend at the White Stallion Ranch outside of Tucson, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I like to horseback ride,and I loved the idea that on Saturday nights they served a ranch-style dinner that had been cooked all day inside an adobe oven fueled by wood. Would we have to kick tumbleweeds aside to get into an old rickety cabin that smelled like horses? Would we sing along around a roaring campfire as the stars shone across the desert sky.

Yes,to the later and no to the first. The cottages are adobe baked to a rust color and though the décoris decidedly western, it’s not tacky (excuse the pun) at all. Indeed, White Stallion Ranch (the name was originally Black Stallion but then the owners realized that the initials BS wouldn’t quite work)has received numerous awards including The 12 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the United States for 2019 by SmartTraveler and Voted #1 Best Family Resort by USA Today 10 BEST Readers’ Choice Awards in 2018.

They’re running specials now because of Covid though as Russell True told me, social distancing is easy on a ranch. Russell is the son of the Allen and Cynthia True who bought the ranch in 1965, packing up their kids (Russell was five, his brother Michael was a baby) and moving from their very successful middle class life in Denver, Colorado. The whole place was rough and tumble to hear Russell describe it and much more isolated as the interstate some five miles away hadn’t been built yet and Tucson’s population was about 260,000—now it’s close to a million and rapidly growing.

When founded as a cattle ranch in the late 1800s, before Arizona became a state in 1912, about 5100 people lived in Tucson. Phoenix, about 100 miles north, had the same population back then but now they’re almost five times larger than Tucson.

The 3000 acres, located in the Sonoran Desert, backs up to the Tucson Mountains and is surrounded by the Saguaro National Forest and populated by ancient saguaros, those friendly looking cactus whose branches or limbs go up in the air like happy arms waiting to greet you. Movies are filmed here starting in in 1939 when William Holden and Jean Arthur starred in “Arizona.” In 1978, the James Garner film, “The New Maverick,” was filmed on the ranch and two years later Robert Conrad arrived for the making of “Wild, Wild West Once More.” Even better for George Clooney aficionados, the actor along with Sam Rockwell starred in “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” in 2002.

It’s all much comfier than 55 years ago when the Trues arrived. The main building wasn’t the gleaming glass, stone, and wood mid-century modern style it is today. When the Trues bought the 200-acre ranch there were 17 rooms and the same number of horses. Now operated by second and third generation Trues, the ranch encompasses 3000 acres. The horse population around 175 and there are 43 rooms and as well as 5-bedroom hacienda. Many of the True family members live on property including Russell’s son Steven and his wife.

But despite all these changes, the old west feeling is reflected not only in the cookery, trail rides, weekly rodeos, the cattle who range freely (have no fear, their prime practice is lolling under a shady mesquite watching people ride by) and the landscape but also in the chance to sign up for cattle drives, archery, rock climbing, hiking, heading to the shooting range and real-life lessons on how to pen cattle.

Over the years, there were many offers but Al True always turned them down.

“Do you know how much money you’re saying no to?” one developer asked him, emphasizing the amount added up to a gasp-inspiring millions of dollars.

But land was more important than cash to the Trues and Al replied that riches were a poor substitute for their life on the ranch. But the lure of money is one of the reasons that of the 30 ranches once in business here north of Tucson when the Trues moved to the neighborhood have dwindled to three.
The food served is international but there’s definitely an overriding western/southwestern theme with taquitos, tacos, ribs, and steaks grilled outside. But the big paean to the past history is their signature Indian Oven Dinner on Saturdays. That’s a hard one to replicate at home, but just think of slowed braised pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Serve with flour or corn tortillas to add a little more western flair. They also offer food oriented guided trail rides including picnic luncheons, the Wine & Cheese ride, and a Beer & Cheetos ride.

The following recipes are courtesy of White Stallion Ranch and are among the favorite served there.

Prickly Pear Margaritas
Note: this makes a very large batch, if you’re not that thirsty or having a small get together, you may want to reduce the quantities.

1.75-liter bottle of Margarita Mix (your choice)
3/4 of a liter of Pepe Lopez Tequila
3 cans of 7-Up
1/4 bottle of Triple Sec
18 ounces of Prickly Pear Syrup

Peanut Butter Bars

¾ cup shortening
¾ cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 c white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cups flour
1 ¼ cup oatmeal
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven 350° degrees or 300° convection oven.
Cream the shortening, peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla well. Mix together the flour, oatmeal, soda, and salt.
Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Spread the dough by hand over sprayed and floured 9”x13” baking pan. Bake 25 minutes until still chewy. Immediately sprinkle on the chocolate chips and spread over the bars when melted.

Topping
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
2-4 tablespoons milk, as needed
Beat topping ingredients well, using enough milk to get a creamy consistency, then swirl over the chocolate. Cut and serve.

White Stallion Ranch Trail Mix
6 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 family sized box or 2 regular boxes of Wheat Thins
8 c small twisted pretzels
8 cups thin pretzel sticks
8 cups corn nuts

2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups melted butter
4 tablespoons chili powder
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
10 drops Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon Lawry’s seasoning salt (or make your own using the copycat recipe below)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix peanuts, corn nuts and pretzels in large roasting pan. Mix oil and melted butter, chili powder, Worcestershire, Tabasco sauce, garlic salt, seasoned salt, and cumin; pour over pretzels, mixing well.
If using a convection oven, cook at 300° F. for 15 minutes. If using a conventional oven, cook at 300° F. for about 45 minutes. Stir frequently to distribute the seasoning.

Remove from oven and let cool before serving, still serving frequently.

Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
¾ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
Whisk salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, and cornstarch together in a bowl.

Potato Chip Cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 cup Crisco
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 6-ounce package white chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups coarsely crushed potato chips

Cream Crisco and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla and beat well.
Add crushed potato chips and white chocolate chips. Sift flour and soda. Stir into creamed mixture. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Cook 10-12 minutes.

DOOR COUNTY WELCOMES SUMMER AND SAFETY WITH RE-OPENING LODGING PACKAGES

Bed & Breakfast, Family, Family Excursions, Farm-to-Table, Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Farming, Food, Fruit, Historic Restaurants, History, Home Town Fun, Road Trips, Travel

Wisconsin Cherry Pie. Photo by Jon Jarosh.

Summer in Door County means cool breezes, mild temperatures, quaint harbor towns, farm-to-table
restaurants, cheeseries, wineries, mead makers and distillers and sun-soaked waterfront vistas as well as
300 miles of shoreline paralleling Lake Michigan and Green Bay.

This delightful coastal Wisconsin getaway is now open for travel and committed to providing visitors with a safe vacation experience. To achieve this, Door County communities and lodgers have developed health and safety procedures and are committed to following operating guidelines from state and local authorities. Many have signed on to the Commitment to Cleanliness and Safety Initiative, a joint endeavor from Door County Medical Center and Door County Public Health to ensure the safety of both visitors and residents.

Hillside Waterfront Hotel. Photo by Trail Genius.

Visitors to Door County can choose family owned, vintage hotels and inns, historic B&Bs, luxury
waterfront suites and cottages for their stay. Starting in June through July many accommodations in
Door County are offering Re-Open and Re-Discover promotion packages for those who want to explore
the peninsula’s 11 lighthouses, five state parks, cherry orchards, maritime history, wildlife preserves and
myriad of outdoor recreation activities knowing that safety precautions are of utmost importance to
the community.
Take advantage of packages that include accommodations for one to three nights; a meal for two
(offerings may include a gift certificate to a local restaurant, complimentary on-property breakfast, a
picnic basket filled with Door County specialties); an activity or attraction offering (state park pass,
maps, tours, tastings); and a $25 Door County gift certificate available to use at a variety of shops,
restaurants and attractions.

Kayaking by Cana Lighthouse. Photo by Jon Jarosh.

Explore the Lake Michigan side, a little more quiet, in Baileys Harbor with Maxwelton Braes Lodge’s
Stay, Play & Dine Package featuring a two night stay, two rounds of golf, $50 gift certificate to Thyme
Cuisine, two complimentary old fashioned cocktails, and breakfast or express lunch for two at Thyme
Cuisine. Ephraim’s ideal spot for a romantic getaway is Eagle Harbor Inn, offering “Suite Escape: Contact
Free Stay.” Enjoy a one-bedroom Whirlpool Suite welcomed with chilled prosecco and chocolate truffles
and grab a picnic lunch from Door County Creamery using a Door County gift certificate.
To view complete package details and a list of participating accommodations, visit
doorcounty.com/content/vacation-packages and link directly to accommodations for booking