Missoula Valley November 2015

Missoula Valley NOVEMBER 2015

MissoulaValleyLifestyle.com

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The Thread of

Hope

LOCAL CHURCH GROUP WITNESSES THE IMPOSSIBLE IN BOGOTA MONTANA CIDER WORKS SOURCES THE BITTERROOT’S BOUNTIFUL APPLES SHIFT THE SLOW COOKER INTO HIGH GEAR WITH FIX-AND-FORGET RECIPES

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8135 Mesa Ct • $419,000 Spacious home on 1.05 ac. Gorgeous mountain views in this conveniently located subdivision just at the base of O’Brien Creek. Space for everyone. 4 bd, 3.5 bath. Main floor has master suite that opens to deck. Great open lower level with rec room and bar.

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Lifestyle Letter

A motive for hope.

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friend recently wrote to me, “It seems unreal,” referring to the announcement that peace in her country—Colombia—would, after more than 50 years, finally be a reality. “So many generations, including my own, were born and raised in a country with an armed conflict… and we don’t know how to live in a country without war but the fact that we can imagine the beginning of a new chapter in our history is motive for hope.”

My heart smiles to know that she and many other Colombians are hopeful of what is to come, despite not being exactly sure what that will look like.

A group of missionaries from Zootown Church recently went to Bogota, Colombia, and in this month’s issue, one of them shares the hope she witnessed in a place many believe it could not possibly exist. The pastors of the church there persisted for nine years in faith, whether that involved waiting, moving forward, taking steps back, waiting, moving forward. Today, they have a physical space from which to do God’s work in one of the city’s most impoverished sectors. They had hope.

NOVEMBER 2015 publisher Michael Tucker | MTucker@LifestylePubs.com

editor Danielle M. Antonetti | DAntonetti@LifestylePubs.com

administrative assistant Chelsea Lyn Drake | Chelsea.LynDrake@LifestylePubs.com

advertising sales Kelly Bigelow | Kelly@BrandEdgeMarketing.com

contributing writers Chelsea Lyn Drake, Taylor Keltner, Greg M. Peters, Suzette Zara

contributing photographers Pamela Dunn-Parrish, Taylor Keltner, Greg M. Peters, Joy Reynolds, J. Willis Photography

corporate team chief executive officer | Steven Schowengerdt chief sales officer | Matthew Perry chief financial officer | DeLand Shore

This doesn’t surprise me. The Colombian people have never let the direness of a situation—even the 50-plus-year civil war—affect an opportunity to share with one another, to smile, to teach, to learn, to give, to be. Having lived in Colombia for more than two years, I know the people to never shy away from change nor fret when it doesn’t come soon enough.

director of marketing | Brad Broockerd art director | Sara Minor editorial director | Nicole Sylvester ad coordinators | Cyndi Harrington, Chelsi Hornbaker copy editor | Kendra Mathewson application architect | Michael O’Connell

For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end

and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

it will certainly come

and will not delay.

Habakkuk 2:3 NIV

web developer | Hanna Park it director | Randy Aufderheide

Hope is ever-present because God is always there.

Danielle M. Antonetti, Editor DAntonetti@LifestylePubs.com

by Community ™

MissoulaValleyLifestyle.com ON THE COVER Sharick wraps her arms around the neck

of Megan Treece, who was part of a group of young people from Zootown Church with a heart to do God’s work in Bogota, Colombia.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR KELTNER 4

Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

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P.O. Box 12608 Overland Park, KS 66282-3214 Proverbs 3:5-6 Missoula Valley Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Missoula Valley’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Missoula Valley Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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November 2015

16

Departments 8

Good Times

12

Around Town

14

Field Trip

20 Hops & Vine 24

What’s Cooking?

28

Lifestyle Calendar

34

Parting Thoughts

16 The Impossible Is Possible

Zootown missionaries witness how God is transforming lives in

Bogota, Colombia.

20 An Apple a Day

Montana Cider Works sources the Bitterroot’s ample apples.

24 A Fix-It-and-Forget-It Feast

Put your slow cooker into high gear.

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3 weeks from proof approval, your new Logo Mat will be ready & delivered to your front door.

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Good Times

Athleta Grand Opening

The women's athletic clothing line celebrated its new Southgate Mall store with sips and treats by UM Catering. Shoppers can get their fit on with performance gear for yoga, swimming, running, fitness and more. PHOTOS J. WILLIS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

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Good Times

We Will Never Forget

Our community gathered at Rose Park to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom. PHOTOGRAPHY PAMELA DUNN-PARRISH

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

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November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

11

Around Town MISSOULA WELCOMES 'THE TROUGH'

BOOKS GALORE

In a neighborhood known for its green pastures and rural feel, the addition to Target Range of the deli “The Trough” is fitting right in.

The Trough, which adjoins The Olde Dairy (previously Dale’s Dairy), offers sandwiches, soups and salads, a coffee bar with locally made baked goods, smoothies and Big Dipper ice cream. According to owners Carter and Susan Beck, they want to continue with the tradition of a “community gathering place” that grew out of the market established by Betty Jo and Dale Johnson of Dale’s Dairy, and bring many new offerings as well. “Dale and Betty created a niche in this community, a place where people could stop by, grab a carton of milk, and find out what’s new with their neighbors. We want to retain that feel, but expand upon it,” says Carter.

The Becks put some major renovations into the market, now called The Olde Dairy, and offer a greater selection of products. “We want this to be more of a destination place, a place you stop in every day, and with that in mind we’ve expanded the wine and beer selection and added local and organic products and specialty items,” says Susan. “The feel is definitely more of a community market than a convenience store.” The Trough, which customers can enter through The Olde Dairy, from the street, or by walking up to the coffee window, continues the homey feel of the market, say the Becks.

“We’re here for the neighborhood,” says General Manager Emily Englund. “We’re thrilled to be here and look forward to meeting the needs of our neighbors!”

The Trough is located at 2106 Clements Road and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

The Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is again hosting its annual Used Book Sale. Tell your friends, inform your family, and proclaim from the pylons that books galore will be on sale and ready to find new homes on your shelves. This sale supports new exhibit openings, grounds maintenance, and educational programs at the Historical Museum.

Days/Times: • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, November 12 - Saturday, November 14 • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, November 15 Location: Heritage Hall at Fort Missoula, 3255 Fort Missoula Road Books are sold by the inch, and on Sunday everything you can stuff into a bag (provided) will be $10. Please visit FortMissoulaMuseum.org or call 406.728.3476, ext. 5, for more information.

UPCOMING CITY HOLIDAYS City offices will be closed Wednesday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day and on Thursday, November 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Check Missoula Valley Lifestyle's Facebook page for updates on Veterans Day events.

MCT AUDITIONS Open auditions for The Drowsy Chaperone will be held Sunday, November 22 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts, 200 N. Adams St. The Drowsy Chaperone is a Tony Award–winning spoof of musical comedies in which a discontented Broadway fan known only as "Man in Chair" puts on a 1928 recording of his favorite musical in an attempt to lift his mood. Call 406.728.1911 for more information.

ARE YOU GAME?

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

Don't miss the opportunity to take part in the Mount Jumbo Elk Ramble 15K Trail Race, the only organized trail run on Mount Jumbo. As part of this event, you'll experience stunning landscapes as you traverse the winter home of the Mount Jumbo elk herd. The Mount Jumbo Wildlife Management Area closes to all recreation starting December 1, so take this chance to practice responsible recreation on Missoula's Conservation and Open Space Lands and welcome the wildlife herds back to Jumbo. This event is Saturday, November 7 at 10 a.m.

The University of Montana welcomes members of the campus and Missoula communities to join the discussion on campus-wide issues and university initiatives during monthly University Council meetings.

Meetings run from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. with about 30 minutes for presentation and 30 minutes for general discussion. UC members include representatives from UM’s staff and faculty senates, ASUM, University Faculty Association, the Montana Public Employees Union, UM administrators and the Missoula community. The next meeting is Tuesday, November 24, and will include a presentation and a panel moderated

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

by Joe Fanguy, UM director of technology transfer, titled, “UM’s Economic Development Impacts: Research, Companies and Private Sector Jobs.” Visit UMT.edu/committees/universitycouncil.php for location and more information. Meeting location was still being determined at press time.

tion programs. “These local policymakers, representing small and large communities from across the country are transforming their communities into healthier places,” says National League of Cities President Ralph Becker, the mayor of Salt Lake City.

SAY ‘RUFF’ FOR SANTA LET'S MOVE, MISSOULA Let’s Move! Missoula Coordinator Lisa Beczkiewicz joined First Lady Michelle Obama and representatives from the National League of Cities and several federal agencies at the White House for a celebratory event honoring the achievements made by local elected officials participating in the Let's Move! Cities, Towns and Counties initiative. The First Lady announced that 500 cities, towns and counties, including Missoula, have committed to the five goals in the initiative, which helps local elected officials, their staff and communities ensure all children grow up healthy and have the ability to reach their full potential, since July 2012. Let’s Move! Missoula has worked closely with the school district to implement Brain Breaks in our middle schools and high schools and Take 10 in our elementary schools. These short physical activity breaks throughout the school day result in more engaged learning for the students. The First Lady also recognized the 52 communities, including Missoula, that have achieved gold medals in each of the five goal areas, which include providing healthy school meals, opportunities for physical activity during and outside of school, and healthier early care and educa-

Santa loves pets as much as we do. Regardless of whether the furriest member of your family was naughty or nice this year, he (or she) is welcome to come sit on Santa’s lap for a portrait at Southgate Mall at the JCPenney Court on the following dates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: • November 29 • December 6 • December 13 His (or her) human(s) can be in them, too. For more information, visit ShopSouthgate.com or call 406.721.5140.

Fall is about here and now is the time to start your Fall cleanup!

Clean and piCkup leafs and over grown landsCaping • inspeCt and Clean gutters and downspouts • seal gaps and CraCks around windows and doors with weather-stripping and Caulk • drain and winterize outdoor fauCets and irrigation systems • Clean or replaCe dirty furnaCe filters

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November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

13

Field Trip

The Great Vacation Debate

TO FLY OR TO DRIVE SEVEN REASONS DRIVING IS THE BEST OPTION THIS SEASON

I

f the approaching holidays have you seeing dollar signs and cringing to avoid the stress the season brings, you may be relieved to know there is one simple step to help bypass many of the common holiday headaches: Traveling by vehicle costs less, is more convenient and is not as stressful as flying.

“With gas prices below $3 per gallon in many parts of the country, more and more travelers are realizing the economic and hassle-free benefits of driving to their holiday destination,” says Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. “A family of four can travel 1,000 miles round-trip by car for about the cost of a single airline ticket, so driving is the sensible option.”

In addition to direct cost savings, travel by car offers a number of practical advantages over flying including: • Flexible agenda. Without the demands of a flight schedule dictating your timeline, you have the ability to leave when you want. And on the open road, there is no captain asking you to remain seated, so when the need arises, you can simply stop and stretch without worry. Calling your own shots by car, you also won’t risk being hampered by airline weather delays.

• Skip the wait. Choose to travel by car and you can forget about waiting in long ticket counter and security lines. An added bonus, you’ll avoid driving in circles looking for an open parking space in the overflow lot miles from your terminal.

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

• No luggage fees. Dodge those hefty charges and load your car up with as much luggage as you want—including wrapped gifts that don’t always make it through security intact.

• Ride in comfort. While air travel may be expedient, it often comes at the cost of legroom and overall comfort. Traveling by car also lets you forgo the company of strangers.

• Familiar wheels. If deplaning and collecting your baggage isn’t enough, getting behind the wheel of an unfamiliar rental car or cramming your belongings into an overpriced taxi may be the final straw for your sanity. Traveling in your own car ensures you know how to operate all the features for a safe and comfortable ride.

• Pet-friendly perks. Although some airlines allow pets to fly, the cost and logistics can be burdensome. Simply loading up your pet and their supplies in your vehicle is more convenient for you, and less likely to stress your four-legged friend.

• An expanded menu. Your hunger is in your own hands when you travel by car. Whether you’re grabbing a quick re-fueling snack on the go or sampling the local fare, traveling by car gives you more and better meal options.

Before you set out, be sure your car is in tip-top shape for safe holiday travel. Visit CarCare.org for tips on regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.

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November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

15

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY TAYLOR KELTNER

Zootown missionaries witness how God is transforming lives in Bogota, Colombia

A

n abandoned and empty lot in Santa Cecilia, a rough neighborhood in the north of Bogota, Colombia, may have seemed like nothing much to a bystander, but for husband and wife Ricardo and Lucy Rodriguez, it was to be the stomping grounds for a new hope. This impoverished neighborhood had little, but they saw the potential of what this plot of land could be: the start of a church, a new fellowship and a light that would spread throughout the community.

Lucy’s heart for the community grew when she met the children who frequented the lot. She brought them food and clothing. She saw that the children were in desperate need of love and even more apparent was their spiritual need. It was difficult for Lucy to sit back and watch these children go unnoticed, and so she prayed to God about what He had placed in her heart. There was no money, and the thought of building with no funds and no supplies seemed impossible. “If you want us to start something here, we will need a miracle,” she prayed.

Off the lot, Lucy continued her children’s ministry. She met with children and families in the streets and at local homes. Lucy did not give up hope of building and planting that church. Her dream for the people of Santa Cecilia was alive in her soul, and soon the Rodriguezes received a generous financial gift from an anonymous donor.

With some funds and their willing hearts, they decided to take out a loan to begin building on the empty lot; their vision now had the potential to become a reality.

Soon thereafter, within the walls of the new structure, was a soup kitchen that served lunch to more than 500 people each day. God allowed them to meet more people and to spread the gospel through their love, Lucy says. With the soup kitchen off to a great start and church construction still under way, what seemed to have been impossible all started falling into place, but then the Rodriguezes encountered a setback. Word traveled that Ricardo and Lucy were sharing the gospel; due to this, the loan did not come through. “The government did not want us sharing God’s CONTINUED >

November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

17

IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE (CONTINUED)

love with the people,” Lucy says. “Our soup kitchen had to stop serving.”

Efforts to give people an opportunity to know God were hindered and then local gangs began to threaten the Rodriguez family. They looked at this as a minor setback, holding firm to what God had led them to do and moving forward as they could. After four years of turmoil, the gangs’ threats subsided and they were able to return to their ministry without fear. Around this time, Ricardo received a vision he did not understand, but one he could not rest until complete. “I was supposed to be on vacation, but God told me to build trusses for the sanctuary,” says Ricardo. “I had no idea why, or how, because we did not have any money or supplies to build with.”

Even though it was difficult to understand at the time, the Rodriguezes remained faithful to their call. “I could not worry, God always provides for everything,” says Lucy.

“And he did.” Soon, Lucy received a bonus check from her job that paid for the supplies Ricardo needed to start building the trusses.

Still, not knowing exactly why he was given the vision in the first place, he set off to build the trusses for the sanctuary.

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

In late July, a group of us from Zootown Church in Missoula went to help out and to see all of what God is doing in Santa Cecilia. We were merely putting our hands and hearts to work toward what God had already established. Our church partnered with an organization called OASIS, a daycare ministry that helps not only with the physical needs of children but also seeks to help them develop spiritually, academically, socially and artistically.

For 10 days, we spent time playing games and music with the children, helping them with their homework and listening to their testimonials as well as attended the local church services and helped with the construction of a new office and the third floor, which will serve as a Bible school for children. This ministry offers a sponsorship program for each child to be fully funded financially each month. For more information about OASIS and the work they are doing in Santa Cecilia, visit IncaLink.com/ministries/oasis.

“I had no idea and did not understand why I was asked to start a project I could not finish,” he says. “But I did the will of God and only obeyed what he asked me to do.”

A few days later, Lucy called Ricardo with some amazing news. Someone from Inca Link, a non-profit organization that seeks to reach the 300 million youth in Latin America with Christ’s irresistible love, came to see what they were doing and then donated the funds to complete their project.

Nine years after Lucy received the vision to begin a church in this community, it has become a reality. Because a believing couple dedicated to the will of God decided to take their call seriously, the once-empty lot is now home to a church that welcomes those, particularly children, who are eager to learn the love of Christ. “We needed to be obedient to Christ, and trust He would never leave us,” says Lucy.

“And because of that, we are seeing a neighborhood being transformed forever.”

November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

19

Hops & Vine

An Apple A Day MONTANA CIDER WORKS REINVIGORATES THE BITTERROOT'S APPLE INDUSTRY WHILE CHARTING A NEW FUTURE ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY GREG M. PETERS

Schallenberger Orchard with Trapper Peak

“T

hat’s the ‘Apple Master 2000,’” Ryal Schallenberger says, pointing to a flatbed trailer crowned with a giant homemade basket of sorts. Timbers, netting, tarps and plywood angle up from the trailer bed that’s parked beneath a twisted old apple tree. A bright yellow John Deere farm tractor stands ready to pull the apparatus around the small orchard.

“It’s all about mechanical efficiency,” explains Lee McAlpine, who invited me to the Schallenberger orchard in Darby. “You can’t harvest cider apples by hand,” she continues. “It’s just too expensive.”

Another tractor with a backhoe and a pneumatic gravel compactor is poised beside the Apple Master 2000. Schallenberger quickly explains the plan. His father, Ed, fires up the compactor and touches it to a gnarled tree limb. A few apples bomb down from the 20-foot high branches. I catch one on the shoulder and McAlpine yelps when one bounces off her head. Some even land in the Apple Master, but overall the compactor is a bit of a failure.

Shaking the limbs by hand proves more effective, as Schallenberger aptly demonstrates once Ed shuts down the compactor.

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

Apple Master 2000

MONTANA CIDER WORKS

For a complete list of places to purchase Montana Cider Works products, visit MontanaCider.com or call 406.360.5078.

I’m at the orchard to meet McAlpine, the founder and operator of Montana Cider Works. She’s buying some of the Schallenbergers’s McIntosh apples for her next batch of award-winning hard cider.

A crisp blue sky presides over the deepening fall colors and every detail on the soaring Bitterroot Mountains is sharp and clear.

Friends of the Schallenbergers show up to help. Cows moo from the corral nearby. A six-month-old baby sits on the ground, contentedly munching a fresh apple. A cadre of kids who aren’t much older pick up apples and toss them into the trailer or the pigsty, where a fat hog hides under the shade of a plywood roof.

McAlpine and I chat as the family and friends try to wrest more of the stubborn apples into the Apple Master 2000. Easy going and friendly, the conversation veers and twists like the old branches shading us from the hot autumn sun.

Born of a clear love for apples and a true appreciation for the Bitterroot Valley’s apple-growing history, Montana Cider Works is helping to catalyze a resurgent industry that celebrates the Valley’s history while charting a new future. This entire valley used to be an apple-growing powerhouse. The Schallenberger orchard is a remnant of the once-thriving industry and now, 100 years later, it’s finding new purpose beyond feeding the cows, pigs and people who live on the small hobby ranch.

McAlpine started making her own cider in 2000 when she moved to the Valley as a silviculturist for the Bitterroot National Forest. For seven years, she developed her orchard, perfected her recipes and bootstrapped a legitimate operation. Finally, in 2007, she decided her product was ready to sell. Now, Montana Cider Works boasts several national awards, has a four-cider product line, and can’t keep up with demand.

And just like every good business idea, it seems so clear in retrospect. Hard cider is the fastest-growing segment of the beverage industry. Riding a wave of consumer demand for gluten-free, light-bodied, refreshing alcoholic drinks, ciders have exploded in popularity. Add to that the growing demand for local, craft products and you might wonder why there’s not a Montana Cider Works competitor in every Montana town.

But just because it was a good idea doesn’t mean it was easy. Navigating alcohol laws, finding the right distribution, sourcing the right apples, shifting consumer desires, and other challenges forced McAlpine to continually adapt and refine her business. A neighbor’s brush fire escaped and destroyed her young orchard in 2010. Last year, a sudden plunge in temperature “winter-killed” many of her trees, requiring major pruning and halting their apple production for another three years.

Still, McAlpine persisted, sourcing apples from the scattered remnants of the historic Bitterroot apple industry while cultivating a devoted following. She won her first award in 2013 and another last year. Her 2014 “McIntosh single varietal” proved so popular, she’s added it to her product line as a permanent offering.

She’s also helped to grow a new community of apple and cider lovCONTINUED > ers in the Bitterroot. McAlpine, Schallenberger November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

21

Hops & Vine

(CONTINUED)

and Michael Billingsley started “BudWood,” a co-op dedicated to “revitalizing and growing Montana’s apple industry.” Each plays a role in the small non-profit.

Schallenberger’s Northwest Mobile Juicing cranks the efficiency quotient up past 11. He proudly walks me through the gleaming, stainless steel machine parked on the lawn.

The German-engineered cider press, pasteurizer, and packaging system sit on a trailer, thus the use of “mobile” in the business’s name. It’s got a pitting function too, so he can process everything from cherries to apricots to apples at a farmer’s field, a fruit-celebrating festival, or wherever the fruit is. Cider intended for fermenting gets transferred straight into a holding tank like the one in McAlpine’s truck. Fresh cider (or juice as she calls it) gets flash pasteurized and packaged into a bag and box similar to wine. It has a long shelf life and requires no refrigeration.

Billingsley is the orchardist. He’s worked across the state and visited cider orchards in Europe, learning how to care for trees, set up small yet productive orchards, and maximize returns. He’s in the process of planting his own five-acre orchard with about 2,500 trees comprised of 26 different cider apple varieties. He’s learning which trees grow best, which produce best, and what techniques will improve yield and orchard health. And he’s sharing that knowledge with others. In late summer, BudWood used some grant money from the Western Agricultural Research Center in Corvallis to host a cider apple-growing conference for folks interested in putting in their own orchards.

Eventually, McAlpine and I leave the Schallenbergers and head to Montana Cider Works, just a few miles south of Darby on Rye Creek Road. The orchard is a vibrant green plot set among the rolling, dusky hills on the east side of the Bitterroot Valley. Trapper Peak dominates the western skyline.

Inside a fairly new outbuilding the size of a single-family home, McAlpine shows off her production facility. Large fermenting tanks line one side of the main room, some are square, some round; one is stainless steel and shines under the fluorescent lights. The bottling station and pasteurizer sit next to cases of bottles in another room.

She explains each part of the process as we drift around the space.

Initially, McAlpine figured she could sell her products here and at farmers markets, avoiding the headaches caused by retail distribution.

22

Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

Mobile Press

But alcohol laws prevented her from selling at farmers markets and traffic past her Darby facility isn’t high enough to keep the doors open longterm. So she’s looking to expand and move into Missoula, although she’s guarded on when and where. She just tells me it’s going to happen soon, or she won’t be able to continue operating.

“I’m just too small now. I can’t raise my prices, and I can’t lower them. So I need to expand my scale and have a direct-to-consumer model.

That means moving production to Missoula and opening a tasting room. Just like a brewery,” she says as we sample her ciders in the small tasting loft perched above the fermentation tanks.

She pours each cider into a wineglass and we nosh on Lifeline sharp cheddar cheese between tastings. My wife likes the North Fork Cider best, while I prefer the slightly less dry Darby Pub Cider. Both are delicious and McAlpine explains the slight differences in taste and production methods just like a sommelier would. It’s an apt analogy. The ciders taste more like dry white wine than fresh apple cider. Crisp, refreshing and nuanced, we savor each sip until she pours the last of the bottle into our glass.

It’s getting late, and McAlpine has to get back to the Schallenbergers and check on the harvest. She needs about 48 bins of apples that weigh 700 pounds each to make the 2,000 gallons of hard cider she produces annually. She’s hoping today’s effort will result in two bins.

As my wife and I bounce down the dusty dirt driveway, I do the math and realize McAlpine needs 33,600 pounds of apples this season. If she’s going to expand, open a taproom, and cut her production time from six months to four, she’s going to need to upgrade to an Apple Master 3000.

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23

What’s Cooking?

A Fix-It -andForget-It Feast PUT YOUR SLOW COOKER INTO HIGH GEAR WITH THESE EASY-TO-PREPARE THANKSGIVING RECIPES ARTICLE SUZETTE ZARA | PHOTOGRAPHY JOY REYNOLDS

Savory Sage Stuffing

W

hat’s the easiest way to skip the Thanksgiving cooking headaches?

Try putting your slow cooker into high gear. Today’s slow cookers offer a vast improvement over grandma’s Crock-Pot chili. There are now stream-lined, programmable versions in an array of sizes at most major retailers for less than $40, offering versatile, oven-safe stoneware inserts that are visually appealing enough to put on your Thanksgiving table.

Using a slow cooker for side dishes not only saves valuable oven space for the turkey, but also makes clean-up a breeze if you use disposable slow cooker liners. These easy recipes offer slow-cooker options for traditional holiday sides such as Savory Sage Stuffing and more exotic fare like Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin, which is sure to jazz up your feast. Of course, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a comforting Pumpkin Pudding Cake, and this slow cooker alternative to pumpkin pie takes the cake.

SAVORY SAGE STUFFING

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Stuffing is one of the easiest side dishes to prepare in a slow cooker. The low, slow heat of the cooker creates amazingly moist stuffing with a minimal amount of supervision. This version uses canned cream of chicken soup, which perfectly moistens the cornbread for savory delicious stuffing. It may even be better than Mom’s!

1 14-oz package herb stuffing (such as Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing) 1 14-oz package cornbread stuffing 2 10 3/4-oz cans cream of chicken soup 2 14-oz cans chicken broth 1 large red onion, diced 1/2 cup celery, diced 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons sage 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons butter, cubed DIRECTIONS:

Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin 24

Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, or line with disposable liner. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except the butter. Pour mixture into slow cooker. Dot with butter. Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours or until set and thoroughly cooked.

CONTINUED >

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25

What’s Cooking?

(CONTINUED)

Try this variation for Sausage-Apple Stuffing: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook one 16-ounce package of ground pork sausage, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until well-cooked and crumbly; drain. Stir sausage and two Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced, into stuffing mixture. Cook as directed above.

Yield: 8-10 servings. Per serving: 238 cal, 16g fat (4g sat. fat), 3g fiber, 3g protein.

PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE

This easy dessert cooks up like a moist cake on top with a gooey sweet pumpkin pudding filling on bottom. Best of all, your home with be filled with the sweet aroma of Thanksgiving goodness.

1 15-oz can pure pumpkin 1 5-oz can evaporated milk 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 box carrot cake mix (dry mix, not prepared) 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (plus halves for garnish, if desired) 1/3 cup butter, melted Frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed (if desired) DIRECTIONS:

Spray a 3.5- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, or line with disposable liner. In the prepared cooker, add pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin pie spice. Stir well. Spread batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared cooker.

In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix, nuts and remaining pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle mixture evenly over pumpkin mixture in cooker. Drizzle melted butter over top of cake mixture. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 2.5-3 hours. Remove stoneware from cooker to cool, if possible, or turn off cooker. Cool, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Garnish servings with whipped topping, if desired.

Yield: 8-10 servings. Per serving: 332 cal, 19g fat (5g sat. fat), 3g fiber, 4g protein.

SWEET POTATOES AU GRATIN

This easy Crock-Pot version combines white and sweet potatoes for a tasty dish. This recipe gets a quick start from cans of Cheddar cheese soup. To keep calories lower, use reduced-fat soup such as the Healthy Request brand.

2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and sliced thin (about 6 cups) 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes or white potatoes, unpeeled and sliced thin (about 3 cups) 1 large onion, sliced thin (about 1 cup) 1 10.75-oz can condensed Cheddar cheese soup 1/2 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 oz) DIRECTIONS:

Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, or line with a disposable liner. Layer one-third of sweet potatoes, one-third of white potatoes and half the onion in the cooker. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining potatoes. In a medium bowl, stir together the soup, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper. Pour soup mixture over the potatoes. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 8-10 servings. Per serving: 296 cal, 18g fat (4g sat. fat), 3g fiber, 2g protein.

Suzette Zara is a certified nutritionist, a frequent speaker on low-fat healthy cooking and creator of Satan’s Salsa (SatansSalsa.com).

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

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Lifestyle Calendar

November

NOVEMBER 1 - 12

NOVEMBER 7

EXHIBITION: ‘THE INTIMATE DIEBENKORN: DRAWINGS 1949-1992’

'TIMELESS ROMANCE' CONCERT

MONTANA MUSEUM OF ART & CULTURE

DENNISON THEATRE

MMAC is one of four venues to host this national traveling exhibition of rare works on paper by Richard Diebenkorn portraying a richly intimate glimpse into the artist’s evolution spanning 40+ years. The exhibition features 40 pieces, 38 of which have never been publicly viewed. Visit UMT.edu/montanamuseum for more information.

A rich and warm performance of Prokofiev's light and bright Classical Symphony and Schubert's melodious and romantic Unfinished Symphony is sure to help shake off winter's chill. Yuriy Bekker closes the concert with a thrilling violin concerto. A second performance is November 8 at 3 p.m. For tickets, visit MissoulaSymphony.org.

NOVEMBER 2

NOVEMBER 12

FESTIVAL OF THE DEAD PARADE

LITTLE BIG TOWN

HIGGINS AVENUE

ADAMS CENTER

This annual multicultural event honors life and death through community involvement. Come dressed up to march with the parade or to stand and cheer on your neighbors. Produced by the Zootown Arts Community Center. There is a face painting party before the parade at the ZACC. ZootownArts.org

The American country music vocal group hits the Garden City to promote their latest album Pain Killer. Tickets available at all GrizTix locations, by phone at 888.MONTANA and online at GrizTix.com.

GRIZ FOOTBALL

NOVEMBER 5

WASHINGTON-GRIZZLY STADIUM

OPENING RECEPTION: 'NOWHERE TO BE FOUND' UNIVERSITY CENTER GALLERY

An opening reception is being held for artist Beth Huhtala whose exhibition "nowhere to be found" runs through November 23.

Huhtala's work is indicative of what she experienced abroad during a summer trip to Japan, and how culture can be retold and recreated through folk tales. UMT.edu/uc

NOVEMBER 6 FAMILY FRIENDLY FRIDAY TOP HAT LOUNGE

Parents—and their kids—can socialize, listen to music, eat great food and have fun without worrying about their kids making too much noise. Visit TopHatLounge.com for more information.

NOVEMBER 6 STAR GAZING: BEYOND THE MILKY WAY STAR GAZING ROOM AT UM

Get a brief tour of the current Montana night skies and then listen to a presentation by Dan Reisenfeld on "Beyond the Milky Way." Two shows: 6:30 and 8 p.m.

Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children 12 and younger. For tickets, visit HS.UMT.edu/physics.

28

NOVEMBER 14

Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

The Grizzlies take on the Eastern Washington Eagles in a Big Sky Conference contest.

NOVEMBER 15 2015 BANFF FESTIVAL OF MOUNTAIN FILMS WORLD TOUR WILMA THEATRE

See the award-winning films fresh off the Banff Festival of Mountain Films in Alberta. Admission is $15 in advance or $18 at the door and includes films and raffle entry. Tickets are available at the Outdoor Program, the Trail Head, REI Missoula, and Rockin' Rudy's.

NOVEMBER 20 DECEMBER 24 SANTA PHOTOS! SOUTHGATE MALL

He's known by so many names: Santa Claus, St. Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kingle. Yet there's only one, and he'll be at Southgate Mall listening to your Christmas wishes and taking photos.

CONTINUED >

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Lifestyle Calendar

Leg Pain?

Varicose Veins?

(CONTINUED)

NOVEMBER 20 STAR GAZING: BLACKFEET ASTRONOMY STAR GAZING ROOM AT UM

Get a brief tour of the current Montana night skies and then listen to a presentation by Diane Friend on "Blackfeet Astronomy."

Two shows: 6:30 and 8 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children 12 and younger. For tickets, visit HS.UMT.edu/physics.

NOVEMBER 22 SOR CONCERT: ‘DIDO: QUEEN OF CARTHAGE’ UM MUSIC RECITAL HALL

The String Orchestra of the Rockies samples Baroque opera in this emotion-driven presentation of the most famous of all 17th-century laments. Performance features mezzo-soprano Kimberly James as Queen Dido accompanied by the UM Women’s Chorus. For tickets, visit SORMT.org.

NOVEMBER 24 TREASURE ISLAND MONTANA THEATRE

An adventure of the first order, this gripping adaptation of the classic features humor, heart and hubris as it chronicles charming rouge Long John Silver’s epic quest to unearth the riches hidden on Skeleton Island. Visit UMT.edu/umarts/boxoffice for all performance dates and tickets.

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

TURKEY DAY 8K AND 3K MISSOULA

Get some fresh air and exercise before your Thanksgiving feast by running in the Turkey Day 8K and 3K. For more information, visit RunWildMissoula.org.

There’s more than enough food in America for every child who struggles with hunger. Help get kids the food they need by supporting Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks. Visit FeedingAmerica.org

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AUTOMOTIVE

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DENTISTS & ORTHODONTICS

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DRY CLEANERS Missoula Textiles (406) 543-5171

HEALTH & WELLNESS Krieg Chiropractic Center (406) 541-8888 kriegchiropractic.com

Pink Grizzly Greenhouse /Agro Vitae (406) 728-3370

Morgenroth Music Center (406) 549-0013 montanamusic.com

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Sleep City (406) 541-2860 sleepcity.com

Tucker Entertainment LLC (406) 544-8333 tuckerentertainmentevents.com

Montana Club Resturants (406) 541-0076 montanaclub.com

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Danny Blowers Insurance Agency (406) 541-9885 dannyblowersagency.com

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Berkshire Hathaway Montana Properties (406) 721-4141 BHHSMT.com Diane Beck Windermere Real Estate (406) 532-7927 move2missoula.com LAMBROS ERA Susan Laine (406) 370-1010 eralambros.com

RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE

Paradise Falls (406) 728-3228 paradisefallsmissoula.com

SHOPPING CENTERS Southgate Mall (406) 721-5140 shopsouthgate.com

TRAVEL & LEISURE Gull Boats (406) 549-6169 gullboatsandrv.com

El Cazador (406) 728-3657 elcazadormissoula.com

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Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

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November 2015 | Missoula Valley Lifestyle

33

Parting Thoughts

STARS AND STRIPES WORDS CHELSEA LYN DRAKE

I

bought my first home with the love of my life a few months ago. It’s a place that only existed in my mind up until this year, where our horses would graze and where our dog would pace the fence line with his nose to the ground. It’s now home for all of us and I’m thankful for that. But I’m also thankful for the stars and stripes in my life, in more ways than one.

It’s the red, white and blue that hangs outside our front door but it’s also the good and the bad over all the years that led to this one. Some stars were babies being born like my two nieces in New Jersey. Graduating from college, seeing my mother in tears when the whole family showed up for her birthday, and telling my father that I loved him at the end of every phone call. These moments are bookmarked, cataloged. They are the roots and veins of my heart.

The stripes are like scars. It’s everything that I try not to take for granted like my freedom and the impossibility of knowing every life that died to protect this country. It’s the humbling hurt that I carry for all the families whose loved ones are gone. Some scars are communal, like being only an hour north of New York City when the World Trade Center fell. It’s the prayer I say for our heroes with every anniversary that passes. The deeper scars are more intimate. Their stories are mine alone, and their accumulation over the years has become the origin of my strength. I’m most thankful for those.

34

Missoula Valley Lifestyle | November 2015

A few years ago I was afraid of everything. Therapists and psychiatrists thought I was depressed or suffering from anxiety. How can someone be depressed with so much life ahead of them? I couldn’t drive or eat or be left alone for fear of dying. My life had become a rat maze of what-ifs. I try to find evidence of that stint of time and can’t. I didn’t email or Facebook or text, embarrassed of how weak I had become. I did, however, keep a journal.

“Write something that you’re proud of every day,” my therapist told me. “It can be as little as getting out of bed.” So I wrote in it every night and weeded through the day in my mind. When I moved to Montana this spring I uncovered it and flipped through its pages and found lists I’d made, one of which read, “Today I visited my horse alone. I am proud of how we need each other.”

She’s a black appaloosa, a birthday present from my late father.

She’s the neck I buried my tear-stained face in through my parents’ divorce and breakups with boyfriends. For as far back as I can remember she’s been the larger part of my life, accompanying me through college and now a staple in the life I always imagined. When I look out at her through the window of our home it feels like another lifetime. There is no telling where my train switched tracks or how I was able to make it through a mental, seemingly insurmountable, wall. There is no clear divide or mile marker but the evidence is here with the family I’ve started and it’s more than enough.