A���� April 2018
www.MoonValleyTattler.com
VOL 38 No. 4
CHOP PED Champ! B Y J E N N I F E R C A R AWAY
We have a celebrity in our midst.
the fish out of the boiling pot and proceeded to tear the flesh apart with my bare fingers. An experienced ‘chef’ would have chosen to delicately filet the poor thing, but Jennifer the founder of The Joy Bus recently competed on the Food Network my lack of butchery experience threw me towards show Chopped. The Joy Bus delivers chef inspired meals to cancer patients all complete demolition over the valley. She aced the competition and came home with $10,000 mode. My only conto further the work of the The Joy Bus. We asked her to give us a stateHer Appetizer: Duck confit tostada with cern was getting evment about the process of appearing on a reality cooking competition. guajillo and pasilla sauce. "I'm stoked with ery ingredient on the the duck confit, possibilities are endless," They contacted me in August of 2017 and asked if I would participlate and hopefully Caraway said, noting she used to own a pate in the program. I was not super stoked about the idea as I am not a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. "The making it somewhat ‘real chef’ and keeping the nonprofit above water as well as keeping a full duck confit is like a high-end carnitas." edible. When I made service restaurant from closing is a couple of full time positions. After it to the dessert round Judges' reaction: "I think you made some discussing the idea with Lisa and Areli, they convinced me to go for it, and saw the ingredibeautiful flavors here," Amanda Freitag for the greater good of The Joy Bus. I initially thought I would be going said. Even though Caraway struggled with ents I knew I, at the up against fellow nonprofit soldiers (or at the very least, diner cooks) but the narutomaki, "It was a good appetizer, very least, I was going very solid." as I walked out onto the Chopped stage, it was apparent I was competing to win that round. against ‘real’ chefs. I was not thinkHer Entree: Kalekale rice noodle soup. "I I was absolutely create soups often for client meals because this is very ing I would win the competition terrified, but had to comforting food," Caraway said. "I'm making a broth with but I was super content knowthe whole fish... I'm fingers crossed, toes crossed, praying, do my best for not ing that I had at least confidenttouching rosary beads, whatever I can, hoping that this dish only Lisa and Areli gets me to the next round." ly crushed one round. but for the sake of In my final competitor’s deJudges' reaction: "Jennifer, a rather unorthodox approach" our patients and all fense, he was very kind to me to the kalekale preparation, Conant said. "As far as the fish of those who conthroughout the competition and itself, it was cooked very nicely." tinually support very talented. I think I was just our mission. With Her Dessert: Papaya clafoutis with a spicy white lucky and able to think quicker chocolate cookie crisp, lingonberry-strawberry compote my one knife (comon my feet.I feel honored that and lingongerry Greek yogurt. "My strategy is to cook pared to the 7 each they wanted to highlight our something that I know... A clafoutis is basically a very simple chef arrived with) I French custard," she said, adding after plating: "I think this is mission and beyond grateful for did my best to bata $10,000 dessert." the community who continually tle out each round. rally around our mission. We Judges' reaction: "I gotta tell you, this is delicious, great The fish proved to be a worthy adversary as I manhandled the heck out of texture. I like the payaya, I like the layers of it," Conant said. are truly SO LUCKY! it’s burning flesh. My fingers were blistered for days as I frantically pulled Freitag agreed: "This clafoutis is delicious, it's well executed."
Rusty's Angels Sanctuary
BY EMILEE SPEAR
Rusty's Angels Sanctuary was founded in February of 2014 and since then we have rescued 132 senior dogs and adopted out 73. We also have 5 senior dogs living in forever foster homes. We rescue any breed dog over the age of 10 years and we take care of all of their medical needs. Then based on their medical diagnosis, age, and behavior we decide if they can handle transition into a new for-
ever home. If so then we work diligently to find the perfect fit home because our goal is it will be their last home. If we decide however that they cannot handle transition into a new home then we retire them here at our Sanctuary where they live out whatever time they have left being spoiled rotten in "retirement". We currently have 16 seniors retired here and 6 looking for forever homes. Surprisingly we have found amazing people that want to adopt our amazing dogs. Our average length of stay before getting adopted is about 7 months. In the beginning our biggest struggle was finding volunteers to come help care for the dogs because of our location being so rural. We have now built a great team of people and are very proud of that. We have some very loving and dedicated people willing continued on page 3