SW OH | Fall/Holiday 2013 | Issue 17

Flavor for Everyday Life | Fall/Holiday 2013 | $3

Restoring historic opera house

The right apple for the job

6 clever book-giving ideas There’s a fork for that

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2 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

We want to Congratulate and Recognize our Staff at The Laurels of Hillsboro on the Outstanding Survey we received in August.

Below is a testimonial from a guest who was rehabilitated at The Laurels of Hillsboro: “I have nothing but praise for The Laurels of Hillsboro. When I went in to the facility, I couldn’t put my finger to my thumb to even get a spoon to my mouth- and within no time I was doing just that! The aides and nurses were just so good, and knew what I was wanting before I even knew! The staff was very welcoming and stood by me every step of the way during my recovery. My wife and I were so glad that we chose local care, and we couldn’t have been happier with our stay- we will never forget our experience.

I certainly couldn’t have gone to a better place to complete my rehab. In fact, I am going to write a letter to the Chillicothe VA, which is where I transferred from, and tell them that any Veterans needing good therapy should go to The Laurels of Hillsboro.” ~Robert Kelley Thank You, Hillsboro Community, for Your Confidence and Trust.

175 Chillicothe Avenue, Hillsboro, OH 45133 • (937) 393-1925 40495965

Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 3

CONTENTS

11 15 18 22 29 36 46

Features Fall color is a ‘paint box’ for gardener

By Steve Boehme

Planting Roots

By Carol Chroust

Finding wood spirits

By Carol Chroust

Fall’s favorite fruit

By Andrea Chaffin

Restoring Bell’s Opera House

15

By Gary Abernathy

Holiday Memories Gift ideas for the book lover in your life

Columns

7 9 10 52

11

Publisher’s Note

By Pamela Stricker

18

Salt Notes

By Lora Abernathy

Thanksgiving: A coming of age story

By Andrea Chaffin

Out & About

4 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

22

Hide & Shake Find the SHAKER in this issue, visit us at thesaltmagazine.com, click on the Shaker Contest link, complete the entry form, and be entered to win one of the $25 grocery cards. All entries must be made by Dec. 27, 2013.

Flavor For Everyday Life www.thesaltmagazine.com

Fall/Holiday 2013

Congratulations to our most recent winner: Nancy Boldman

Publisher

You could be our next winner. Just look for the shaker in this issue then visit thesaltmagazine.com and click on the shaker button to enter.

Editor

Shaker Time!

In each issue of SALT, we try to feature creative photos of Salt and/or Salt & Pepper shakers from our readers’ collections.

Please submit photos and descriptions to editor@thesaltmagazine.com by Dec. 27, 2013 for consideration. Entries will also be considered for printing in future issues of SALT and at thesaltmagazine.com.

Submit your photos and be entered to win a SALT apron!

On the Cover Cover photography

by Barb Regan of Wilmington

S1

Flavor for Everyday Life

| Fall/Holiday 2013 | $3

Restoring historic opera

house

job The right apple for the

as

6 clever book-giving ide There’s a fork for that

This photo was taken at Turner’s Pumpkin Patch in Port William.

Pamela Stricker pstricker@civitasmedia.com Lora Abernathy labernathy@civitasmedia.com Andrea Chaffin achaffin@civitasmedia.com

Food Editor Sales Adams County (937) 544-2391

Peggy Niswander pniswander@civitasmedia.com

Brown County (937) 378-6161

Steve Triplett striplett@civitasmedia.com

Clinton County (937) 382-2574

Barb Van de Venter bvandeventer@civitasmedia.com

Fayette County (740) 335-3611

Sherri Sattler ssattler@civitasmedia.com

Highland County (937) 393-3456

Sharon Hughes shughes@civitasmedia.com

To subscribe, contact us at (937) 382-2574 editor@thesaltmagazine.com Contact SALT: editor@thesaltmagazine.com 761 S. Nelson Ave. Wilmington, OH 45177 (937) 382-2574 SALT is published quarterly by Civitas Media, LLC and is available through the Georgetown News-Democrat, Hillsboro Times-Gazette, Ripley Bee, Washington CH Record-Herald, West Union People’s Defender and Wilmington News Journal. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is prohibited. SALT is free to our subscribers and is also available for purchase at each of the newspaper offices for $3/copy.

Please buy locally & recycle.

Follow us on Facebook (The Salt Magazine) and Twitter (TheSaltMagazine).

Contributors David Wright

David is a local writer, actor and adventurer with a focus on humor and creativity.

Steve Boehme

Steve and his wife, Marjorie, own GoodSeed Nursery & Landscape near Winchester.

Ryan Carter Ryan is the editor of the Washington Court House Record-Herald.

Now that “Breaking Bad” has ended, he’s currently searching for a new television obsession.

6 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

Carleta Weyrich

Beverly Drapalik

Kathleen Norman

Pat Lawrence

Carleta is the news staff writer for The People’s Defender in West Union.

She and her husband, Phil, have a farm where they have raised their three children — and lots of critters.

Kathleen recently launched Pursuit Communications, a freelance marketing communications firm, which she operates from her home in Chester Township. Her traditional specialty at holiday meals is filling the water glasses.

Beverly lives in Wilmington with her husband, Jeff.

They also live with a dog, a cat, a parrot, chickens and bees.

Pat is a professional journalist, congenital gardener and incorrigible collector of hostas for her historic Hillsboro home.

Carol Chroust

Gary Abernathy

Carol is an Ohio writer who enjoys writing about inspirational and interesting people, places and subjects.

She lives in Wilmington with her husband, Jim.

Gary is publisher of The Times-Gazette, and resides in Hillsboro, where he works in his secret underground laboratory.

Considering roots

T

here’s a verse in the Bible that has always caused me to ponder my heritage. It’s in Isaiah 51, verse 1.

In the New Living Translation it reads “…Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined.”

This time of year always seems to call up something inside me that causes me to reflect on my past. Not so much in negative way, but thinking about the meaningful ways that so many people and events have shaped my life. I think it’s a good thing to look back and realize just what has molded me into the person I am.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who have gone before me and those who still remain. We all have a background, be it good or bad, that is at least tinged with some dysfunction. My past is no different. But I choose to hold on to those things that have shaped me in a positive way and as I recognize those areas that are harmful, I try to pitch them.

Growing up the daughter of a missionary family, the granddaughter of a minister, I was surrounded with perpetual input on how I should live. I teethed on the church pews. Our life was dictated by the schedules of church services and potlucks. In Japan, our home was a hospitable refuge for military boys providing a bit of solace to homesick hearts.

There was a time in my careless youth that I did not value the incredible legacy the lives of my ancestors had provided for me. I wanted to make my own way. They wanted me to know their God, their religion, their lifestyle. I had to find my own way … I had to discover “the God of my fathers” could become my God. The relationship had to become my own. And it finally did. I embraced my own personal relationship with God at the age of 24 as a young mother of two boys.

The vast library of books that belonged to my grandfather and my father are a treasure trove for me to explore now. I marvel at their notes and sidebars written in the margins. I wonder what they must have been thinking when I see something they have underlined. I want to have the faith and passion I saw them display when they were living.

In my office hangs a flag that was retrieved from my Granddad Short’s garage after we sold the old home place in Cherry Fork. The material is fragile and the flag has only 48 stars. The pole on which it is draped was surely hewn by my grandfather. It

reminds me of his allegiance and loyalty not only to his country, but to his family.

A handmade dress my grandmother made for me when I was perhaps a year old, reminds me of the love and tenderness provided to me as a child.

Last year, my mother gave me a book for my birthday. Talk about a labor of love! The book includes family recipes that Mom wrote out by hand, family photos, postcards from my father, a rare letter written to us from my grandfather when we were overseas, the Christmas list I wrote when I was 12, a bookmark I had given my Grandma Short years ago.

These are all touchstones that remind me of the people who so freely gave of themselves into my life.

I think fall tends to make me more reflective. The seasons changing, a new chapter of life unveiling. I just don’t want to live my life … I want to live it out loud! I want the days and years ahead to incorporate the best part of the lives of those I admire and have influenced me.

I made a profound discovery one day in my kitchen as I was pulling the blender out to make a smoothie. We had been having some challenges with relationships in our “blended” family.

The word “blended” sounds so smooth and very misleading when applied to some families trying to blend together two different heritages.

As I looked at the cycles on the blender, I noted…. “crush,” “chop,” “grate,” “pulverize,” ”grind”…. Then finally “blend.”

The blending of my life and the dear lives of those around me have often had to go through those various cycles to finally blend. I look back and realize that many of the values and lessons learned came from my past. I want to be able to incorporate those values in my life and, hopefully, leave a legacy from which others can draw to live a life worth living.

We, here at Salt, want to wish you all a beautiful holiday season. Make some great memories that will last beyond your lifetime. We all are making a deposit of our lives on others in some manner. Let’s make it count for something really good.

I wonder what they must have been thinking when I see something they have underlined.

In the meantime, please pass the Salt!

Pamela Stricker Publisher Salt Magazine pstricker@civitasmedia.com

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 7

Front Porch

Paul Worley — Adams County, Ohio Adams County Commissioner

Profile

Front Porch Profile offers a personal glimpse into the lives of notable people in our communities.

By Lora Abernathy

What is your favorite line from the movies?

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies,” from the movie “The Shawshank Redemption.”

Green or blue?

Blue. It’s the color of the U.S. Army Infantry.

Community Care Hospice

WALKER INSURANCE

Your Hospice Team

8 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

What do you love most about your community?

I love that our community pulls together during times of hardship. No matter what the differences are among our people, we come together to support one another.

Source: www.medicare.gov

Community Care Hospice is headquartered in Wilmington, and has an office in Hillsboro. They are fully staffed by your neighbors and run by local health care professionals.

Community Care Hospice is non-profit and uses local drug stores and medical supply stores for all its equipment needs.

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What was your favorite TV show growing up?

“MacGyver” was my favorite show. As a kid, I always car-

Baseball, football or basketball?

Whatever is in season. I’ve always been a fan of the Reds and Bengals and I love March Madness.

Congress passed the Medicare moderization act on 2003.

Resulting in Medicare D, prescription drug coverage, and Medicare C (the Medicare Advantage Plans)

WWW.COMMUNITYCAREHOSPICE.COM

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Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookies?

Chocolate chip, no contest.

ried around a Swiss Army knife wanting to be like him.

Medicare began in 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson, creating Medicare A & B. The first Medicare card was issued to Harry S. Truman.

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What does a lazy Saturday look like for you?

Warm, fluffy pancakes and sizzling bacon for breakfast.

Watching the Buckeyes football game on TV in the afternoon, and finishing the day with a romantic dinner with the love of my life.

Call JoeWalker 937-302-9668 Sabina

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SaltNotes

Salt Scoop

I

Fudge Puddles

Send us your favorite recipes!

We’d love to share them in the next edition of Salt.

Please send them by Dec. 27, 2013 to editor@thesaltmagazine.com, and please include your name and address (we only publish the town).

Send us photos of your fabulous dish as well! Every submitted recipe will be entered in a drawing for a $25 Kroger gift card.

Congratulations to Diana Cullen Morgan of Butlerville, Ohio who won the drawing for her Simple French Dip recipe for this edition of Salt.

Like a mousetrap, you can’t invent a better can opener

joined in on a conversation the other day between Andrea Chaffin, Salt’s food editor, and Mark Huber, our sports editor here at the Wilmington News Journal. The topic? Nope, not Friday night football. Can openers.

I told them I’ve bought a couple different can openers over the years, but still use the one my mom bought for me in 1996.

Andrea quizzically peered up at me out of the corner of her eye and asked, “1996? You know what year you got your can opener?”

We chuckled. I guess that is a peculiar thing for someone to remember.

As I went on to explain, how I came into possession of that can opener remains a vivid memory because I got it the year I transferred to Marshall University (Go Herd!), one of my favorite years.

I was moving out of the house for the first time into an efficiency apartment on Third Avenue in Huntington, W.Va, four blocks from campus and 45 minutes from my home in Nitro, and I needed essentials — every essential.

The carpet in my new digs was a daring forest green. Not knowing the least bit about how to decorate, I decided that the logical thing to do would be to match my kitchen items with — yes, you guessed it — my carpet. Everyone does that, right?

Carrying said logic further, if I then couldn’t find an item in forest green, I bought it in black because “black goes with everything, so it will certainly match my carpet.”

My mom, Kris, and I went to Wal Mart and loaded up on everything imaginable. I’m sure at one point she must have advised me that I could have broader terms for a decorating theme, but moms don’t know anything when you’re young.

So, from a paring knife to a futon, she made sure I was set — including buying me that forest greenhandled can opener.

It served me well through many poor-hungrycollege-student lunches and dinners.

A few years later, wanting an upgrade, I bought a new can opener. It had black handles (and would certainly match the hardwood floors in my new apartment), and didn’t look so beat up. But after a few uses, I realized it just didn’t work as well as my old standby. It made its way to the back of the drawer and the old one returned to the front.

After Gary and I got married more than 11 years ago, we sprung for an electric can opener to replace the now-ancient green tool. I thought for sure I would finally get to discard it but, again, I found the newer one to be inadequate.

I gave up on replacing my 1996 can opener after that, and I still use it. Looks like I probably will til the day I die.

One of the recipes for which it gets pulled out for duty is for my chili — my perfect, delicious, spectacular chili. This recipe was originally my grandma’s, which became my mom’s, which is now mine.

Though I’ve adjusted it slightly over the years, this family classic is “relatively” the same.

Prepping the ingredients for my perfect-tasting chili on a recent fall Sunday afternoon. The greenhandled can opener, still going strong, is on the right.

LEGACY CHILI Ingredients: 2 lbs. ground beef 2 Tbsps. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. salt or to taste 1 Tbsp. pepper or to taste 2 medium white onions, finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped 2-14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes 3-12 oz. cans tomato paste 3-15.5 oz. cans kidney beans 72 oz. water (use tomato paste can to measure) 4-6 Tbsp. chili powder or to taste 2 Tbsp. cumin 4-5 dried bay leaves 1-2 Tbsps. potato flakes (optional) Directions: Add the extra virgin olive oil to a pan and add the beef. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook until browned. Drain excess oil, and transfer beef to a large stock pot.

Add a little more oil to the pan and add the onions and green pepper, cooking until they’re nice and translucent. In the meantime, add the tomato paste, beans and water to the large stock pot. Place the diced tomatoes in a sieve and drain. (The chili will end up tasting more like spaghetti sauce if you skip this step.) Add the tomatoes, onions and peppers to the pot. Toss in the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, allowing it to simmer for at least 1.5 hours.

If you’ve put too much water in the chili and need to thicken, add a pinch or two of potato flakes, stir.

Repeat until thickened to liking. Add more salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Thank me later.

LORA ABERNATHY Lora is the editor of the Wilmington News Journal and the editor of Salt magazine. She is married to Gary, just finished her first Half Ironman and is still in mourning over the TV shows “Lost” and “24” no longer being on the air.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 9

Thanksgiving S

A coming of age story

erving as a relaxing day to spend time with family, enjoy a delicious homemade meal and catch a game of football, Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many.

Obviously, none of those people have ever prepared Thanksgiving dinner.

Norman Rockwell’s famous painting didn’t include waking up at 5 a.m. to hoist a (surprise!) still partially frozen turkey out of the refrigerator.

And nothing goes with a morning cup of coffee like being up to your elbows in a bird’s cavity digging for a giblet bag — a step many first-time Thanksgiving chefs tend to forget.

Luckily, when I prepared my first solo Thanksgiving dinner at the age of 19, I knew to roast my turkey without the extra proteins of the bird’s neck and heart inside, but I didn’t know much else.

Still, I was excited, to say the least.

Our family’s typical Thanksgiving chairperson — my hubby’s mother — was going to be out of state during the holiday. Since I had helped prepare the meal during previous years and was budding an interest in serious cooking (past the Hamburger Helper stage), it was decided I would be the natural heir.

During the weeks leading up to the great meal, I found myself scribbling grocery lists and menus on the corner of my biology notes during lectures at Ohio State University. I spent much of my free time researching brining methods and variations on the classic pumpkin pie.

Probably not what most college sophomores do on the weekends.

I put more time into planning for that meal than others do for their weddings. One week before the holiday,

10 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

I nearly spent my life savings on two shopping carts full of everything I needed, including potatoes, sugars, onions, beans, breads and butter.

Following my mathematical plans (you know, 24 hours per five pounds of meat, or so), I set my frozen 16-pound turkey in the refrigerator a full four days before the Thursday extravaganza. The night before, I peeled 10 pounds of white potatoes by hand and boiled two dozen eggs for plenty of devilish appetizers.

We would eat turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato souffle, sausage dressing, green bean casserole, corn pudding, homemade cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, crescent rolls and apple butter pumpkin pies at 1 p.m.

I thought I had it all figured out.

Now, that sounds like a 19-year-old.

What I remember from the moment I discovered the partially frozen turkey during the wee hours of daylight, to when I put my feet up 18 hours later, is a blur of dirty dishes.

I didn’t know that when my first guests rang the doorbell at 11 a.m., I would still be doing circles in a filthy kitchen, wearing my now-sweetpotato-covered pajamas with a dirty ponytail and unbrushed teeth.

I would run out of baking dishes, oven space, butter and patience. And why does everyone feel the need to stand in the kitchen, monitoring my every move?

No one told me that I would have an outright gravy crisis. The gravy — the very last thing my hungry guests are waiting on — would. not. thicken. for. the. life. of. me. Eventually, I added too much corn starch and we had gravy Jell-O. And, during it all, that one joyful statement-and-question combination from every child — and, let’s be hon-

est, every adult — present: “I’m hungry. When are we going to eat?”

When the meal was finally finished after weeks of preparation, I walked outside into the brisk, 50-degree air, and sat on an icy porch step while others jumped into line, happily filling their plates.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” each family member would say as they peeked their head out of the cracked front door.

“In a bit,” I replied, not even considering the culinary feat I had just completed. It’s a rite of passage into the cooking world, really.

When I drug myself back into the seemingly 100-degree house, I found 20 people in my home who were suddenly nearly silent — other than the compliments emerging from their mouths between chewing and sipping.

“This might be better than Mom’s,” one brother said in a somewhat more quiet voice, staring at the others.

I knew they were wrong, but it was an excellent dinner, even if not quite as perfect and organized as their mother’s.

“Thank you for doing this,” each said as they left with baggies full of leftovers.

And that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, really. Being thankful. Being thankful that Mom was back the next year and I was second in command, once again.

ANDREA CHAFFIN Andrea is a reporter for the Wilmington News Journal and the food editor of Salt magainze. An OSU graduate, she enjoys piddling in her garden, wasting a Saturday morning reading, cooking, singing in the car and taking photos.

Fall color is a ‘paint box’ for gardeners

By Steve Boehme

Amur Maple

N

ow that fall is here, those of us fortunate enough to live in the Ohio Valley are enjoying a show of brilliant fall color comparable to the legendary New England autumn display.

Homes blessed with large shade trees really stand out at this time of year. Native sugar maples are the best known fall color trees.

Hybrids such as “Legacy” and “Commemoration” combine vivid fall colors ranging from bright yellow to deep maroon with shapely, compact crowns that grace any landscape.

Red maples like “October Glory” and “Red Sunset” hold their deep crimson leaves for an unusually long time after they turn, making them the most prized. Ornamental pear trees like “Cleveland Select” extend the color season well past frost.

Take a good look around you as the season progresses, and take notice of which plants really catch your eye. The lingering fruit of Red Jewel crabapple, the unmistakable lemon yellow of Gingko in fall, glossy red holly berries, deep maroon Shenandoah switch grass; all can be yours to enjoy.

If you’ve already planned your garden for fall color, you can experience a rainbow effect right in your own yard. Fall is the best time to plant perennials, woody plants and trees, so you can dress up your landscape by selecting plants in the nursery for fall color during the next few weeks.

Mixing fall color shrubs among the evergreens in your foundation plantings really dresses up your home. A favorite, commonly known as the Burning Bush, glows crimson red for weeks. An unusual “tree form” of burning bush is available that makes a terrific specimen in the front yard, and compact burning bushes like “Little Moses” fit nicely into foundation plantings.

Oakleaf Hydrangea fall color ranges from fiery red to deep, dark purple, and is a great choice for areas that don’t get much sun.

Most hydrangeas, like “Pinky Winky” and “White Diamonds,” have showy flower heads and vivid fall foliage at this time of year. So do blueberries.

Fall perennials bring a whole new dimension to landscapes at

“Burning bush”

“White Diamonds.”

this time of year. This is when sedums finally burst into bloom, ornamental grasses get showy plumes, Knockout roses are really giving a show right now as these handsome plants get really large, covered with bloom and multicolored glossy leaves. Petunias planted this spring are now outshining all the other annuals. Crisp cool nights bring on the mums and asters. But what actually causes

leaves to change from summer’s green to fall’s rainbow hues, and why do these colors seem different each year?

Fall color is caused by chemical reactions within plant leaves.

There is actually a tug-of-war going on all year between chlorophyll (green) and various other pigments. During the growing season, chlorophyll has the upper hand, but certain conditions will

tip the balance in favor of other pigments.

Trees with strong yellow colors are influenced by the duration of sunlight. As the days grow shorter, chlorophyll starts to weaken and the yellow pigments dominate. At this point, the tree is no longer producing and storing food, and is starting to go dormant. Yellow and orange pigments (carotenoids) take over and the leaves drop.

The red pigments that dominate certain plants are created as a response to environmental stresses such as light, dryness and temperature. Trees such as red maple, sweet gum, oakleaf hydrangea and Euonymus (“burning bush”) use red pigments (anthocyanins) to protect the leaves under certain conditions. This makes the color vary quite a bit from year to year in both timing and intensity.

Trees that turn brown in fall (such as Oak) have high amounts of tannins, which help protect leaves from foraging animals and insects. Tannins take over from chlorophyll after the first frost, when the chlorophyll is “turned off” by the low temperature.

Because yellow pigments are always present in certain trees, fall color in the yellow range is the most consistent from year to year and varies mostly in the timing.

The same is true of tannin-dominated trees, which always turn the same russet color.

Plants with red fall foliage are the most variable. They develop their most intense color after periods of cool, but not freezing, night temperatures. The combination of bright sunny days and cool nights in fall, following a warm wet spring and mild summer drought, brings on the most stunning red fall displays.

You can orchestrate a spectacular show of fall color right in your own yard, by paying as much attention to fall foliage color as spring and summer bloom when choosing plants for your landscape.

Take a good look around you as the season progresses, and take notice of which plants really catch your eye. These are the plants to add to your landscape, your fall color “paint-box,” and fall is the best time to plant perennials and shrubs. A well-stocked nursery will have lots of choices right now to give your landscape “sizzle” for the rest of the season.

‘The Rehearsaling of the Annual Christmas Pageant’

T

By Kathleen L. Norman he holidays are here. In the liturgical calendar of the Christian tradition, October and most of November fall under “Ordinary Time,” which is then followed by Advent in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

In my five years attending the Methodist church, I have learned that the unofficial name in the Christian calendar for October and November is, “The Rehearsaling of the Annual Christmas Pageant” or, as pageant organizers think of it, “The Weeks Leading Up to What May Be a Glorious Train Wreck.”

I don’t remember participating in a Christmas Pageant when I was a kid; I do remember a children’s choir performance. Well … actually, I don’t remember the performance. All I remember is Katrina “There is She was in the chilalways room Bollenbacher. dren’s choir, she had long hair and she for another always wore it pulled back from her with a little ribbon. And I wanted toddler with a face to wear my hair just like that. That is felt tail pinned the closest thing I have to a Christmas to their fanny.” pageant memory, circa 1974.

Shortly after we started attending the Wilmington United Methodist Church, we were approached by the youth pastor.

“Jenna,” she said to my 5-year-old daughter, “would you like to wear something shiny and glittery, twirl around on a stage and sing songs while everyone admires you?”

OK, she didn’t actually say that. But I’m pretty sure that’s what Jenna heard. What the youth pastor actually said was, “Jenna, do you want to be an angel in the Christmas pageant?”

“Mommy,” she breathed into my ear, “will I get to wear wings?” And so began our initiation into the sacred tradition of the annual Christmas pageant.

We brought home a CD that included the entire pageant – a 45-minute production – including both music and speaking parts. During our six-mile drive home, she memorized the first two songs. In a week, she had the entire pageant memorized. The. Entire. Pageant.

During the performance, if any actor or soloist had had second thoughts or caught a flu bug, Jenna would have been on it. Thankfully, she had not yet learned the understudy’s trick of sabotaging the lead actor. (But now that I think about it, crowbarring the archangel Gabriel in the knee before he went on stage would have posed an interesting moral dilemma. Perhaps I will explore that at a later time.)

Suffice it to say, she caught the pageant bug and she caught it bad.

She can now barely contain herself when October rolls around, hoping for bigger roles, bigger solos, grander costumes. She has moved from the chorus, to small speaking and singing parts, to major roles with whole songs to her-

Jenna in her first pageant. I’m pretty sure real angels don’t wear snow boots.

self.

Christmas pageants, also known as Nativity Plays, have been around for at least 800 years. Saint Francis of Assisi is generally credited with the first when he performed a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve in 1223 in front of a live nativity scene. (I can’t help but imagine Saint Francis shouting at rehearsals: “Would you PLEASE stop climbing on the communion railing and SIT DOWN!”) At our church, the Christmas pageant is produced using a commercial script purchased from a religious publisher that typically incorporates a somewhat contemporary story.

The setting and characters change, but the plot is roughly the same every year. A group of “modern” children are beset by some Christmas-time problem. In solving the problem, they encounter people who don’t have the Christmas spirit.

Songs are sung, zingy one-liners are uttered, people change their ways, everyone learns the True Meaning of Christmas, and in the final climactic scene, the children re-enact the Nativity, complete with shepherds, sheep, donkeys and occasionally, some wise men, despite the fact that they are part of a completely different Gospel.

Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 13

When my son, Daniel, was old enough to walk and wear the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the floppy donkey ears, he joined the cast – Lord shone round about them: and they were there is always room for another toddler so afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear with a felt tail pinned to their fanny. Just not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings point them to the stage and tell them to of great joy, which shall be to all people. For say “hee-haw.” (FYI, roaming toddlers with unto you is born this day in the City of David minimal parental supervision quite effeca Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this tively represent farm animals that have been shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe displaced from their stable due to the birth wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manof a king.) ger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a Versions of the Nativity Play have been multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, going on around the world for centuries. The and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and set design, props, costumes and performon earth peace, good will toward men.’” ers vary. But the story is always the same: That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie the couple travels to Bethlehem, there is no Brown. What it has always been about: that room at the inn, the baby is born in a stable, Daniel test-driving his donkey ears. baby, born in a stable. A simple story that has an angel tells the nearby shepherds and then been passed down for countless generations a group of angels bursts into song. and is now in the hands of my children and I find it remarkable that despite the passing of 2,000 their friends. years, this story – mostly passed on by word of mouth – has When Daniel was 4, he was cast as a mini-Joseph, the stayed so true to the original as documented in the Gospel earthly father of Jesus. As the pageant was ending and the of Luke around 60 AD. Nativity actors were exiting the sanctuary, he began to cry.

In the United States, the responsibility of telling this story Being a hands-on father, he wailed, “I want to carry the has been passed on to the children through the Christmas baaaaby!”

Pageant.

Mini-Mary tried to walk on without him, but was detained But, really, it is a story best told by children. It’s such by her earthly parents who tried to convince her that Joseph a simple and powerful story. When children tell it, they could be trusted with the baby doll representing Jesus. After believe. When they put on their costumes and sing and a minor tussle, she reluctantly relinquished her hold on the dance and tell us the story, we remember. And we believe.

Christ child.

It’s the reason I still get goose bumps when I hear Linus Joseph, now beaming, proudly carried the baby off to the from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” say: narthex where Jesus was nestled into a Rubbermaid tote, to “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding be safely stored away until the next year, the next Christmas in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, pageant, the next generation.

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Planting roots Fall the best time to plan next year’s urban garden

W

Story and photos by Carol Chroust

hen a Northeastern couple with Ohio roots looked at their front yard, they saw potential for a small urban garden. With a minimal amount of time and money, it was turned into space that was productive, interesting and attractive. To their pleasant surprise, it became a way to meet people from their neighborhood.

“They weren’t taking the best care of the little front yard,” said Kate Chroust, remembering the way it used to look. “It is 15’ by 15’.”

Kate has family roots in southern Ohio and Cassidy grew up in Wilmington. The two met while attending Denison University in Granville, Ohio. They have a 10-month old baby girl, Emerson.

Four years ago, the couple made the courageous decision to go into a field they would enjoy. They quit their jobs and moved to Providence, R.I. Cassidy received a master of arts degree in landscape architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. Kate worked at the University of Rhode Island. She took horticulture classes at URI and Harvard University’s Landscape Institute. Kate is now employed at Merrimack College as a career counselor and Cassidy works for Landworks Studio in Boston.

“Our front yard was a barren urban landscape that was neglected,” said Cassidy Chroust. “That’s where the deal came in with our landlord. We talked to him about taking over the landscaping and maintenance in exchange for planting the garden. So our landlord pays for it. We are doing his landscaping and he pays for the stipend that goes towards landscape maintenance. We put it towards the garden.”

Both have gardening backgrounds. Kate’s Ohio grandfather was a big gardener and her great-grandfather had a New Jersey blueberry farm. Cassidy grew up with vegetable and flower gardens. But, it was their own love of plants and gardening that drew them.

“What’s interesting is we had a 4’ x 8’ community garden plot before we had our own garden,” said Kate. “It was a good experience but not quite the best fit for us. We wanted to create something that was part of our home.”

By observing other plots in the community garden, the couple learned what can be accomplished in a limited space.

While fall is a good time to start preparing the soil and garden plot, they decided to first glean ideas from classes and do research and reading to understand how to convert the front yard into different usable space. Then the decision was made to create their small urban garden.

For Christmas that year, Kate requested the gift of a sturdy shovel and a rake. She had plans.

“At the start, we had to replant and move everything,” said Cassidy. “It’s tough urban soil. Once you’ve prepped your space, it’s minimal work.”

“We do container gardening at the same time,” said Kate.

They make their own extremely rich soil from composting.

These methods are suitable for a small urban setting or a larger one.

Cassidy and Kate Chroust with their baby girl, Emerson. The couple decided to convert their small 15’ X 15’ front yard into a small urban garden.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 15

16 | Salt | Fall 2013

Cassidy does some maintenance work in the small front yard garden while Kate waters the container gardens. “Once it’s in the ground, all you have to do is to make sure it gets enough water and weed it now and then,” said Kate.

“You need to have good soil, and compost helps provide that,” said Kate. “We use organic fertilizer in addition to compost.

“We utilize our table scraps in two ways. We have a small, round urban composter outside where we put our table scraps. We give it a turn now and then to keep it from overheating which would kill the composting organisms. We also have worms. It’s called ‘vermiculture composting’. I bought them from a local vendor called The Worm Ladies. I keep them in a covered plastic tub in the entryway to our apartment or outside during warmer weather. I feed them table scraps and newspaper about once a week. The worms make good soil quickly.”

They finalized the beautification of their garden spot by planting marigolds for pest control and using buckwheat hulls for mulch.

“You can turn buckwheat hulls into the soil at the end of each year and it helps amend the soil,” explained Cassidy. “It is more expensive but has better aesthetic appeal. It breaks down better in the garden and improves the landscape.”

“Buckwheat hulls are expensive and cost $17 for a 17-pound bag in the Northeast,” said Kate. “We feel it’s worth it. That’s why we do it.”

The garden provides or supplements their vegetables.

“We never buy eggplant or tomatoes, which are astronomically expensive at the store,” said Kate. “Plus, ours taste better. We plant lots of herbs and use the basil to make our own pesto. We freeze what we don’t use. We also plant zucchini, multiple tomato and pepper varieties, hot and sweet. Cassidy uses the hot peppers to make dried hot pepper flakes. He strings them and hangs them along the fireplace mantle. The ones we don’t use fresh in cooking, we string.”

“We use the fresh or crushed hot peppers in a lot of the dishes we cook—it’s inspiration to try new recipes,” Cassidy said. “I use the dried hot pepper flakes as a salt replacement. Once they have dried out, I crush them in my hands. If you do that, be sure to wash your hands before touching your face or eyes.”

Like any garden, there can be challenges.

“Our snow peas and tomatoes were terrible last year,” remarked Kate. “The tomatoes got a disease. But our tomatoes this year were definitely better. We’ve always had sweet pepper trouble. You learn from your mistakes. We tweak things. We moved the location of the sweet peppers. This year, the sweet peppers still didn’t produce well. We’re not sure why, but we’re looking into it.”

The two often prepare meals and cook together. It gives them a 16 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

chance to talk and unwind.

“We bought a book, “The Victory Garden” by Marian Morash,” said Kate. “We looked on EBay for it since it was no longer in publication. It has recipes categorized by vegetables and includes gardening information, cultivation and different preparation methods.

One year we got 15 eggplants all at once, but the book has a great ratatouille recipe that uses a good number of eggplants. Whenever you have a lot of anything, the book gives you ideas on how to use them.”

The garden brings lots of conversation and positive comments from people walking by.

“The garden puts us outside and we’ve gotten to know our neighbors,” said Kate. “The garden is on one of the busier streets.

People stop by and show interest in the garden. It’s a nice way to meet people. We were picking vegetables and one lady asked us, ‘Is this your garden? I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t someone stealing vegetables.’ Everyone asks, ‘How do you keep people from stealing your food?’ Cassidy tells them, ‘We haven’t had a problem with it, which is pretty amazing. People must respect the garden and what goes into it.’”

Another positive was how the garden became an unexpected educational tool.

“People walking by ask gardening questions and we answer them,” she said. “Parents have their children with them and point out the vegetables and the children watch them grow.”

The cost of the plants and other garden expenses is about $100 yearly. Both agree the garden isn’t necessarily “cost effective.”

“So, why would you convert part of your urban space, particularly your front yard, to be used for food production when it’s usually used for beautification, like with perennials and annuals?” said Cassidy. “We do the garden because it’s something we like to do.

It looks good to us and it rewards us physically, socially and with produce.”

“It’s minimal work once it’s in the ground,” said Kate. “You just have to make sure it gets enough water and weed it now and again. Some years some things go well and some things just don’t.

But, each year is a new year.”

The couple is moving with their baby to be closer to work. They regret leaving their school, work, friends, the little urban garden and all the pleasant acquaintances it brought them. As they search for a new home, part of their hope is to find a place with potential for a new garden spot of their own.

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16 | Salt | Fall 2013

Finding Wood Spirits

“In Germany, it’s called the Geist or Wood Spirit.

I pick up a piece of wood and when I look at it, I know what it’s going to look like.”

— Chuck Georges

Story and photos by Carol Chroust Chuck Georges of Wilmington looks at a log and sees the “spirit of the wood.”

To him, it’s a wooden sculpture ready to emerge. He takes his chainsaw and tools and captures the art that’s within. He’s Chuck Woodchuck, chainsaw artist.

“In Germany, it’s called the Geist or Wood Spirit,” said Chuck. “I pick up a piece of wood and when I look at it, I know what it’s going to look like.”

He briefly studies it. After discovering the mystery within the piece of wood, he carves it, refines it, takes fire to it and signs it. It’s created.

“A lady came to a festival where I was carving,” he recalled. “She wanted me to carve a bear for her. I looked at it and it told me. That’s not what the wood said to me. I told her, ‘I don’t want to do this.

That’s a War Geist.’ You don’t disturb wood. I wouldn’t do it. I told her, ‘This is what this is made for. That’s no bear!’”

Chuck, a multi-talented man, works full time for R & B Machining Inc. in Sabina. He is the lead industrial electrician.

“I oversee the wiring of the new machines,” he said. “I used to do high voltage work. It was dangerous, but I just did it.”

He also farms in addition to demonstrating and carving at festivals and shows.

Through the years, Chuck created hundreds of wood carvings he sold or gave away. He often donates his work to benefits, silent auctions and charities in Ohio and Kentucky, but most are local. He also does commissioned pieces. His largest commissioned piece was a 16-foot ear of corn for David Beam.

The carving is usually on a float in the Clinton County Corn Festival Parade and is displayed at the Corn Festival.

Chuck started whittling by hand in his 20s. He especially enjoyed whittling

canes out of wood. For years, he did whittling for free.

“I would whittle with my pocket knife at my lunch break,” recalled Chuck.

“Then I met a guy friend and he charged for whittling. He told me to carve with a chainsaw and I could speed up the carving. We’ve been good friends to this day. I found my niche. I’ve been a professional chainsaw artist for 12 years. It’s second nature now. I don’t think about it, I just do it.”

As with most artistic endeavors, Chuck progresses in the development of his art. He continually creates, improving all the time.

It is a gift that he has.

“A lot of people have gifts,” said Chuck. “But they don’t find their gift.

Or, if you know you have a gift and don’t pursue it … Your gift could’ve impacted a lot of people. It means something to somebody.”

To Chuck, the carvings are more than just wood art.

“When I carve something, I want it to have a soul,” he explained.

“People ask me, ‘Can you teach me to carve?’ I can teach anybody to make whittles. I ask them, ‘What can you see in that log? If you can’t see what’s in it, to give it that life, that soul… You have to be able to see it. You have to take it at that.’”

A fourth-generation farmer, he farms with his dad, Jim Georges. During harvest and planting season, he also keeps late hours in his chainsaw workshop.

His mother was Mary Ann Georges, a beautician in Sabina. His wife, Terry, is supportive and often attends shows with him.

Chuck was blessed to inherit the family artistic gift, so he comes by his talent naturally.

“I grew up on a farm on Texas Road,” recalled Chuck. “I remember riding a tractor with my grandpa. My grand-

Chuck Georges, chainsaw wood carver, “Woodchuck,” relaxes in his workshop.

mother was named Bernice. She was a painter and had an artistic flair. She took painting lessons. Of the 22 grandchildren, I was the only one that was artsy. She lived to be 100 and six months old. I have a painting she painted for me my senior year in high school.”

During festivals, people can see Chuck and his chainsaw art. He does carving during the shows and people can view or purchase the finished pieces.

“My dad goes to a lot of the shows,” said Chuck. “I don’t know he’s there. I have that chainsaw sitting there. There was a man in the crowd watching who was getting too close to the saw. I turned around and there was my dad keeping an eye to make sure he didn’t get too close.”

Chuck uses primarily catalpa and cedar wood for his carvings. He uses cherry wood for squirrels and walnut for eagles. He particularly enjoys carving eagles. He often barters and trades carvings for the wood.

He uses a Stihl chainsaw to make the initial cuts. His other tools are a Dremel, craft vibrating saw, ¼ inch die grinder for detailing, angle grinder for sanding and a propane torch for torching.

“The torching gives it depth and contrast,” he explained. “Then I grind some of that off. In making a carving, the eyes are really important. If you leave the wood as it is, it will weather up and gray up. Or, you can put a finish on it.”

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 19

Chuck was pleased when he was offered sponsorship by Jerry Haag Motors and Stihl Chainsaws. It allowed him to concentrate on his wood carving, especially during his travels to festivals and shows.

“I’m not doing it so they will pay me, but because carving is what I want to do,” he said. “I appreciate it when you know people respect you so much because they love what you do and treat you like gold.”

Chuck said he enjoys meeting the people at festivals.

“I talk to the crowds as I work,” he said. “One thing I’ve noted with people who buy something … they often go back and forth between two pieces. Art is subjective. Either you like it or you don’t.”

Chuck said there are a lot of pieces he’s carved that he would change.

“But I can’t do anything about it now. Things have evolved over the years. I’ve never had to work at it. Every day, I take another step. I get better and better each day.”

On his usual agenda is the Preble County Pork Festival, Clinton County Corn Festival, Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival, Wilmington Oktoberfest, Bainbridge Fall Festival of Leaves and exhibitions.

“I do this for the love of it,” he said. “I’m happy whenever I sell something. I look at every piece and I’m proud of every piece. They are an extension of me. I enjoy what I do. It’s relaxing.”

For more about Chuck, visit www.woodchuckchainsawcarving.com.

Chuck uses his chainsaw to “capture the art that’s within.”

Chuck takes fire to the War Geist’s mouth. “Torching gives it depth and contrast,” explained Chuck. “Then I grind some of that off.”

20 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

The “spirit of the wood” emerges as Chuck refines the facial features. “The eyes are important,” he said.

Bringing memories ‘to bear’ These 12 pairs of Memory Bears were created for the Harold and Mae Crawford family of Cherry Fork, Ohio.

The three larger sets were for Harold and Mae’s three daughters, Jackie DeAtley, Patty Naylor and Paula Sue Gaston. The smaller sets were for the grandchildren.

The male bears were made from Harold’s pajamas, and the female bears were made from Mae’s pajamas.

A care tag was attached to each bear with memories from Mae and Harold’s life on the farm.

In addition to the memories listed was this poem:

Memory Bears for the Harold and Mae Crawford Family.

This bear was made of love,

Submitted photo

from Mom or Dad’s pajamas.

Handle with love and care, and when you see me, remember…

Submitted by Patty Crawford Naylor Cherry Fork, Ohio

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Fall’s Favorite Fruit Sweet and savory ways to enjoy apples

By Andrea L. Chaffin

T

he saying is that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, but fall’s favorite fruit is good for more than just a boost of fiber.

With a range of colors including red, russet, yellow and green, there are literally thousands of apple varieties.

Textures and flavors vary from tart and crisp to soft and sweet, meaning there is an apple for everything sweet and savory.

Ohio apple growers produce up to 100 million pounds of apples each season, so it’s easy to get your hands on freshly picked apples — or even pick your own.

Last year’s apple crop was halved in Ohio by an earlier-than-usual spring, late-spring frosts that killed many blossoms, and a summer drought made things worse. But, this year, orchards are reporting some of their best crops ever.

Reaver Farms, located in eastern Clark County, is one having its best year yet, said Cindy Reaver, who runs the farm with her husband, Mark.

Among the 37 acres of peaches, plums and pears orchards, there are 36 varieties of apple trees.

The family started with a few fruit trees on their property about 10 years ago because Cindy grew up with fruit

Cindy Reaver talks to customers at her farm store.

trees and wanted something similar for her children. But, when you need fruit trees, you need bees. The operation has continued to grow, so for a few months each year, the Reavers open a farm store next to their house during the weekends. Inside the barn, crates of colorful fruit line the walls. Customers are greeted with honey products (from the farm’s 100 hives), antiques, recipe ideas, a sample of the latest batch of cider and — if you’re lucky — the family’s black lab, friendly kitten and a personal tour.

Apple-picking season begins in late August or early September and lasts

through November. Because apples keep well in cold storage, they are available year-round in grocery stores.

The Reavers make their own cider on site, putting up the finished gallons in the back cooler in the farm store.

Having just finished five apple pies, Cindy was happy to offer some advice on apple uses one Saturday morning upon my arrival. Her favorite apple — the small, yellow Pristine — is a perfect snack for little ones. It doesn’t get mealy in apple sauce, and because it’s sweet and soft, the Pristine is perfect for those whose teeth haven’t quite grown in yet.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 23

The Ginger Gold is her favorite for salads because it doesn’t brown nearly as quickly as other varieties. And, with any apple, bigger is not always better.

In fact, the smaller the apple, the higher the sugar content, and the sweeter the fruit.

With a bushel of apples, a gallon (or two) of cider, and a few pages of notes, I drove home to create the ultimate apple feast, thinking the whole way how lucky Ohioans are to have such beautiful farms within a 20-minute drive.

Here are a few apple recipes that will likely become an annual favorite.

CROCK POT APPLE BUTTER Anyone with a crock pot and a will to peel apples can make this easy recipe. I used a variety of apples and peeled them before cooking. That way, no food mill is needed. Prep the slow cooker before bed and wake up to the delicious smell of spiced apples in your home. It will be ready for eating or canning by lunch. This recipe can easily be multiplied.

Ingredients: Six pounds of apples (peeled, cored and chopped) 2 cups sugar (depending on taste) 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. cloves 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 cup apple cider or apple juice Directions: Combine all ingredients in large crock pot. Cook on high one hour.

Stir. Reduce temperature to low. Cook 10-12 hours, stirring occasionally, until butter turns dark brown in color. Use stick blender to smooth out butter, or regular blender. Warning: If butter is hot, blend in small batches to allow for expansion. Remove lid and cook additional 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If canning, process in waterbath 10 minutes.

HERBED PORK LOIN WITH APPLE AND ONION STUFFING This is the perfect dinner for guests.

Flavorful, comforting and savory, 24 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

this main course has an impressive appearance once finished. This stuffing is a variation of one I make for Thanksgiving and is perfect with mashed potatoes. Those who are feeling extra motivated can substitute the stuffing mix with their own homemade bread cubes. For extra sweetness, add some dried cranberries.

Stuffing Ingredients: 1 stick butter 1 fresh bay leaf, available in produce department 4 ribs celery and greens, chopped 1 medium to large yellow skinned onion, chopped 3 McIntosh apples, quartered and chopped Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning * 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 8 cups cubed stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm) 2 to 3 cups chicken stock Directions: In a large skillet over medium high heat, place one stick of butter. When butter melts, add bay leaf and add the vegetables as you chop them: celery, onions then apples. Sprinkle the vegetables and apples with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 to 6 minutes to begin to soften vegetables and apples, then add parsley and stuffing cubes to the pan and combine. Moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all of the bread is soft, but not wet. * Skip the poultry seasoning and instead use fresh thyme, rosemary and sage, if desired.

Pork Loin 3 pound pork loin 4 Tbsp. butter, softened 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp. fresh thyme 1 tsp. fresh rosemary salt and pepper Butterfly pork loin by cutting through side, leaving about one inch in tact.

Open like a book. Combine remaining ingredients in bowl, creating a

compound butter. Rub half of butter mixture on top side of loin. Then, fill pork loin with stuffing. Roll loin up like a jelly roll and tie together with kitchen twine. Rub butter on outside of loin.

Place in roaster of casserole pan on top of rack. If no rack, twist aluminum foil into ropes, creating grids on bottom of pan for pork to lay onto. Bake at 375 degrees until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

After removing from oven, cover with foil and allow five minutes resting time.

Cut into one-inch slices.

(If you have extra stuffing, place into dish and bake until set and crisp on top, 20 to 25 minutes.)

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH APPLE AND BACON Don’t care for Brussels sprouts? Try again. Forget the bad reputation, these sweet and salty baby cabbages may change the way you feel about vegetables. To pump up the “autumnness,” top with a little maple syrup before roasting. I prefer mine with just olive oil and a splash of vinegar.

Ingredients: One pound fresh Brussels sprouts, halved 4 slices of good bacon, sliced into large chunks 2 small firm apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1 shallot, sliced 2 Tbsp. melted butter apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp. olive oil salt and pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss Brussels sprouts, apple, shallot, bacon in bowl with butter and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lay out in one layer on baking sheet and roast about 45 minutes, or until caramelized and tender. After removing from oven, check seasonings and drizzle with vinegar. Serve immediately.

APPLE CHEDDAR BISCUITS Make sure to grate the cheese yourself. It makes a huge difference!

Adapted from Savory Flavors blog.

1 1/2 cups flour 4 tsp. baking powder 1 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 cup cold butter 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cups grated peeled apples (about 1 large) 3/4 cup milk Preheat oven to 425. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese and apples. Add milk; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not overmix.)

Drop 1/4 cupfuls of dough onto greased or parchment paper-covered baking sheet Bake 15 min. or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks; cool slightly. Serve warm.

BAKED APPLES AND OAT AND SPICED BROWN SUGAR STREUSEL Perfectly sweet (and easy!), this is an excellent weeknight dessert. Serve with vanilla ice cream, of course.

Original recipe from www.thekitchn. com.

Ingredients: 4 baking apples, such as

Honeycrisp, Jonagold or Fuji 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Pinch cloves 1 tablespoon butter, divided in four 1 cup hot water Optional extras: orange zest, lemon zest, grated ginger, candied ginger, raisins or other dried fruit, chopped nuts, cream cheese, mascarpone, peanut butter, nutella. To serve: ice cream, crème fraîche, whipped cream, coconut whipped cream.

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375 with a rack in the lower-middle position. Remove the core of the apples, cutting to within a half inch of the bottom of the apple and creating a well, roughly 3/4-inch wide. This is easy to do with an apple corer, but can also be done with a melon baller, grapefruit spoon or a paring knife.

Mix the brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and any extras in a bowl. Divide this mixture between the apples, packing the wells firmly.

Arrange the apples in a baking dish (like an 8x8 Pyrex dish), and top each one with a pat of butter. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish

and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking uncovered until the apples are soft and the brown sugar has melted into a syrup, an additional 20 to 30 minutes. You can test the apples by poking a paring knife through the oatmeal mixture and into the interior of the apple; it should slide into the apple easily with no resistance. The skin on the apples will also become wrinkled and soft by the end of cooking.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream, crème fraîche or whipped cream.

Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave or eaten cold.

Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 25

Apple Guide The cool, crisp skies of fall are beckoning young and old to celebrate the season’s colorful finale with a trip to the many unique apple orchards of Ohio.

But, which apples to choose?

Use this guide to help direct you to a local orchard.

Need help finding a location?

Visit www.ohioapples.com, which features a special “Find An Orchard” search engine that lets you search by region, county, name, favorite activities, or even search for a specific apple variety you need for a particular recipe.

To maximize your appleeating experience, follow these easy tips for selecting, storing and preparing apples.

• Select apples that are bruise-free and handle apples gently to prevent bruising.

• Select apples that are firm to the touch for the best flavor and crunchiness.

• Store apples in the refrigerator to slow ripening and maintain flavor.

• Wash individually sold apples in cool water before serving.

• Store apples away from strong-smelling foods to prevent them from absorbing unpleasant odors.

• Coat apple slices and dices in a mixture of one part lemon juice to three parts water – or Vitamin C-fortified 100-percent apple juice – to retard browning.

• For the best apple experience, pick the right apple for the apple treat you are planning.

Please remember that not every orchard grows every variety of apple, so contact your orchard to see what they have available, and what’s ripe.

1 pound = 4 small apples OR 3 medium apples OR about 2 large apples 1 9” or 10” pie = 2-1/2 pounds (4-5 large OR 6-7 medium OR 8-9 small apples) 1 pound, sliced = about 2-3/4 cups 1 pound diced = about 3 cups 1 peck = 10-1/2 pounds 1 bushel = 42 pounds Information from Ohio Apple Association

26 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

Liberty

A hybrid apple developed fo disease resistance, Liberty is dark red and makes a fine pinkish applesauce. Fabulous for fresh eating, juice and sauce, this crunchy, mildly tart apple is much like an easy to grow version of McIntosh.

McIntosh

Spicy and tender, this white-fleshed apple is an excellent all-purpose apple. It’s available September through March and is best frozen as sauce .

Honeycrisp

Crispy and sweet, Honeycrisp may be Ohio’s favorite eating apple. Also wonderful for pies, its strengths do not include sauces. Available September through October.

Ginger Gold

Greenish-yellow with a smooth finish, the Ginger Gold is tart and crisp. It’s best for eating and on salads, but shouldn’t be used in baking. Available August through September.

Red Delicious

One of the more dark red apples in color, there’s a reason Red Delicious was always the quintessential teacher’s treat. Sweet and rich, it’s best eaten out of your hand or on a salad.

But, keep it out of your pies. Available September through June.

Gala

Sweet and firm, the Gala is similar to the Golden Delicious in flavor wityh more red color. It can be frozen in slices and is excellent for eating raw and baking, but it’s not recommended for sauces. Available September through June.

Pristine

A small, lemoncolored apple with a beautiful finish, this early apple is best for eating fresh. It’s sweet and the perfect snack.

Wolf River

Named after where it was found (Wolf River, Wisc.), this famous heirloom apple is known for its huge size — often weighing up to a pound. Perfect for cooking, it holds its shape well and doesn’t need much sugar.

Cortland

The flesh of this beautifully striped apple remains white when sliced. Although it’s not recommended for freezing, the Cortland is excellent for eating, salads, baking and sauces. It’s available September through November.

Rome

Mild and firm, the Rome Apple is an excellent storage apple. Its best for pies and baking and freezes well in slices. Available October through June.

Jonagold

Light red with a yellow background in color, this sweet and tangy apple is excellent for eating, on salads and baking. It’s not recommended for freezing.

In season October through January.

Enterprise

A modern apple developed for disease resistance, the Enterprise is a mix of Golden Delicious, McIntosh and Rome — as well as a crab apple.

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Fall 2013­| Salt | 29

Drew Hastings hopes that someday he can return the historic Bell’s Opera House in Hillsboro to its previous grandeur.

Someday, Hillsboro’s crowning piece once more

Drew Hastings dreams of restoring a southern Ohio opera house to its former glory Story and photos by Gary Abernathy Sitting atop a row of storefronts in downtown Hillsboro is an edifice that once played host to some of the most famous and entertaining actors, singers and artists of the turn of the 20th century.

According to a history compiled by Hillsboro historian Jean Wallis and featured in a 1995 book on Highland County’s past, Bell’s Opera House became a reality thanks to the benevolence of its namesake, Hillsboro businessman C.S. Bell.

Bell was the owner of the C.S. Bell Company, which, in an iconic partnering of namesake and product, became the largest bell producer in the world, manufacturing bells that made their way across the country and around the world, including for military purposes on the fleets of the U.S. Navy.

When it came to an opera house, “For many years, Bell had contemplated the erection of such a building; however, he was confronted with the fact that to erect such a building for the needs of the town would mean the outlay of a large sum of money, from which he could not hope to realize a profit,” according to Wallis.

Opening night was such a highly anticipated affair that it was stretched over two nights, as this old poster attests. The theater held 1,000 patrons.

Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 29

So, Bell enlisted the help of the people of Hillsboro, who bought subscriptions that allowed the purchasing of the lots where the ornate theater was built at a cost of $40,000.

Bell’s Opera House opened its doors on Nov. 20, 1895, featuring a comedy-drama called “Friends,” by Edward Milton Royle, who attended the opening. The grand opening was filled with pomp and circumstance, featuring both local dignitaries and representatives from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Chillicothe, Blanchester, Middletown, Washington Court House, Wilmington, Marysville, Ky., and even Chicago.

Not only was a play performed on opening night, but a full orchestra was on hand, too, which was “in rare form and was highly complimented by Mr. Royle,” according to Wallis’ history.

Through the years, the opera house played host to events including operas and operettas, musical, comedy and dramatic plays, touring road shows, and just about any type of entertainment that required a stage and an audience.

Eventually, Hillsboro fell off the show business touring circuit. For many years, the opera house was used as a movie house – one of at least three in Hillsboro at the time – and was known as New Bell’s Theatre.

But after the then-luxurious Colony Theatre opened in 1938, competing movie houses in Hillsboro eventually faded away over the course of the next decade or so.

Bell’s Opera House was purchased in 1952 by Si and Lenora Gordon, who conducted occasional tours of the facility and held a July 1995 celebration commemorating the facility’s 100th anniversary.

The opera house stayed in the Gordon family for many years, but time took its toll on the facility since it was no longer being utilized. The laughter, applause, music and entertainment that once filled its walls with merriment were replaced by deterioration, silence and darkness.

Meanwhile, around 2005, a nationally-known standup comedian named Drew Hastings was looking for a place to settle down. After years of traveling the country from city to city, venue to venue, the 6’6 funnyman with the spiky hairdo and horn-rimmed glasses, who had grown up in the DaytonCincinnati region, heard from a friend about a pleasant community called Hillsboro.

“I’ve always had a lot of Appalachian influences in my life,” says Hastings, who is the first male member of his family not to work in the steel mills or coal mines of West Virginia.

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, but raised in Ohio by his British mother, Pam, Hastings spent his “coming of age years” in the Dayton suburb of Kettering, where residents there had “huge Appalachian backgrounds.”

A natural entrepreneur, he started a trucking and warehousing company at the age of 23 which helped pay for college.

Four years later, he created a successful records and file storage center.

But at the age of 33 — later in life than most in the profession — Hastings decided to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a standup comedian. So Hastings took the plunge and began his career as a struggling comic. He toured the Midwest for a decade, working to build a fan base and honing his craft.

In the mid-1990s, he moved to Los Angeles and appeared on numerous television shows, including “The Tonight Show,” as well as a number of sitcom pilots. He starred in a one-man television show, “Drew Hastings: Irked and Miffed,” that was a staple on TV’s Comedy Central.

After more than a decade in Los Angeles, he decided to move back to Southern Ohio and base his touring from the part of the country where he felt at home.

Hastings says, “I never felt comfortable in Los Angeles.”

He purchased a cattle farm about eight miles outside of 30 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

When the opera house was turned into a movie theater, one of the popular attractions screened there was the 1939 film, “That’s Right, You’re Wrong,” featuring Kay Kyser and his band.

Hillsboro, but soon turned his attention to town itself, becoming more involved with the people in the community. In 2006, Hastings helped raise $5,000 for the Colony Theatre, once a grand movie house in the middle of Hillsboro, by performing a benefit concert.

Spending more time in Hillsboro, Hastings noticed several vacant or underutilized uptown properties that were structurally sound and, in some cases, historically significant. Some were near the point of no return. Putting to use the rewards of what had become a successful career in comedy, Hastings began purchasing buildings in the uptown district.

In every case, Hastings points out, “I was not the winning bidder. I was the only bidder.”

In 2007, Hastings made his first investment in the city, purchasing the abandoned Armory building, renovating it, and placing it back on the market for a business location. Today, it is home to a bridal and formal wear shop.

That same year, he also purchased the historic Bell’s Opera House from the Gordon family, and completely renovated the first floor commercial storefronts where various businesses now operate. But the upstairs opera house is a project he dreams of completing.

Where most people look around the spacious interior of the opera house theater and see the debris, rubble and dust that have accumulated over the decades, Hastings sees possibilities.

He hopes to someday restore the facility, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, to its former glory.

To that end, Hastings sought and won a $250,000 state grant that allowed him to weatherize and repair damage to the opera house, as well as install gutters and some windows, at least preventing further erosion for now.

“That was a Godsend,” says Hastings.

He hoped to continue to invest more money into the building, but got sidetracked by another project — running for mayor of Hillsboro.

After several years of buying property in Hillsboro and restoring old buildings to a usable and attractive condition, Hastings decided to get even more involved in a community he had come to feel was a permanent home, after years of wandering the country.

And so in November of 2011, Hillsboro voters elected Hastings their mayor.

The various issues and challenges of the mayor’s office have left little time for personal projects like the opera house restoration.

And much like C.S. Bell felt when he constructed the building more than 100 years ago, Hastings realizes that the investment to restore it may never yield a profit.

But he hasn’t left that dream behind. In fact, he sees the return to grandeur of the opera house as a key component in revitalizing Hillsboro.

“I don’t see it as a renovation that by itself is going to jumpstart Hillsboro’s uptown district,” says Hastings. “But I do see it as a crowning piece when we get other economic development in place.”

As this old receipt attests, Bell’s Opera House was a member of a New York Broadway theater company.

Hastings examines an old electric circuit board backstage at the old opera house.

At the entrance of the opera house along South High Street, Hastings has put together a display of old handbills, photographs and other items from the theater’s past.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 31

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The five winners in each of the categories of the Fifth Fayette County Cook-Off: Erin Weber, Best in Show and First Place, Main Dish; Bridget Sollars, First Place Dessert; Rebekah Milstead, First Place, Holiday Favorites; Renee Newland, First Place, Kids in the Kitchen; and Lisa Newland; First Place, Side Dish and Gary Brock, publisher of the Record Herald.

Fayette County Cook-Off Winners

By Ryan Carter In her first time entering the RecordHerald Fayette County Cook-Off contest, Erin Weber won first place Sept. 17 in the “Best in Show” category with her cherry almond glazed pork loin dish.

“It feels great to win,” said Weber. “It’s exciting. This dish is something I make usually during the holidays. I knew it was good, but being new, I had no idea how it would do. I had actually entered a few other dishes and this is the one they called me about.”

She had been called the Friday before the contest by the Record-Herald telling her that her recipe had been picked by judges as a finalist in the Main Dish category — which she subsequently won during the final judging.

The winning entry is a pork loin that’s roasted and then basted with a sauce of cherry preserves, apple cider vinegar, almonds, scallions, corn syrup and a little bit of nutmeg.

Weber, of Washington C.H., said she enjoyed her very first Fayette County CookOff, which was held at the Crown Room Banquet Center. She qualified for Best in Show by taking first place in the Main Dish category. Weber will receive a cash prize from the Record-Herald for her accomplishment.

The winners in each category were: Kids in the Kitchen, Renee Newland for her chocolate overload; Main Dish, Erin Weber, cherry almond glazed pork loin; Side Dish,

Members of the audience at the Fayette County Cook-Off waited until the judges were finished tasting all the dishes before sampling the cuisine themselves.

Lisa Newland for her cheese ranch potatoes; Dessert, Bridget Sollars for her Margarita cheese cake; and Holiday Favorites, Rebekah Milstead, for her Christmas casserole.

The judges for this year’s Cook-Off were Rene Lopez, the head chef at the Rusty Keg and Crown Room Banquet Center; Gary Campbell, food services director for the Miami Trace Local School District; and Barbara Coil, head cook for the Washington City School District.

The master of ceremonies was again Harry Wright.

More than 100 residents attended the annual display of Fayette County culinary talents. During the evening, a number of door prizes were awarded donated by local businesses, and a United Way Silent Auction was held throughout the evening.

A record $1,935 was raised at the auction, according to United Way of Fayette County Director Whitney Gentry.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 35

Holiday memories

We asked Salt readers to tell us about their fondest or funniest memory of the holiday season.

Here’s what they shared.

Aileen L. Hamilton’s 2012 family Christmas tree.

36 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

Sandie Henley Parsons — Martinsville, Ohio Many years ago, my parents were foster parents.

We had two little boys with us. My mom took us shopping while Dad put up the new artificial tree. When we returned, the littlest one, Robbie, said, “Daddy, why is the Christmas tree upside down?” Dad laughed and said, “Well that’s what’s wrong.” He had put it up exactly upside down. We all laughed and then helped Dad put it up right.

Randy Nace — Webb City, M.O. (formerly of Manchester) I loved going to Rudds in Blue Creek to look at all the Christmas lights as a kid; and also, on snow days, sledding down the hill behind the old Manchester High School. Those are some fond memories.

Jessica Ward — Frankfort, Ohio My husband getting down on one knee by the Christmas tree with my whole family there to ask me to marry him.

Kristina Mock — Washington Court House, Ohio My mom finding me asleep by the Christmas tree with a flashlight. I used it to try to see through the wrapping paper. It must be a new tradition, because my daughter now does the same thing.

Brendangary Pollard — Bloomingburg, Ohio My grandma kept all the presents in the back room, and it was locked. One day, a few of us cousins got in and unwrapped the gifts to see what they were. Almost got by with it. We accidentally put the wrong gift tag on one.

Chasity Watkins — formerly of Peebles Every single year as a kid I looked forward to Rudds Christmas display. It’s so sad that my children never got to experience it.

Darcy Butler Johnson — Montville, Ohio My fondest memory was when my grandfather, Edmund Mills, read “The Night Before Christmas” every year before anyone was able to open presents, and the special way he always decorated the presents he wrapped. My grandfather is now in Heaven, but I will never forget how special he made our Christmases growing up. Thank you, Grandpa.

Tonya Boldman My whole big family having a big Thanksgiving meal together. Then, that night, we all put up the Christmas tree together, and eat on all those leftovers while we’re trimming the tree and other lights. I still do this with my kids.

Lurajean Powell-Cravens Wilmington in the early 80s. Holiday dinners at my Grandpa Paul Powell’s house on Kay Drive. He once brought me here from Hawaii when I was a little girl, and Wilmington was the first place I had ever seen snow.

Grandpa had these hanging decorations of the 12 days of Christmas that dangled over the dining room table. I loved these little disclike decorations. Years later, he gave them to me when he moved out to Arizona. Grandpa Paul was also the first person to ever point out Santa Claus and his reindeer flying through the sky. I swear, to this day, I saw Santa that night.

Aileen L. Hamilton — Blanchester We had just moved here from Indiana last year, in 2012. My husband, Craig, decided to start a new family tradition and have a real, live tree. For one who wants to make his dollar stretch, he insisted we don’t get a fresh tree from the store, but a tree from a tree farm with root ball and all. That way it wouldn’t have to be tossed after Christmas, and we would get to enjoy it longer by planting it in our backyard when the holidays were over.

We picked their tallest, widest tree available on what seemed to be the coldest day of the season. The tree farm wrapped our beautiful tree’s root ball in burlap and used a forklift to gently set it in the back of our truck. We were so excited to get it home.

Once we got home, we realized what a pain it was to get this tree in the house — it must’ve weighed over 200 pounds. Carrying it up the front porch steps, it was so heavy and extremely awkward to work with.

At one point, he lost his grip and accidentally dropped the tree on me, and as I fell flat on my back with the tree pinned on top of me, I felt every prick and every needle pressed against my cheeks. It was so comedic, I remember shouting in pain and laughing hysterically at our predicament at the same time.

Handling the tree itself was so painful, I remember putting on my thickest winter jacket and oven mitts on my hands to keep from getting pricked anymore. Finally dragging it through the house, our backs were in so much pain, but we still had to lift this tree up high enough to get it in the galvanized tub that we purchased for it.

Even though this experience made us decide that we were going to use an artificial tree from here on out, we both agreed that this was the most beautiful, exquisite tree we’ve ever had!

Jerrica Ruble Christmas with my Grandpa Ruble. He would get a ridiculous amount of ice icicles (the long silver pieces of decorations) to decorate the tree, and he would let my brother and me decorate the tree. We always got a real tree that touched the ceiling, but because we were just kids, the bottom of the tree was the only part decorated — and the ice icicles made a mess, but Grandpa Ruble didn’t care.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 37

A winter meal

Salt reader Barb Regan, of Wilmington, recently shared this photo she snapped outside her home last winter of two birds — including a cardinal, Ohio’s state bird — grabbing a bite on a snowy morning. Email your nature photos to editor@thesaltmagazine.com.

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38 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

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Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 39

There’s a fork for that Story and photos by Pat Lawrence

Once upon a time — beginning a couple hundred years ago, before pizza and Lean Cuisine and paper plates — there was an exquisite silver serving utensil designed specifically to serve each of the day’s fashionable foods.

Every piece could be appreciated not only for its clever, purposeful size and shape, but also for the pure beauty of its design.

For those of means, meals were sophisticated, multi-course affairs and dining was an extended, elaborate ritual. Specialized serving pieces were created to complement luxury foods.

Some dishes were prized because they were new, like oysters and ice cream.

Others were significant because they were rare or expensive, like caviar, or because they were perishable, like butter, sugar and oranges. Some foods were impressive because they were imported, like Italian macaroni.

In bringing out her collection of silver, a hostess displayed her good taste — and wealth. Guests proved themselves worthy by demonstrating dexterity with the elaborate utensils.

I only wish I could have been there.

Today, salad kits at 24-hour grocery stores even come packed with their own plastic fork, but in the 1800s, lettuce was not only fresh, scarce and perishable, green salads were thought of as French and therefore, quite fancy. Lettuce was served respectfully with a long-handled sterling lettuce fork.

For decades, dinners commenced with raw oysters, followed by a choice of one or two soups, then fish, then the meat entrée, then the salad last, served with cheese, bread and butter. Next came dessert, fruits and bon-bons.

Every sauce, every condiment, every drink had its own ladle, from the small mustard or horseradish ladles to magnificently embellished punch ladles. There was a specific spoon for virtually every possibility.

It does seem a tad excessive.

Still, as carpenters and auto mechanics can testify, having the right tool for the job makes any project more successful.

The delicate tines in a strawberry fork are exactly right for eating fresh strawberries, and perfect vehicles for holding the strawberry while it’s dipped in whipped cream. A pea spoon is conveniently pierced, allowing the liquid to drain into the serving bowl so the diner’s plate isn’t 40 | Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

An antique tea set.

ished to a fine luster — a legion of support flooded. Aspics slice cleanly and effectively utensils helped serve a proper “cuppa.” with the sharply curved blade of an aspic A lemon fork was essential; the tiny, twoknife. Savory beef marrow is best captured tined implements are perfectly designed with a marrow scoop and, to grasp a spear to pierce the rind of a fresh lemon. The of asparagus, nothing beats asparagus delivery of sugar to its desired location was tongs. Cheese scoops are quite efficient for the basis of an entire subset soft cheeses.

Most folks grab a knife or the Surprisingly, of utensils: sugar nips, sugar sugar shovels, sugar nearest table spoon for jelly, but potato soup tongs, shells, sugar shakers, sugar sifta genuine jelly server is much really does ers and a spectacular selection more effective for placing jelly spoons, simple or sublime. just where it’s wanted. A jelly/ taste better of Tea gradually expanded to a cake server — longer and slimmer than the traditional triangu- from a cream full blown culinary event and pieces multiplied to lar cake server — is tailor-made soup spoon. serving accommodate the affair. Nuts for presenting special confecand bon-bons, petits-fours and tions and an exceedingly elegant finger sandwiches, cakes, pies and sweet way to serve a jelly roll cake. breads all required their own server.

Oyster forks — essential because oysters It was considered extremely impolite were often served as the first course on to pick up food with the fingers, so tongs both sides of the ocean — were designed for every possible permutation of sweets for either half shell removal or baked offeror sandwiches propagated in astonishing ings. Each type of soup-bouillon, cream numbers. soup, or chowder, had an accompanying Bon-bon spoons seemed to open an spoon of specific shape and size. especially creative vein for Victorian silver Surprisingly, potato soup really does designers. Intricate chasing, undulating pattaste better from a cream soup spoon. terns and exquisite filigree made bon-bon After England’s adoption of tea as the national drink, paraphernalia for tea service spoons the epitome of elegant hospitality.

That spoon at the antique store that proliferated. Besides an array of gleaming doesn’t look like a spoon anyone could ever vessels and trays for the actual tea — plus use is probably a bon-bon. tea caddies, infusers and strainers all pol-

We may scoff at their excess, but Victorians were the yuppies of their time; they wanted the latest and best of everything. When canning was introduced, sardines were the first food available in the new way, so sardines were a status symbol.

Sardine servers, generally forks with seven very small tines, became an absolute necessity.

The first potato chips, called Saratoga chips, precipitated the need for an appropriate server, a short handled scoop.

In the 1880s, strawberry forks became a hot item when new strains of cultivated strawberries — a vast improvement over wild strawberries — came to market.

Strawberries were served with cream, whipped cream, sour cream, plain sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, cinnamon or nutmeg. Berries, fresh, perishable and so highly valued, demanded berry scoops for serving, berry spoons for eating and boxed berry sets for consumption of the improved produce.

Fruit was an important part of any meal, so there were fruit knives, citrus spoons for oranges and grapefruit and, of course, melon spoons and forks.

Ice cream was another innovation, necessitating both ice cream forks — usually with three tines — and ice cream spoons, smaller than teaspoons and often with a fancy bowl.

If cake was served with the ice cream, ice

From left, a strawberry spoon, a standard table spoon and a cherry spoon.

cream forks were used. If it was served with sauce, nuts or whipped cream, the spoon was customary. Ice cream was often sliced with an ice cream saw rather than scooped.

Sorbet spoons and parfait spoons were an additional option.

In the 1800s, chocolate was coarser, much less refined and required constant stirring

to keep it from settling to the bottom of the cup. Muddlers, a sort of swizzle stick, solved the problem as did the rounded chocolate spoons produced for both tall and regular chocolate cups. Hot chocolate naturally required its own serving pot, taller and slimmer than either a tea or coffee pot.

Before refrigeration was the norm, fresh fruits and vegetables weren’t available through the year. In summer, a variety of olives, relishes, chutneys, jams and jellies were prepared for winter, and an array of vegetables and fruits — including peaches and pears — were pickled.

Competitive hostesses displayed the results of their culinary talents in beautiful silver and glass vessels known as pickle casters. Guests sampled the wares using wildly diverse decorative pickle forks and pickle spoons, and a pickle fork was always included in a full silver service pattern.

The Victorians took silver serving pieces to the extreme, but our colonial forefathers weren’t slouches.

In the 1700s, most New World immigrants brought their wealth with them in the traditionally expedient form of silver objects which fulfilled both a social and a financial function. The early American economy was based on silver; it was precious, flexible and didn’t fluctuate in value like currency.

The 1840 invention of silver-plating, where an inexpensive metal is coated with

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a thin layer of silver, made basic eating utensils available for most Americans. The discovery in 1857 of the Comstock silver lode in Nevada initiated a silver explosion on American dining tables that continued with the economic boom following the Civil War. With unlimited materials and a wide open market, America’s “gilded age” lasted through the turn of the 20th century.

With the onset of the Great Depression, the popularity of strawberry forks, and most of the very food-specific silver flatware, faded. Sadly, thousands of elegant serving pieces have been lost forever because of silver’s convenient convertibility. Old pieces were melted to make new ones or turned into cash.

During the 1980s, the price of silver was so high, many traded in their old family silver, pieces left to them by parents or grandparents, things they’d never used anyway. Boxes of heirloom silver pieces were sold and melted as a commodity.

It is not, perhaps, a great tragedy, but it’s certainly a great loss.

I know times change. Salt shakers have replaced salt cellars and their delightfully Lilliputian spoons. Toothpicks assumed the task once performed more gracefully by elongated olive forks. Sherry ladles are as obsolete as the footmen who once wielded them. Still, I will not give up my

From left, a macaroni server, a Saratoga cracker server and a pudding spoon.

strawberry forks. I reserve the right to serve my guests with a proper pudding spoon. If the need for canned fish arises, I am fully prepared — with sardine forks and sardine tongs. And, if you should bring caviar, I happen to have a beautiful caviar spoon.

Three hours for a meal is an extravagant expense of time and ostentation was ever in bad taste, but surely we all deserve a touch of elegance, a small indulgence, like a shining, silver strawberry fork aiming a ripe berry into whipped cream.

Care to join me?

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“Feet with red toe nails that say, “Walked my feet off at Cedar Point.” We bought these at Cedar Point when we spent the day there with my brother and his family in 1988. I haven’t forgotten how exhausted we were.”

“Elvis’ blue suede shoes. My husband is a big Elvis fan and we found these when we visited Graceland in Memphis, Tenn.”

Salt’s favorite shakers “Dorothy’s red shoes. These are my grandkids’ (ages 5 and 2 ½) favorites. They look at them through the glass of the curio cabinet and ask me to get the key to open the curio so they can hold them. They dropped them and I glued them back together a couple times. They are part of a group of Wizard of Oz shaker sets.”

“False Teeth. These are my favorites because they are unique.

We found these the year we spent a small fortune having dental work done for my husband.”

Salt reader Janet Brogan, of Pittsburgh, Penn., recently shared five of her favorite salt shakers.

Janet writes: “I started collecting salt and pepper shakers 32 years ago after we bought our first house. After all – there’s all that new space that has to be filled!

Today my collection numbers 333 sets and I have curio cabinets and various shelves for them. My husband used his woodworking skills to make a beautiful oak wall shelf for a series of them that adds to the dining room décor.

When I was growing up, my mother had a small salt and pepper shaker collection which I always liked and I took the idea from her. Salt and pepper shakers are a fun collectible because they make great souvenirs when traveling. They are inexpensive and can be packed in luggage without much problem.

My most recent purchase is a set of Hershey Kisses from our trip to Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, Penn. When friends and family travel, they bring me shaker sets from different parts of the country and world and those are extra special because they think of me in their travels.

My collection has grown through the years from traveling, gifts, catalogues, flea markets, and just finding them whenever I’m shopping. I have 50 sets for the Christmas holidays. I have so many that are “cool”/different/ unique, it is difficult to narrow down my favorites to the top five.”

Thank you for sharing, Janet!

In each issue of Salt, we try to feature creative photos of Salt and/or salt and pepper shakers from our readers’ collections. Please submit photos and descriptions to editor@thesaltmagazine.com by Dec. 27, 2013 for consideration.

“The hot/cold water faucets.

These didn’t come from anywhere special but I like them because they are unique.”

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 43

Gift ideas for the book lover in your life Compiled by Books ‘N’ More

A book is a perfect gift for a family member, friend or co-worker for the holidays, and Books ‘N’ More is making the decision easy with recommendations for some of the season’s hottest reads.

BASEBALL’S GREATEST “Baseball’s Greatest” is a sports lover’s treat. Who’s the greatest slugger of all time, Babe Ruth or Ted Williams? Where do Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr. rank on the list of the best shortstops? At third base, would you rather have Mike Schmidt or Brooks Robinson? Is Fenway or Wrigley the better ballpark?

This book will end many arguments — and start some new ones. “Sports Illustrated” has polled its Major League Baseball experts to determine the ultimate Top 10 in more than 20 categories. The rankings appear alongside stunning photography and classic stories from SI’s archives. 288 pages, $32.95.

BECAUSE I SAID SO!

On a lighter note, here is a perfect gift for parents and children alike. Much of what we have been taught by our parents is sometimes questionable.

Ken Jennings wants to find out if parents always know best. All those years you were told not to sit too close to the television or swallow your gum or crack your knuckles are called into question by our country’s leading trivia guru. Jennings separates myth from fact to debunk a wide variety of parental edicts. Armed with medical case histories, scientific findings, and even the occasional experiment on himself (or his kids), Jennings exposes countless examples of parental wisdom run amok. 272 pages, $15.

IT CAN’T BE TRUE!

Trivia lovers will enjoy “It Can’t Be True!” The moon is the same size as Australia. A blue whale’s heart is as large as a car. It sounds weird, but it’s true. From animals and the human body to buildings and outer space, this quirky

44| Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013

book combines the latest CGI and photographic imagery with impossible-to-believe, accurate facts about just about everything. Children will enjoy these fun facts and impressive figures, and incredulous adults will be flabbergasted by these crazy factoids. 192 pages, $19.99.

THE GOODS

People who love puzzles will thoroughly enjoy this compilation of fun for readers of all ages, created by McSweeney’s.

Featuring some of children’s literature’s best-known and loved authors and illustrators, this book offers unremitting amusement in a literary funfair of games, puzzles, comics, and other diversions. Thoughtfully conceived and visually unsurpassable,“The Goods” will captivate both adults and children. 96 pages, $22.99.

JUST JOKING COLLECTOR’S SET

Middle grade kids love jokes. This awesome set is packed with 900 silly jokes that kids love, paired with photos of laughing animals and funny people. Each hilarious party-starter is perfect for tossing into a backpack to share with friends at school or camp. The set also includes a free poster. Full color.

Ages 7 to 12, 624 pages, $23.95.

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Anyone looking for fresh ideas for the home can become a “quick change” artist, with the first in a brand-new series from “House Beautiful”!

This stunningly photographed book brims with simple, smart suggestions for transforming any room in your house — and outdoor spaces, too.

Each chapter covers a different technique or style, and all the ideas require little time or money. 288 pages, $24.95.

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Reader recipes

THE FAMOUS WOOLWORTH ICE BOX CHEESECAKE Amy Hupp Wilmington, Ohio Ingredients: 1 (3 ounce) package lemon Jell-O 1 cup boiling water 8 ounces cream cheese 1 cup granulated sugar 5 tablespoons lemon juice 1 can Carnation Evaporated milk, well chilled Graham crackers, crushed Directions: Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Cool until slightly thickened. Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice with mixer until smooth. Add thickened Jell-O and beat well.

In a separate bowl, beat the Carnation milk until fluffy. Add cream cheese/Jell-O mixture and beat well with mixer.

Line bottom of 9 x 13-pan with crushed Graham crackers.

Spread filling over and top with more crushed Graham crackers. Chill.

SIMPLE FRENCH DIP Diana Cullen Morgan Butlerville, Ohio Ingredients: 1 can of dark beer 1 can of French onion soup 1 can of beef broth 3 lb. of beef (any cheap cut) Directions: Place everything in crockpot and cook overnight. French dips will be ready for lunch. The Au jus is in the pot. All you need is the bun.

FUDGE PUDDLES Jami Scanlon Grove City, Ohio “I made these several times last winter for friends as a gift or a pick me up.

Everyone loves them!”

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup white sugar

Salt readers share their favorite fall and holiday dishes

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup pecan halves Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars. Mix in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into creamed mixture. Shape the dough into 48 balls, one inch each. Place each ball in one compartment of a mini muffin tin.

For filling, put chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir in milk and vanilla, mix well.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately make wells in the center of each using a melon baller. Cool in pan for 5 minutes.

Then carefully remove to wire racks. Using a measuring cup fill each shell with the chocolate mixture. Top with a pecan half.

Yield: Four dozen WALDORF SALAD Susan Kocher Wilmington, Ohio Ingredients: Six medium red delicious apples, diced 1 medium can chunk pineapple, drained (reserve juice) 1 cup chopped large walnuts Optional: Celery, grapes 8 ounces cream cheese 1/2 can cream cheese icing Directions: Place apples, walnuts and pineapple (and celery/grapes if used) in bowl with pineapple on top.

In separate bowl, combine cream cheese, icing and enough pineapple juice until blendable. Pour sauce over apple mixture, stir in and refrigerate until ready for use.

PUMPKIN STREUSEL CAKE Diana Groves Wilmington, Ohio Cake: One box of yellow cake mix 15 ounce can of pumpkin 3 eggs 1 stick butter, softened Streusel: 1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon 6 Tbsp. soft butter Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine streusel well. Mix together cake and beat for two minutes on medium speed. Spread half cake mixture on bottom of 13” x 9” ungreased pan. Drop by teaspoon half of the streusel mixture on middle cake level.

Do next level same way. Bake 40-45 minutes.

CINNAMON ROLL CHEESE BALL Diana Groves Wilmington, Ohio “This recipe makes a small cheese ball, so I always double the recipe.”

Cheese ball: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/3 cup cinnamon chips * Combine the above ingredient and chill for at least two hours.

Topping: 1 1/4 Tbsp. cinnamon 1 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 chopped pecans or walnuts Combine.

Form cheese mixture in a ball and cover with topping mixture by either placing topping ingredients in a big bowl and rolling the ball until covered or spreading mixture out on wax/parchment paper and rolling ball to cover. Serve cheese ball with sliced apples or graham cracker twists. * Cinnamon chips can be found in most grocery stores with the chocolate chips.

WHITE CHILI Christi Braner-Phillips Hillsboro, Ohio Ingredients: 1/4 cup real butter 1 large onion, chopped.

2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped; 1 tsp. of dried cumin; 4-6 skinless, boneless free range chicken breast 1 can (46 oz) of organic chicken broth 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 45

1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves 2 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 2 cans of great northern beans, drained.

Directions: Fry the boneless skinless chicken in extra virgin olive oil until no longer pink inside. Dice or shred chicken breast and set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat until boiling, then

reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. I usually double mine for larger crowds and serve with blue tortillas for dipping, scooping or just crumbled in & a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

CHERRY WALNUT COFFEE CAKE Sherry Mitchell Georgetown, Ohio “Our family has loved this one thanks to our piano teacher who started

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the Christmas tradition, bringing this baked good on Christmas Eve to be enjoyed on Christmas morning. We could hardly wait to eat it.

We absolutely loved it, and her too. I have admired her tenacity to keep the tradition alive for more than 35 years until she was unable to do so because of her failing health.

The recipe for her Cherry Walnut Coffee Cake was given to me upon my request in 1999 and she passed away a year ago at the age of 99.

But she lives on through this wonderful holiday tradition.”

Ingredients: 5-5 1/2 cups of flour ½ cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. grated lemon or orange peel Two packages Fleischman’s Active Dry Yeast 1 cup milk ½ cup water 1 cup (2 sticks) Fleischman’s Margarine 2 eggs (room temperature) 2 cups chopped English Walnuts 2/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries 4 tbsp. sugar Peanut (or other) oil Confectioners frosting to drizzle on top Directions: In large bowl mix 2 ½ cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, lemon peel and un-dissolved yeast. On stove top combine milk, water and margarine in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until very warm (120130 degrees) Margarine does not need to completely melt.

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utes with mixer at medium speed.

Stir in enough flour to make stiff dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a towel. Set aside for 20 minutes. Combine walnuts, cherries, and 4 tbsp. of cherry juice to make mixture easier to spread.

Turn dough onto heavily floured surface, kneed briefly, and then divide into 2-3 or 4 parts. Roll each part into rectangle. Spread with cherry filling. Roll up from long sides like a jelly roll. Pinch seams to seal. Place roll on a greased baking sheet. Cut diagonal slits about 1” apart, 2/3 of way through. Pull cut piece out alternating left right. (Looks a mess). Cover lightly with oil then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2-24 hours.

When ready to bake remove from refrigerator, uncover and let stand at room temperature at least 10 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees, 25-30 minutes if large rolls. If smaller rolls, bake 20 minutes. Remove from sheets and cool on wire rack.

Frost with icing. Top with cherry and nuts for color.

These freeze very well with or without icing so you can make them ahead for any occasion.

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Olde Wayside Signature Recipes HAM LOAF Ingredients: 3 pounds ground ham 1 1/2 pounds ground pork 5 eggs 1 cup crushed pineapple 3 cups crushed corn flakes 1/2 cup sugar Directions: Mix well. Bake at 450 degrees for 1 hour.

Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup raisins 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch Directions: Heat pineapple juice, raisins and brown sugar.

Add cornstarch to thicken.

Pour over ham loaf.

CORNBREAD Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups self-rising cornmeal 1 cup self-rising flour 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup milk Directions: Stir — it will be like cake mix — and pour into a hot, greased iron skillet. Bake at 350 to 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

TRANSPARENT PIE Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 cup cream 1 stick margarine Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

The Olde Wayside Inn, located on state Route 41 in West Union, serves up home-style cooking Monday through Friday.

Historic inn still serving community after 209 years Compiled by Carleta Weyrich The Olde Wayside Inn, 209 years old, is celebrating 50 years under the care of the Grace and William Lafferty family.

During its two centuries of existence in West Union, many businesses have occupied the building, several of them being inns for travelers passing through the town.

Fifty years ago, in 1963, Grace wanted to open another inn to serve residents and travelers, and offer them good home-cooked food and comfortable rooms. She and her husband, William, oversaw extensive renovations and opened The Olde Wayside Inn in August of 1963. The Lafferty family had owned the building for most of the years since the daughter of a former owner, when it was called the Marlatt House, eloped with William Voris Lafferty in 1854.

David Bradford Sr. built what was then called the “Bradford House” in 1804.

It was believed to be the first hotel or inn in the new Adams County seat.

Bradford was among the earliest settlers of the county and also served many years as county treasurer. The oldest records of him in the

Sheltered from the hustle and bustle outside, guests step back in time to a more relaxed atmosphere when they dine at The Olde Wayside Inn.

county are dated 1798 when he moved to the old county seat of Washington at the mouth of Ohio Brush Creek.

There, he opened a tavern and operated it until 1804 when the seat of justice was moved to West Union.

Thirty-five years ago, in 1977, an Ohio Historical Marker was placed in front of the inn by the Ohio Historical Society and Adams County Historical Society. It was the first

such marker to be placed in Adams County.

According to the marker, the inn served some wellknown guests, including Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay and Santa Anna.

After 1840, it continued as the Marlatt House until it was operated by Robert Lawler as the Commercial Hotel from 1904 to 1919.

Grace and William Lafferty later renamed the structure The Olde Wayside Inn after restoring it.

In his Defender column “Lore, Legends and Landmarks of Old Adams,” historian Stephen Kelley tells the “inside” story of The Olde Wayside Inn. His history reveals that, while Fields Marlatt owned the tavern, his daughter, Margaret, eloped with William V. Lafferty, an undertaker in the village since 1848. The marriage took place in 1856, and two years later, Lafferty leased the inn from Malott and changed the name to the Lafferty House.

The couple “thoroughly renovated and re-fitted” (according to a newspaper of that time) the 54-year-old structure and built a livery stable, Kelley wrote. They operated the tavern through the Civil War years.

After Marlatt died in 1866, the Laffertys inherited at Fall/Holiday 2013 | Salt | 47

According to the marker, the inn served some well-known guests, including Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay and Santa Anna.

The Wayside was the first historical site in Adams County to be honored with an Ohio Historical Society Marker.

least part of the business. However, during the 1860s, the Laffertys began to lease the tavern out to various individuals, including Thomas Graham, who ran the business under the old name of Marlatt House.

Kelley’s story continued as John Crawford became proprietor of the tavern by 1879, calling it the Crawford House. It was while he operated the

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business that a man was shot and killed in front of the tavern during a political argument. It was the day following the 1888 election of Benjamin Harrison to the presidency.

A teenager by the name of Albert Adamson was too young to vote, but had decided he was going to follow the Democratic Party. The Republicans were celebrating the victory, several being on the streets and sidewalks near the tavern. Adamson and a staunch Republican, Samuel Greenlee, got into an argument over the election.

Adamson unexpectedly pulled out a gun and shot Greenlee several times.

Greenlee was carried to the office of Dr. William Kirker Coleman, which was located in a wing of the Crawford House. Greenlee died there. Adamson was cleared of a charge of murder in the incident, claiming self defense.

However, he later was murdered in Cincinnati, according to Kelley.

The tavern went through several other name changes including the Broadway Hotel, Downey House and New Commercial Hotel before the Laffertys sold it to Robert W. Lawler in 1904. In 1919, the Lafferty’s grandson, Latour Lafferty purchased the tavern and leased it to several different individuals as a restaurant.

Upon Latour Lafferty’s death in 1933, his son, William Lafferty, inherited the tavern. He was a fourth-generation mortician and operated his funeral business in part of the structure. In 1935, he and Grace purchased a home on Cherry Street and moved the funeral business there.

With this historical past, several rumors of ghost activity have quietly circulated in the community about the former tavern.

Oliver and Ethel O’Brien Haas operated The Palm Restaurant in rented space within the tavern building from 1938 almost to the end of World War II. Several other businesses were operated in the structure, including a shoe repair shop, a car dealership and a loan agency. Another restaurant was located there in the early 1960s until the era of Grace Lafferty.

Grace was an excellent cook, having prepared meals for most of her life. She loved to cook and did so very easily — for her family of five children, her husband, her father who made his home with them, and for the employees of their family business.

She was often chairperson for community, school and church dinners, so she applied all of this knowledge to the establishment of this new restaurant in West Union. Grace’s first thought was to open a “Tea Room,” but somehow this idea grew into a restaurant with three dining rooms, and five sleeping rooms on the second floor, and eventually 12 more motel units in the area behind The Olde Wayside Inn. She knew that she wanted “down home” food for the menu, so Grace stressed that the chicken would be panfried in iron skillets, the biscuits and yeast rolls were home-made, the beans and cornbread were just like “home,” the noodles were rolled out by Grace personally, and those two desserts that became her trademark — transparent

The staff of the Wayside, with Grace Lafferty at the far end, celebrates the 1976 Bicentennial with a Wells Fargo stage coach owned by Will and Doris Green of Orient. Grace made the outfits for the ladies.

The late Grace Lafferty celebrates Christmas at her beloved Wayside Inn.

pie and apple dumplings — were available most days to the patrons.

Grace used the history of the inn to enhance her business. She named various rooms of the inn in honor of the dignitaries who had stayed there during its existence, including Thomas Hart Benton, Mexican General Santa Anna, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. She had her employees dress in long calico skirts and white aprons with little white colonial ruffled caps — so the public always had a unique experience when eating at the inn.

Grace retired at the age of 80 in 1994. Several managers of The Olde Wayside Inn have carried on the business through these past 19 years, years that have seen increased competition for “dining dollars” in West Union.

When Grace opened the doors 50 years ago there were no fast food eateries like there are now. But the old inn is still serving meals five days a week, from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., and for reserved special occasions.

The current manager, Eileen Jones, worked for Grace for many years, and she still provides the fried chicken and cornbread and homemade noodles like they were served 50 years ago.

Even though Grace passed away six years ago, Eileen and The Olde Wayside Inn are welcoming guests in the inn’s 51st year.

Elaine Lafferty also contributed to this story.

Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 49

Put a little ‘heART’ into your gifts this season

By Beverly Drapalik Who doesn’t want to give unique and meaningful gifts?

If you missed Orion’s exhibit at the Corn Festival or the showing at the Harcum Gallery, take “heART.” You still have an opportunity to shop at Pieces Of heART Studio.

This studio, launched by Orion in March 2012, is a nonprofit, collaborative effort supporting artists with disabilities. It offers whimsical, funky art pieces created by individual artists. Students also collaborate on art projects.

In addition to studio offerings, the artists can customize art for homes and businesses. Their amazing art brings smiles to toddlers and senior citizens alike.

Jennifer Steele directs the studio. She has worked at Orion for 20 years, and now she has found her “dream job.”

She says, “Seeing the artists grow artistically and socially with their new-found confidence brings me such joy!”

Her personal involvement with painting, weaving, sculpting and painting allows her to introduce her students to many art forms.

One visit to the studio proves that these students have talent in the fiber arts.

Pieces Of heART Studio now sells creations at local festivals as well as on Etsy and Facebook.

The hope of its staff is to open their own studio space “in town,” becoming accessible to the community.

They actually have been a valuable part of the community for years. Students at Orion assembled the giveaway bags for the Taste of Home Cook Show, which is now known as the Salt Market Place and Cook Show, held every two years in Wilmington.

Today, this studio affects the community on a larger scale. The artists “give back to the community, donating works of art to various charities and fundraisers.”

When an artist sells a piece of art, he becomes an independent contractor and keeps a substantial percentage of the sale. The studio keeps a small percentage for purchasing needed supplies.

The studio “up-cycles” everything from suitcases to old jeans to bowling balls. One-of-kind items that would ordinarily be headed to a landfill become wonderful creations and stoke the pride of the artists at Orion.

If you would like to volunteer, sewing and framing help is needed. If you want to visit the studio, Jennifer says, “We love meeting new people.”

The studio will be open during Homespun Christmas. Maybe you could find a gift that truly has “heART.”

Artist Dan hard at work.

Pieces Of heART Studio

Jennifer Steele, Studio Coordinator 4425 State Route 730 Wilmington, OH 45177 937-382-6674 Piecesofheart.studio@yahoo.com jsteele@nikecenter.org

A visit to Grandma would be complete with this suitcase.

This frog chair would delight any child.

Out & About Adams County

Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day Parade, 11 a.m., West Union. Contact Sam Kimmerly at 937-386-0293 or Wallace Boden at 937-217-1976 for more information.

Nov. 14 - 16 Christmas Open House at Carriage Lane Antiques from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Come celebrate the spirit of Christmas and see a dazzling display of Christmas items including wreaths, ornaments, yard stakes, wall plaques, snowmen, Santas, beautiful antiques and glassware. 180 Werline Lane, West Union.

Contact Anita Vogler at 937-549-4530 for more information.

Nov. 16 Open House at the Adams County Heritage Center from 4 to 6 p.m. Hosted by the Adams County Historical Society. Contact Lynn Newman at 937587-3358 for more information.

Nov. 29 Miller’s Christmas Tree Farm 21st Anniversary.

Open every day, except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. until December 24. 1600 Eckmansville Road, West Union. Call 937-544-2220 for more information.

Nov. 30 Adams County Christmas on the Adams County Courthouse Square. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. with a welcoming ceremony at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Marie Palmer at 937-587-3749 or Sally Cunningham at 937-587-3078.

Dec. 7 Peebles Christmas Celebration. The lighting of the Christmas tree and other events will begin at 6 p.m.

Contact Sharon Malcom at 937-587-2417 for more information.

Dec. 7 - 8 Page One Room School House Christmas event.

Compiled by David Wright

Page School Road and Vaughn Ridge Road, West Union. For more information, contact Mary Fulton at 937-587-2043.

Dec. 7 Old Fashion Christmas at the American Legion Post in Peebles. Contact Mary Dunlap at 937-7981376 for more information.

Dec. 13 Manchester Hometown Christmas from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Community Building. For all children of Manchester village ages 0-12, Santa will be giving away Chistmas gifts. Attractions include hayrides with a police escort, refreshments and a bicycle giveaway. The Christmas Tree Lighting will be held on 2nd Street at 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 Adams County Audubon Christmas Bird Count.

Contact the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Edge of Appalachia Preserve at 937-544-2880.

Dec. 21 (Rain or wind date Dec. 22) Celebrate the Winter Solstice at Serpent Mound by helping the Friends of Serpent Mound with its 10th year of Lighting the Serpent, from 4 to 8 p.m. Free hot drinks and seasonal goodies, 3850 state Route 73 Peebles. For more information, contact Delsey Wilson at 937-205-0094 or visit serpentmound.org.

Dec. 14 - 16 A tradition in Ripley for more than 18 years, the River Village Christmas is held the second full weekend in December. Attractions include tree lighting, music, special exhibits, carriage and Conestoga wagon rides, parade, Christmas bazaar and a candlelight house tour. For more information, call 937-3924576.

Brown County Nov. 8 - 9 Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival at the Roberts Centre starting at 10 a.m. The area’s only

indoor Bluegrass festival featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Larry Sparks, Marty Raybon, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Paul Williams and many more. For more information, call 937-372-5804 or go to somusicfest.com.

Clinton County Nov. 8 - 9 Christmas Around Sabina Town. Enjoy the 26th year of this excitement-packed two day event. Enjoy great gifts and delicious food from 60 crafters and vendors from various locations around Sabina. Free admission. Call 937584-2727 or go to christmasaroundsabinatown.com for more information.

Nov. 9 Christmas in the Country Craft Show at Clinton-Massie from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. More than 80 vendors sell hand-crafted wood items, primitives, applique, crochet, Christmas and home décor, jewelry, florals, baked goods, candy and more. Free admission. For more information, call 513-897-1946.

Nov. 15 - 17 and 22 - 24 Country Heir Hunter Jumper Horse Show at Roberts Arena. Call 513-875-3318 or go to robertsarena.com for details.

Nov. 30 Hometown HoliDazzle Illuminated Parade and Festival from 3 to 10 p.m. Downtown Wilmington closes its streets and opens its doors for everyone to see the hometown lit up by the twinkling decorations and thousands of lights decorating the nighttime parade. Attractions include a visitation from Santa Claus, indoor carnival games, delicious food and strolling musicians to ring in the holiday season.

Free admission. For more information, call 937-302-1528 or go to hometownholidazzle.com.

Nov. 30 Merry Tuba Christmas at The Murphy Theatre from 4 to 5 p.m. A hometown favorite running in conjunction with the Hometown HoliDazzle, tuba talent from the region will gather on the Murphy stage for a wonderful concert of low brass instruments playing your favorite holiday tunes. For more information, call 877-274-3848 or go to themurphytheatre.org

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Dec. 7 - 8 Homespun Christmas at Denver Elementary and other business in downtown Wilmington. Homespun Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to visit private homes, area businesses and other venues in Wilmington for handcrafted items and gifts. Many specials are being offered at participating business.

More than 60 crafters will all be under one roof on Saturday only at Denver Place Elementary School.

Call 937-725-5868 for more information.

Dec. 7 Santa Claus is Coming to Town! Come see Santa at the New Vienna Gazebo. Enjoy hayrides, horse and buggy rides, church carolers and refreshments.

Free admission. Call 937-987-2092 for more information.

Dec. 12 - 15 Murphy Christmas Portrait at The Murphy Theatre. Make your holiday season bright at the Murphy with this traditional holiday family favorite under the direction of Timothy Larrick. Call 877274-3843 or go to themurphytheatre.org for more details

Fayette County Nov. 1 - 2 Thrill in the Ville Halloween Festival. Attractions include a kids’ costume contest, night parade and many other activities throughout the day. Contact Shawn Chearters at 740-406-8768 for more information.

Nov. 16 Show of the Season at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. The Show of the Season is an annual juried craft show featuring the largest gathering of crafters in southwest Ohio, sponsored by the Miami Trace Elementary PTO. $1 admission. Contact Christy Bryant at 740-335-1791 for more information.

Nov. 18 Fayette County Hospice Hearts for the Holiday at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. Craft show sponsored by Hospice of Fayette County. Call 740-335-0149 for information.

Dec. 7 Christmas parade in downtown Washington

Court House. Annual parade featuring bands and lighted entries from local area organizations held in conjunction with the Court House Christmas event. Sponsored by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. Call 740-335-0761 for more information.

Highland County Nov. 1 First Friday – Holiday Preview from 5 to 8 p.m.

Uptown Hillsboro merchants are open extended hours for this monthly event. Many businesses feature open houses, sales and displays of items from local artisans.

Additional details at uptownhillsboro.com Nov. 2 Johnny Fink & The Intrusion at the Fling Barn in Hillsboro, 8 p.m. ‘til midnight. Food at 7 p.m. served

by Bear’s Concessions. Admission $5. For more information, call 937-402-8300.

Nov. 7 Annual Uptown Open House from 5 to 8 p.m. Visit your favorite uptown merchants during this holiday open house event. For more information, go to uptownhillsboro.com.

Nov. 28 - 29 Midnight Madness, Hillsboro. Come shop uptown Hillsboro for great deals on Thanksgiving night. Get a jump on Black Friday savings and avoid the lines of the big box stores. Additional details at uptownhillsboro.com.

Nov. 30 Down Home Christmas and Parade from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Come celebrate Hillsboro’s annual Christmas celebration. Attractions include open houses, a Christmas parade and holiday activities. HUBA uptown Christmas parade at 2 p.m. For additional information, go to uptownhillsboro.com.

Dec. 6 First Friday – An Uptown Christmas, Hillsboro from 5 to 8 p.m. Uptown Hillsboro merchants are open extended hours for this monthly event. Many businesses feature open houses, sales and displays of items from local artisans. Go to uptownhillsboro. com for more information.

And one more thought ...

“Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least of him.” — Hal Borland Photo by Andrea L. Chaffin Cowan Lake State Park — Wilmington, Ohio November 2012

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Fall/Holiday 2013­| Salt | 55

56| Salt | Fall/Holiday 2013