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Oil Change to Overhaul...

We do it all.

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Enjoy the season.

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2 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

St. Peter


FEATURES june 2016 Volume 11, Issue 6

14

What I did on my summer vacation

We touch base with families who make it a point to get the heck out of here each summer … or not.

20

Community growth

It’s amazing what happens when you throw some green thumbs and good intentions together.

24

Get grillin’!

Those coals and grill tools ain’t just for meat. For the vegatarians out there, we’re giving you every reason you need to command the grill this summer.

About the Cover Our cover this month features the Schwartz family of Mankato — Lance, Ben, Sarah, Anna and Jen. Our cover shot was taken by Pat Christman. MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 3


DEPARTMENTS 6 From the Editor 8 This Day in History 9 The Gallery

Le Ann Gehring-Ryan

10 Beyond the Margin Channeling the Lorax

9

12 Day Trip Destinations Mille Lacs History

Festival & Rendezvous

29 Food, Drink & Dine

30 Food

32 Wine

33 Beer Fruity brews

34 Happy Hour

36 What’s Cookin’? Onion time

40 Home +Style

12

Cooking up good reads It’s OK to like Rosé

Cocktail balance

64 Then & Now Sibley Park 66 That’s Life The anti-hoarder

34

36

68 Garden Chat It’s been a tough winter 70 Your Style A style guide for men 72 Coming Attractions 73 Faces & Places 76 From This Valley The girl graduate

Coming in July

The results are in!

44 4 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

46

Next month we bring you what is probably our most-anticipated issue of the year: our annual list of the Best of Mankato contest.


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From The Associate EDITOR By Robb Murray June 2016 • VOLUME 11, ISSUE 6 PUBLISHER John Elchert EDITOR Joe Spear ASSOCIATE Robb Murray EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS Nell Musolf Pete Steiner Jean Lundquist Sarah Johnson Leigh Pomeroy Bert Mattson Leticia Gonzales Ann Rosenquist Fee Bryce O. Stenzel Piper Cleaveland

PHOTOGRAPHERS Pat Christman Darren Gibbins Page designer

Christina Sankey

ADVERTISING Phil Seibel manager ADVERTISING Theresa Haefner Sales ADVERTISING Barb Wass ASSISTANT ADVERTISING Sue Hammar designers Christina Sankey CIRCULATION Denise Zernechel DIRECTOR

Mankato Magazine is published by The Free Press Media monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato MN 56001. To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $35.40 for 12 issues. For editorial inquiries, call Robb Murray at 344-6386, or e-mail rmurray@mankatofreepress.com. For advertising, call 344-6336, or e-mail mankatomag@mankatofreepress.com.

6 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Summer lovin’! Had me a blast

F

or most of us, thinking back to summers of youth means taking a stroll through a mental catalog of good times. And I am no exception. Sure, hockey was my life for many years (the kind of hockey you play in the winter time, of course, none of this summer hockey nonsense — hockey was meant to be loved in the dead of winter, so that’s how we did it!), but summer was THE life. My dad coached our baseball teams every year which meant, of course, that I got to be the pitcher. Hey, I had a rocket arm. Sure, it was a wild rocket arm and I walked 10 times as many batters as I struck out, but those strikeouts were … amazing. We lived near Lake Phalen on St. Paul’s East Side, and once school let out in early June, all the girls we wondered about during the winter months showed up at the beach with bikinis and beach towels. And when we were old enough to drive, we drove everywhere. Long drives down White Bear Avenue and around Johnson Parkway. Down Arcade Street and Payne Avenue. Eventually, we’d make our way to downtown St. Paul and Grand Avenue, and finally, Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs. But nothing — nothing — made for better summer times than heading up to our cabin in northern Wisconsin. Nestled near Lake Des Moines in the tiny town of Webb Lake, that place was responsible for a good 70 percent of the great summer times I ever had. Like the time I crashed my ATV and needed to be rushed to the hospital. Or the time my friend Troy Montez was taking a leak in the woods and got stung by a bee in a place we won’t mention in this family magazine. Or the time I got mad at my parents and went walking into the woods late at

night, only to be mesmerized and entranced by the brilliant northern lights (this city boy had no idea what was happening, he only knew he was hypnotized by the beauty.) We snuck into the Cabaret bar one night and got drunk on orangeflavored California Coolers. And we fished and swam in a lake so clear you could see the bottom at ungodly depths. So when we’d get back to school in the fall and the teachers would ask us to write that essay stating, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” all my stories began and ended in Webb Lake, Wis. Eventually my parents were forced to sell. Our interest in going there waned as we got older. It was a tough property to sell but, in a cosmic stroke of good fortune, my folks found a buyer just months before my dad passed. We’ve got a great story in Mankato Magazine this month that gets to the heart of summer fun. We’ve touched base with a handful of families who make it their business to have great summers, and the traditions they’ve shared will warm your heart and inspire you to not let another summer go by without doing something special with your family. And speaking of something special, we dig deep this month into how community gardens are giving people opportunities to come together, have some fun and grow some food. And speaking of food, we’ve got a story this month on grilling for vegetarians that will make you rethink the way you fire up that grill this month. Have a great summer everyone! MM Robb Murray is associate editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6386 or rmurray@ mankatofreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @freepressRobb.


Thank You Greater Mankato. Proud to Serve You.

TH AN K YO U

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 7


This Day in history By Jean Lundquist

Friday, June 20, 1913 Judge Comstock puts Hole in Ordinance Judge W.L. Comstock handed in a decision this morning in the case of the City against Naiff Abdo and Joseph Shama finding the defendants not guilty of allowing a person under the age of 21 years to play pool in the pool and billiard parlor of which they are proprietors. This was alleged to be contrary to the provisions of the city ordinance which prohibits persons under this age to play pool or billiards. C.O. Dailey, attorney for the men, said the ordinance is unconstitutional because the state paces the age at 18. Monday, June 26, 1922 Appreciate the Ride The faculty and students of the State Teachers College desire to express their appreciation of the hospitality shown them by the Civic and Commerce Association, the Kiwanis Club and those who responded so liberally to the call for cars last Friday to give them a ride. They were enthusiastic over the beauties of our city and its surroundings, and the kindness of Mankato people. Wednesday, June 26, 1940 Unnamed Hero Stages Rescue at Sibley Park Pool The story of a thrilling rescue of a 10-year-old boy from the pool above the Sibley Park Dam has been told by anglers who were fishing near the dam Tuesday morning. Anglers report a well-dressed man suddenly plunged into the pool, and brought out a boy who had gone down for the third time. The rescuer gave artificial respiration for almost 20 minutes before the lad was brought back to consciousness, according to reports. No report of the incident was made to local police, nor was the fire department’s inhalator called for, and the boy was not taken to any local hospital. The names of the man and the boy were not learned by those witnessing the rescue. Tuesday, June 26, 1956 Name Welfare Case Overseer A new post of case supervisor has been created by the Blue Earth County welfare board, it was announced today by Allen Sigafus, executive secretary of the board. The new post will be filled by Miss Alice Cohen. She will supervise the five case workers already in the agency. Miss Cohen comes to Blue Earth County from Ramsey County, where she is presently a child welfare worker. More services will be offered to the mentally ill and the mentally deficient on her arrival. She starts Aug. 1. Monday, Jun 26, 1961 Break-in Reported at Mankato Garage A break-in at the Olinger Garage, 127 East Washington Street, netted the burglar(s) between three and four dollars in cash, two boxes of spark plugs and a Japanese pistol that does not work. The pistol, a war relic, was made to fire 7 mm bullets but had been rendered useless. The break-in was discovered this morning.

Corporate Graphics Your Printing Solutions Company

1750 Northway Drive North Mankato, MN 56003 800-729-7575 www.corpgraph.com 8 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Friday, June 26, 1964 Janesville Gears for Hay Daze on Weekend The city of Janesville is busily making plans for a weekend of fun and festivities. Hay Daze, which will be highlighted by the crowning of Miss Janesville, begins Saturday at 10:30 with the Black and White Show in Memorial Park. Approximately 111 Holsteins have been entered in the contest by breeders from 16 counties. The Coronation of Miss Janesville is set for 7:30, to be followed by a dance on Main Street featuring Howard’s Concertina Band. On Sunday there will be a milking contest, and a baseball game with the new Miss Janesville throwing out the first ball.


The Gallery: Le Ann Gehring-Ryan Story by Nell Musolf

No regrets

W

hen it comes to art, North Mankato artist Le Ann Gehring-Ryan thinks of herself as a “cross trainer.” By that, she means she’s is creative in a number of different ways and in many different mediums. “When I went to college at Winona State, I knew that I wanted to be an art major. I liked working with fiber a lot. I liked to spin and weave. Before that I learned how to make jewelry in a high school metal-working class and I knew that I liked that too. When I got to Winona State, the head of the art department was a nationally known ceramist and I got into that as well. I also paint, make stained glass and I’ve designed signs and I’m a potter…that’s what I mean by being a cross trainer of the arts,” Gehring-Ryan said. “I like to do a lot of them.” Gehring-Ryan worked at a variety of jobs before becoming an art teacher at West High School in 2002, a position she retired from in June of 2015. It was a position she enjoyed immensely. “I was one of those kids who always wanted to be a teacher,” she said.

“When I was teaching, one thing I always did was paint in the classroom. I often felt like an artist in residence. I wanted to lead by example. I think art is what makes the world go around and I wanted to show that to my students.” Art has always played an important part in Gehring-Ryan’s life. It played an even more important role after the artist suffered a stroke in 2009 at the age of 50. “After my stroke and while I was recuperating, I started a series of paintings and painted my way out of that stroke,” Gehring-Ryan said. “I had to learn to do everything all over again.” The result of all of her post-stroke paintings was a show entitled “Brush Stroke” that has been shown at hospitals and rehabilitation centers. She said she is pleased that the paintings that helped her have been helping other people who are dealing with rehabilitation too. Since retiring from West, GehringRyan traveled to Italy last October and spends a lot of time at her “studio” in her North Mankato home. “It isn’t really a studio,” she said with

a laugh. “It’s my son’s old bedroom but it’s where I have my things set out and where I go to work every day. I’ve set up a jeweler’s bench in there. Now that I’m retired I usually sleep late, take a walk and then go to my studio.” In addition to painting, GehringRyan has also been concentrating on the jewelry she creates. Her silver and stone pieces can be seen on her Facebook page and at the Carnegie Gift Shop in the Carnegie Art Center and the Abode Gallery in Stockholm, Wisconsin. Her paintings can be viewed at artreflectslife.blogspot.com. “Stockholm is a tourist town and I decided that if I got to the point where I would sell my jewelry, I wanted to sell it in a place that I love to visit,” she said. For her silverwork, Gehring-Ryan said that she thinks about it in terms of lines. She keeps a small notebook where she can sketch ideas for her jewelry. When it comes to her painting, she skips the preliminary sketches. “I usually see whole paintings before I begin to paint,” Gehring-Ryan said. “I see the colors, everything.” MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 9


10 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


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Day Trip Destinations: Mille Lacs History Festival By Leticia Gonzales

Back in time History festival whisks you back to 1800s

F

or one weekend this month, the vast land six miles south of Isle, Minn., will resurrect its past with the blasts of 21 muzzle-loading rifle shots. The fired shots not only serve as a salute to past generations, but they also kick off the two-day Mille Lacs History Festival & Rendezvous June 25-26. The festival, in its 24th year, got its start thanks to Event Director Gerald Wollum, who pushed for the creation of the event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mille Lacs Lake Historical Society, an organization he’s been a part of since 1983. “The Mille Lacs Lake Historical Society was started by a group of local residents who did not want to allow local history to slip away,” Wollum said. Located in the two oldest buildings in the town of Isle, the Mille Lacs Lake Historical Society covers three counties around Mille Lacs Lake.

12 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

“We are pleased with what has been accomplished saving pictures, stories, artifacts and information and making it available to the public,” added Wollum, who was elected president of the board in 1992. The history of the area has become the center of the annual festival and rendezvous. “The fur trade was the first industry in what became Minnesota — before logging or farming,” Wollum said. “The Mille Lacs Lake area was considered part of Michigan Territory at that time, and there were several fur trading posts in the vicinity. The abundant lakes and streams made it ideal for trapping beaver and muskrat, and there were deer, bear, and elk around.” Although the exact historical happenings from 1820 to 1840 are not precisely documented, Wollum said the festival focuses on what a camp from that


time period would have looked like. “The visitor will be startled to see many white canvas tents, held in place by ropes and stakes, with a couple of circles and rows of tents set up,” he said. “It will be like a tent city from 1836 or thereabouts. The idea is to travel around and see what is going on.” From black powder and bow and arrow shooting ranges, to atlatl throwing (which involves the throwing of a spear), there are many hands-on activities for visitors to experience Minnesota in the 1800s. “They will see, hear, and smell things that are seldom experienced in the 21st century,” he said. “They will see blacksmiths at work making period implements in a coal-fired forge and a wood turner with a spring-pole lathe. There will be various displays and demonstrations of things like rope making, fire starting with flint and steel, cooking over a fire pit and wood carving. They can listen to a storyteller; maybe get involved in a game.” In addition to being the event’s organizer, Wollum takes on a period role — he is referred to as the “Booshway” or “Camp Boss.” The word is derived from the French word Bourgois, “taken as ‘the company man’ in early Rendezvous camps.” His interest in early American history stems from watching the “Daniel Boone” TV show as a child. “I was able to learn about forging steel in high school (blacksmithing), which also got my interest,” he added. “I was interested in black powder muzzle-loading guns at a young age also, and obtained one when I was 23, which I still own, and have hunted with.” Wollum participated in his first rendezvous in 1980 at a local tourist shop near Mille Lacs Lake. The event was hosted by a Black Powder club that is no longer in

Go If you

business. “Slowly, I collected some items of clothing out of the 1830 era, and made a powder horn and other articles to use,” he said. “A big part of this activity is to be creative, and make things for yourself, as was done in the past.” He has since watched the Mille Lacs Rendezvous grow from its early beginnings. “It started very small, with only about 15 camps of historical re-enactors and traders of period merchandise from the early 1800s, along with black powder shooting completions,” said Wollum of the festival’s early days. “We have had as many as 68 camps, and the number ranges from 55 to 65 presently.” The site runs on less than a dozen volunteers and about 150 participants, drawing in more than 500 visitors. “Our version of a primitive camp makes a few concessions to reality, but we do our best to hide anything modern so as not to spoil the mood,” added Wollum. “While the modern rendezvous is a family activity, we strive to get the message across to appreciate what our ancestors had to deal with.”

What 2016

Mille Lacs History Festival & Rendezvous

Located 6 miles south of Isle or 16 miles north of Ogilvie on Highway 47 and one mile west on Red Road

When June 25-26, 2016 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

Admission $3 at the gate; FREE for children 10 and under

MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 13


Dalton, Joni, and Iris Myers at Tettagouche State Park with Palisade Head behind. 14 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


Summer

What I did on my

Vacation Sometimes you just gotta get away By Piper Cleaveland

W

ith the return of longer days, gorgeous temperatures and only three months to appreciate them, Minnesotans know how to make the best of their summer experience. Many of us flock to the lakes, get on our boats and stay there until the weather turns cold. Some prefer camping and hiking. Others find their perfect summer on long road trips out of state. With so many options and a limited time to try them all, we spoke with three Mankato families who have found their secret to the perfect summer vacation.

North Shore

For Don Myers and his family, this means a weeklong excursion to a cabin on the North Shore in Schroeder Minnesota. “Being on the lake is such an enriching experience,” Myers said. “It’s a chance to regroup. In fact it’s almost like a spiritual thing.” Myers is an instructor at the Department of Art and Art History at Gustavus Adolphus College. His family has been spending their summers in Schroeder since 2002. For 14 years Don, his wife and their two kids have made the five-hour drive up to this small town on the northern shore of Lake Superior. Their annual get-away started after Myers’ friend, who owns the cabin, suggested they come up and stay for a week. “My wife, who’s from out of state, wasn’t sure at first,” Myers remembered, “but then she loved it. And now we’ve been taking our kids up there since they were young.” The Myerses vacation at the beginning of August

so, with cooler temperatures and their cabin not 40 feet from the water’s edge, they’re ensured zero bugs and light breezes. “It’s really about relaxing,” said Myers. A week on the lake is spent skipping stones, picking blueberries, building bonfires and playing games on the porch in the evening. A lot of the draw for this destination, Myers added, comes from observing the natural beauty of the Superior shore. “It’s just hanging out and enjoying the sound of the waves coming in, the murmuring of the pebbles and of course always looking for that perfect agate. “You get such beautiful moonrises and sunsets out there,” he said. “To me it’s just the power of the lake. Somedays, when it’s still, it’s so gentle. And other days it gets whipped up and it’s just scary. It’s almost like being at the ocean.” When the Myerses aren’t enjoying the scenic views, they fill their time with special excursions. Sometimes it’s a hike to the top of Carlton Peak or a drive to Grand Marais, but now and then the family’s adventures take on an international twist. In past summers they’ve taken day trips into Canada either up to Thunder Bay or on a long ferry ride to Isle Royale. “That was the only time we’ve seen a moose,” Myers recalled. In the end, though, he said, it’s really about the time spent with family and the experience with nature that they get to share. “We feel so fortunate to go up there and spend time. It’s such a fantastic place.” MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 15


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Sydelle McCabe says she and her family have themed vacations each year. This photo shows them in Austin.

Cousin’ campin’

For Sydelle McCabe, a chaplain of pastoral care the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the summer vacation experience also includes family … a lot of family. McCabe and her seven cousins, affectionately known as the La Due Girls (their maiden name) have been hosting a themed

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cousin campout for the past 42 years. During this time the family has grown, including so many children and grandchildren that their numbers have reached up to 60 campers. “It’s the biggest thing that keeps us going and brings the cousins together,” McCabe said. “It’s our way of making sure our family traditions are carried on.”

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When McCabe and her cousins started the campout in 1974, it was just a regular camping trip. They continued this way for years until, when marriage and children came into the picture, they decided to expand on their tradition. The La Due girls added themes to their campouts to make them more inclusive for the kids. Everything mundane about the family camping trip was thrown out after that. The campout these days includes three to four generations and takes up five to six campsites. They change parks most years, switching between Minnesota and Wisconsin as well, but there’s always a lot of family and there’s always a theme. Past years have included, pirates, Christmas in July, Your Favorite Musical and It’s Four O’clock Somewhere. “One year the theme was family,” McCabe fondly recalled. “So all the cousins came dressed up as our

moms.” The themed cousin campout includes loads of other activities including inner tubing, hiking and picnics. And no matter what the theme is, singing and playing instruments around the campfire is always included. “We’ve always been real close,” McCabe said,” and our mothers were close.” Family fuels this summer tradition for the La Due girls and has allowed them to maintain strong connections among their extended family that most other families don’t get to experience. “The biggest thing,” said McCabe, “is that our mothers would be proud, because they were very close too.” Planning this event every year is the trickiest part. The responsibility to choose the theme and the campground cycles through the adults in the family so it’s up to someone new every summer to get creative. With how large their attendance has grown, McCabe said it can be difficult to sync everyone’s schedules. In the end the campout always pulls through and as many family members as possible attend. “We’re kind of a strange family,” McCabe said, “wonderfully strange.” But it’s that kind of odd fun that she encourages others to pursue when looking to plan their perfect family vacation. Her advice? “Find something out of the ordinary that pulls the family together and establishes a tradition.”

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Jon Thompson, far left, says his family spends much of the summer on the softball diamond.

Play ball!

“Our tradition is living on a softball field,” said Robyn Thompson. “Fourteen years and counting. Go Peppers!” “Since 2002 summer vacations have been softball trips all across the country,” her husband John confirmed. As the President of the Mankato Peppers, John has coached all six of their daughters and their various teams for eight years. “Parent, administrator, coach,

you name it and I’m involved in it pretty heavily,” Thompson joked. The Peppers are a traveling softball organization that offer teams for ages 8 to 18. Each of the Thompson girls have played softball for some period of time so almost every summer their family gets the opportunity to travel and vacation in order to attend the weeklong tournaments. Some of these tournaments are for college recruitment; some

take place when the team qualifies for the national league. Last year, Thompson recalled, the Peppers were called to play in Kansas City. When they weren’t on the field, the Peppers and their families filled their time with barbeques, visiting amusement parks, seeing local shows and playing mini golf. “We play one, maybe two games a day,” said Thompson, “so there’s lots of free time.” Though the families have the option to fly out to their tournaments, Thompson and his girls prefer to drive. For them, the road trip is part of the experience. “When I take trips I like driving,” Thompson said, “I can see more, I can do more. It just seems more fun to me that way.” Long car rides with the girls allows for quality family time too, Thompson added, “lots of opportunities to teach the kids budgeting for the trip. I guess I’m always looking for ways to teach life lessons.” For the parents and players involved with the Peppers and their traveling tournaments,

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special relationships form on these summer vacations. The kids get closer and the families get closer too. “There’s a bond or closeness that you get that you probably don’t get otherwise because we’re spending a big part of the summer together,” Thompson said. With 12 other families involved, the Thompsons have been fortunate to stay close to all of them during these trips and through their shared love of softball. “It’s a pretty unique

experience,” Thompson said, “to use sports to bring people together when they travel.” And, he noted, it’s a big commitment too. “It’s not for everybody, to take your summer and say it’s gonna be a softball summer. It’s a lifestyle that you chose to go into.” But for the Thompson family, traveling across the country and playing softball is the lifestyle they crave. Said Thompson, “We love it. We enjoy it. We can’t get enough of it sometimes.” MM

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 19 4.95”x4.95”

Mankato Magazine June 2016


Growing

Barb Maher helps keep things growing at Glenwood Gardens. (Pat Christman)

a community By Nell Musolf

T

he Mankato area is fortunate to have several community gardens available to people who would like to exercise their green thumbs but who lack the yard space or the proper tools to do so. Community gardens are spots where newcomers can learn from seasoned pros and where seasoned pros can enjoy watching newcomers fall in love with growing the same way they once did. With a plot of land, a few seeds, water, sunshine and patience, at a community garden it seems possible to grow just about anything.

20 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


The dedication of Blue Earth County’s community garden.

Glenwood Gardens

Glenwood Gardens, located on Glenwood Avenue, is comprised of four raised beds each featuring something different. One bed is for perennials, the second is the pollinator garden, the third has ornamental grasses and herbs, and the fourth has flowering bushes and trees. Barb Maher, the manager of Glenwood Gardens, is a master gardener who explained the history of the garden as well as its purpose. “Glenwood Gardens was started five years ago,” Maher said. “The purpose of the garden is to be a learning garden where new gardeners can learn about gardening from master gardeners.” Along with Maher, three other master gardeners keep the garden looking green. According to the University of Minnesota Extension website, to be a master gardener, one must complete a universitytaught course and contribute to teaching researchbased horticulture practices in the master gardener’s community. At Glenwood Gardens, each master gardener is responsible for one of the garden’s beds. Maher’s responsibility is the flowering bushes and trees bed. “We have a flowering plum tree that unfortunately needs a mate to cross pollinate it but there aren’t any in close proximity,” Maher said. “When it was purchased there was a mistake at the nursery and we were told it was a sour cherry tree. We didn’t find out for two years that it’s a flowering plum.” Maher’s bed also has redwood currants and

service berries shrubs. Service berries taste like blueberries but are more amenable to Minnesota’s soil than blueberries. “Blueberries need acid soil,” Maher explained, “which we don’t have here. Service berries do much better.” Glenwood Gardens is currently undergoing a small facelift since the railroad timbers that surround each bed have deteriorated over the years and are being replaced. A path accessible with wheelchairs or scooters is being added to the garden as well. And, starting in June and running through August, a master gardener will be at the garden MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 21


Gardens offer opportunities for gardeners of all ages. every Saturday morning to answer questions. “I believe that gardening is good for your mental health,” Maher said. “You’re outdoors in the fresh air and you’re doing something enjoyable. We have a picnic table adjacent to the garden and I remember one magical night when there were four young people sitting at the table enjoying the evening and the gardens. It was lovely.”

River Meadows Community Garden

River Meadows Community Garden is located behind Crossview Covenant Church, 2000 Howard Drive W., North Mankato and this is its seventh season. Garden manager Theresa Ryg said that there are 44 plots available. For $30 a season, a member of the community garden gets a 10 by 15 foot plot and access to a variety of gardening tools, compost, mulch, watering cans and water. “Everyone involved in the garden has a passion for gardening,” Ryg said. “In addition to growing fresh vegetables, community gardens are good for connecting people together.” Ryg said the garden sees many families rent a plot with the goal of teaching their children about gardening while enjoying a fun family experience. “We have started a seed exchange so that people can get their plants started,” Ryg said. “Parents can teach their kids how to start plants, plant them and then work together taking care of them. We’d like to

22 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

get more young people involved so that they can enjoy gardening too.” Gardeners at the River Meadow Community Garden grow a wide variety of vegetables including favorites such as tomatoes and peppers as well as potatoes and this year’s rage, kalettes -- a cross between kale and Brussel sprouts. River Meadows Community Gardens encourages gardeners to share their bounty and in the past have given produce to the ECHO food shelf and Salvation Army. “We ask our gardeners to do a shout out if they have too much of anything, such as tomatoes. There is always someone who can take the extras off their hands,” Ryg said. To foster a sense of community among the gardeners, there is a chore list that circulates among the members. Each member is asked to be responsible for a chore such as weed whacking, emptying the compost bins and keeping the tool shed in good shape. “We want to keep our garden as nice as possible,” Ryg said.


Center for Earth Spirituality and Earth Ministry Community Garden

Perched atop the Good Counsel hill at the north end of Mankato, the community garden that is a part of the Center for Earth Spirituality and Earth Ministry is alive with volunteers throughout the summer months. School Sisters of Notre Dame’s Kathleen Mary Kiemen is co-director of the Center along with Lisa Coons. Kiemen said the benefits of a community garden are immense. “First of all, the garden provides people with the opportunity to engage with soil, air and water on a regular basis,” Kiemen said. “Then there’s the food that is grown. Pesticides aren’t allowed so the food is completely organic and since it’s being grown locally, that’s also a benefit. There’s not only the physical benefits of being outside in the fresh air and sunshine but also the mental benefits. Gardening is good for you.”

The Center’s garden has 200 plots where 90 to 95 people grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition to not allowing pesticides, the Center also doesn’t allow tilling as, Kiemen says, it can be harmful to the soil. Sprinklers aren’t allowed because they waste water; instead, gardeners must haul water to plots. “That puts some people off but it is good ecologically,” Kiemen said. “We try to be very mindful of not wasting water or any other resources.” The Center offers classes for the youngest of gardeners, ages 3 to 5, through its Little Sprouts classes. The Little Sprouts classes allows children to get to know the feel of dirt and the joy of watching plants grow. Older children can take part in the Kids’ Peace Garden. People who haven’t gardened for a while can take classes that help them refresh their gardening skills. “We have all ages of gardeners working in the garden. It’s wonderful to see,” she said. “The children have a pizza party after harvesting their vegetables and put the vegetables they’ve grown on their pizza.” The School Sisters of Notre Dame

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April Graff is a registered dietitian for Hy-Vee. 24 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


GRILLIN’ Like a veggie VILLAIN Barbecues aren’t just for meat eaters anymore! Story by Robb Murray | Photos by Pat Christman

Y

ou are the Grill Master. You use only the best charcoal. Maybe sprinkle a few hickory chips on those bad boys. You’re well versed in slowcooked meats. Sometimes you make a weekend out of firing up the smoker. You may have even upgraded to the Big Green Egg. And Propane? Psha. Heck no. Propane is for hacks, am I right? Well listen up, Grill Master. That shiny steel grate is about to get a lot more crowded because guess what? Cauliflower is the new steak. Zucchini strips are the new hot dogs. And eggplant slices are the new burgers! … OK, that might be a stretch. But listen: There are a lot of people who don’t eat meat, and many, many more who do eat meat but are looking for a healthy alternative to eating animals. For those folks, grilling season may seem like a party they’re simply not invited to, a meeting for which they didn’t get the memo, a hopeless cause. Hopeless? No way. “There’s a lot of hope,” assured chef Bert Mattson. Indeed. Let us explain.

First, why?

Not gonna lie. As a meat eater for many years, I was worried my switch to being a vegetarian this year would fall apart the first day we rolled the grill

out. But here’s the thing: The day you box yourself into a specific set of culinary expectations is the day your palate vacates the marketplace of flavors. Yes, ribs are tantalizingly tasty. And few things are as American as a juicy cheeseburger made over the glowing coals of your own backyard. But there’s more -- so much more -- flavor out there. For people with health concerns and for whom getting to know vegetables has become an increasingly prominent priority, consider this: studies done at Harvard University and the University of Oxford show a plant-based diet can significantly reduce your chances of heart disease -up to a 25 percent reduction. And even if you’re not ready or willing to give up meat, the grill is a great place to introduce more healthy veggies and fruits into your diet. The heat of the grill combined with the right spices can turn a bland zucchini into a culinary delight.

Ok, how?

First, it’s not that hard to become a vegetarian. If you’re going to try, though, Hy-Vee Dietitian April Graff says it’s a good idea to rethink your notion of how meals are structured. We’re conditioned as Americans to see a proper meal as meat, potatoes and -- maybe -- some veggies. “People who have been vegetarians for a while MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 25


Pro tips from Chef Bert: n Mattson says it’s important to cut veggies in uniform sizes so that they finish cooking at the same time. n Green veggies on the grill want to turn brown. If you cook them too far off the heat, they’ll turn an unappetizing color before they’re done. So cook it hot and fast. n Sometimes “parcooking” veggies can help. If you steam them partially in advance there will be a little crunch, and you’re hungry guests won’t be waiting as long. n Cut long veggies cylindrically and cook them flat side down. Don’t be afraid to char. Char is good. n For brassicas (broccoli, broccolini, bok Choy) fish sauce is great tool for pescetarians (mix equal parts with sugar and cook to syrup for glazing). Otherwise use soy, brown sugar and rice vinegar. n For asparagus or green beans: Halve asparagus spears if they’re large (looks good and prevents rolling). Drizzle with oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Grate pecorino for lacto-ovo vegetarians. Otherwise try chimichurri. n Young carrots: Potentially “par cook” ahead and halve if large. Toss with salt, pepper and oil. Lacto-ovo vegetarians can strain buttermilk in cheesecloth overnight to sauce consistency. Use chopped mint, shallots and vinegar. n Rhubarb: Toss with lime or key lime and sugar. Serve with ice cream or custard. 26 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

“I like to, when at all possible, cut things in half, especially if they’re big and cylindrical,” he said, suggesting veggies such as zucchini or squash. “That way they won’t roll around and fall through the grates. Also, lay them flat so you get more charring.” Charring, he said, is actually a good thing; it brings out the so-called “fifth taste” known as umami. “You think of char as kind of a negative thing, but in those veggies in particular, as well as Hy-Vee Chef Edi Cucurullo demonstrates veggie grilling. carrots, you get that tend to evolve their meal intense, savory quality,” he said. structures,” she said. They evolve As for preparation, Mattson from the neatly sectioned plate says he normally brushes the approach to, say, a “bowl” veggies with oil and adds salt and approach; veggies mixed in with pepper. For an added zip, he says pasta or protein sources such as it’s good to add some kind of tofu. “Maybe it’s more of a salad, acid, such as the juice of a citrus or a casserole.” fruit. Clementine oranges, for And if you’re just looking to example, or lemon or lime -- or add more veggies to your diet -both. But do so with care. and do it creatively -- the grill is “If you add acid too early to a great place to start. And now is green veggies,” he said, the perfect time. “sometimes they can turn brown.” “Maybe people aren’t ready to So give it a whirl, folks. What’s go 100-percent vegetarian, but the worst that can happen? In the there’s a lot of people who are end, even if you don’t like it, at looking for ways to eat fewer least you spent an evening trying animal products,” Graff said. something new, being “People are more willing to adventurous, stretching beyond experiment with tastes and your culinary comfort zone. flavors and seasonings.” Said Graff, “Just the process of grilling makes things feel more OK, let’s do this satisfying, more fulfilling, more Chef Bert Mattson, who like a complete meal.” MM happens to manage Mickey’s Diner in St. Paul (and writes the beer column for Mankato Magazine) says it’s great to start big.


Grilled Margherita Pizza (Serves 6)

All you need: 1 prepared pizza crust (we used Mama Mary’s Whole Wheat) Pizza Sauce 2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced Fresh basil, cut into ribbons All you do: 1. Preheat grill to medium high 2. Place crust on grate over indirect heat. 3. Spoon sauce over crust. Layer tomatoes, cheese and basil. 4. Close lid. Cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted

Grilled Pineapple Slices All you need: 1 fresh pineapple – peeled, cored and cut into rings ¼ cup canned coconut milk ½ cup cinnamon sugar All you do: 1. Preheat grill to medium heat. When grill is hot, lightly oil the grate 2. Place coconut milk and cinnamon sugar into separate dishes 3. Dip slices of pineapple into coconut milk, then coat in cinnamon sugar 4. Grill slices for 6 minutes on each side. Remove to plates and serve.

Marinated Barbequed Vegetables (serves 5)

All you need: 1 small eggplant, cut into ¾ inch thick slices 2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into wide strips 3 zucchinis, sliced 6 fresh mushrooms, stemmed ¼ cup olive or canola oil ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced All you do: 1. Place eggplant, peppers, zucchinis and mushrooms in a medium bowl. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, basil and garlic. Pour the mixture over the vegetables. 3. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight) 4. Preheat grill. Place vegetables directly on the grill or on skewers. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness brushing frequently with marinade.

Grilled Peaches 4 peaches Olive oil 1 pint vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional) 1. Halve and pit peaches. 2. Preheat grill to high. Dip cut side of peaches in olive oil. Place peaches, cut side down, on grill until warmed through; release from grill. 3. Divide among 4 bowls. Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream. MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 27


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COME TO GETHER Visit us online at WWW.MONARCHMN.COM 28 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


I

was taken aback, I must say. Having advanced a little bit as a beer drinker, I thought I was OK in my social media endorsement of a beer flavored with apricots. And then a respected beer connoisseur in town mocked my endorsement, suggesting it was folly to trifle with such novelty brews. As time has marched on and my taste buds evolved, I’m here to say that that beer connoisseur was, well, kinda right. I’ve moved away from the lemony, apricotty beers in favor of hoppy ones. Still, though … Isn’t there room in a beer lover’s heart for a good shandy every now and then? Yes! And our beer expert backs me up on this. If Bert says it’s OK to appreciate a good fruit-infused brew, then who am I — or anyone else —- to say it’s something to be frowned upon or mocked on social media by certain beer distributor representatives? Drink up folks (in moderation, of course). It’s OK. Bert’s got your back. And if you’re thinking a nice rosé is more your speed, Leigh Pomeroy’s wine column will give you all the justification you need to allow yourself to drink it with confidence.

— Robb Murray, Associate Editor, Mankato Magazine

southern mn style

Enjoy!

food, drink & dine

Nectar of the (beer) gods!

MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 29


Food southern mn style

Cooking up

good reads

North Mankato Taylor Library book club is made for cooking enthusiasts

By Sarah Johnson

S

ome book clubs focus on mystery, history, biography, poetry or fiction. The North Mankato Taylor Library has the latest flavor in book clubs: one devoted entirely to cookbooks. After all, cookbooks certainly qualify as books, and many of them have loads of text to read alongside the recipes. Reading about all the cooking techniques, culinary histories, family memories, holiday traditions and cooks’ philosophies can take just as much time as preparing the recipes themselves. Cookbook aficionados compare them to novels, and often romance novels at that. Those who study such things say that while most of the recipes will never be made, simply reading the steps of the recipe takes readers through wonderful sensory experiences in their imaginations, which is the essence of a good story. Mankato Magazine found Katie Johnson, the library’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable outreach/ young adult librarian, as she was helping patrons plant seeds this spring for the library’s extensive on-site gardens. Johnson explained the basics of the Cook It Book Club, which started about a year ago and meets the last Monday of each month at 6 p.m. “Readers pick a recipe and bring (the finished dish) back for a potluck,” she said. “They talk about what they liked or didn’t like, what kind of substitutions they made, things like that.” The cookbooks are curated by library staff, who are well aware of the popularity and sheer number of cookbooks the library has to offer. Book clubbers simply stop by the front desk to peruse the selected 30 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

cookbooks, select a recipe and bring it to the next meeting. Anything goes at these meetings, Johnson said: “Tabouli-quinoa salad, black bean burgers, salmon burgers, grilled chicken, veggie lasagna, garlic broccoli … It’s always a mix. It’s great. It’s everything.” variety of flavors -- and The opinions -- is always interesting. “People remark on how they wouldn’t have tried it otherwise,” Johnson noted. Club members come from all walks of life, too. Usually around 10 people show up, some with their kids. “It’s a lot of foodies,” Johnson said. “Some are regulars, some come and go. You don’t have to commit.” Meetings take about an hour but sometimes go a little longer while folks “digest” and chat. FYI: The library also hosts a Wine & Words Book Club, which is similar but with, you know, wine. Here’s a recipe from a recent Cook It Book Club selection, the 2014 bestseller “I Quit Sugar Cookbook” by Sarah Wilson, that aims to wean people off sugar and other sweeteners for general health and weight loss. I had heard about this cookbook and was interested in it, but not enough to buy it. Here was my opportunity to browse through it and try out a recipe or two. Genius!


Bacon Granola 10 slices thick bacon 2 cups coconut flakes 2 cups dry oats 2 cups mixed nuts or seeds, roughly chopped (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pepitas, whatever you have on hand) 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg ¼ cup brown rice syrup (optional) Preheat the oven to 150° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the bacon in a large, heavybottomed saucepan and add just enough water to completely coat the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until water has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is crisp (about 10 minutes – no need to turn). Remove the bacon and place in a strainer over the pan to remove all the fat. When cool, break the bacon into bits and retain the fat. Combine the remaining ingredients in a big bowl. Add the bacon bits and stir in ¼ cup of the bacon fat (if you don’t have enough, top it up with coconut oil). Spread the mixture over the tray and bake for 20-25

minutes, until golden, stirring after 10 minutes. Store any leftover bacon fat in a sealed glass jar in the fridge and use it instead of cooking oil. It will keep for up to one month. No t e : F i n d i n g t h i s re c i p e led down a rabbit hole finally culminating in this recipe, which does contain sugar but would be the perfect complement to the granola above:

Sweet and Spicy Bacon 1 ½ teaspoons packed brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 pound thick-cut bacon (12 slices) Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together brown sugar, cayenne and black pepper in a small bowl. Arrange bacon slices in single layer on a large baking pan and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes. Turn slices over and sprinkle evenly with spiced sugar. Continue baking until bacon is crisp and brown, 15 to 20 minutes more, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

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Wine & Beer

wines

By Leigh Pomeroy

The Wonders of Rosé T

southern mn style

oo often wine drinkers demean the “lowly” rosé. Yet I understand their reasoning if what they’ve been subject to is the equivalent of White Zinfandel: “They’re too sweet ... They have no flavor ... They’re not Chardonnay!” I want to disabuse them of these misconceptions. First of all, quality dry rosés can be superlative sensual experiences, especially during the summer months when rosés of the most recent vintage have arrived in the market. Their bright pink colors, fruit-filled aromas and palate tingling flavors all express a come-hither message that simply can’t be found elsewhere in the wine world. The primary key to rosé is youth. In 2016 you should be sipping the 2015 vintage. Only in a few unique cases do rosés older than the most recent vintage yield a wine worth notice. The second key is origin. Great rosés can come from all over the world, yet the de facto source for tasty, dry and usually inexpensive rosés is southern France. The place-names on the label include Provence, Coteaux d’Aix-enProvence, Tavel, and Côtes du Rhône, among others. These wines are made from the widely planted red grapes of the region, including grenache, syrah and cinsault. France also produces some excellent rosés from Bordeaux using cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes, and from the Loire Valley relying on pinot noir and cabernet franc grapes. Elsewhere in Europe, Germany produces excellent, taste-tingling rosés from pinot noir, and Spain offers very nice, dry rosés from several regions, including Rioja, Yecla and Montsant. Yet the rosés one most often encounters in stores and restaurants are from the U.S.

32 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

And nearly every growing region produces some. Oregon offers lovely rosés from pinot noir, while Washington rosés are usually made from warmer climate grapes such as syrah, mourvèdre, cinsault and grenache — similar to southern France. Gone are the days of Gallo’s (infamous) Pink Chablis, and the nation’s obsession with White Zinfandel is thankfully nearing its end. Not that White Zinfandel was totally without merit, for more than any other wine it has acquainted the American public with the option of enjoying an alcoholic beverage other than beer or hard liquor, and probably one that was better for their health. Today California rosés have gone way beyond White Zinfandel. The better ones are always dry and often labeled with the varietal (or varietals) used in making them and their place of origin, such as Napa, Sonoma, or Edna Valley. Two excellent rosés with local connections are the 2015 Chankaska Creek Vin Gris de Pinot Noir and the 2015 Stephen Ross Rosé of Pinot Noir. Both are made from pinot noir, but the Chankaska Creek uses the traditional “vin gris” (literally “grey wine”) name often used for rosés. The Chankaska Creek version originates from a vineyard that just happens to be across the street from one my favorite restaurants — the quirky, without-an-equal Fremont Diner — in the Carneros District of Sonoma County. The Stephen Ross comes from the Edna Valley near San Luis Obispo, about 275 miles south. Yet both wines display good acidity due to the cool, maritime-influenced climate of their growing areas. Try them both. Be aware, however, that they are not

inexpensive, for that’s the price one pays for rare, high-quality wines of any color — white, red or rosé. The Chankaska Creek rosé is available at the winery in Kasota and at some local wine shops. Fewer than 90 cases were bottled. The Stephen Ross rosé should be available at the Wine Café and MGM stores in the greater Mankato area. Fewer than 120 cases were bottled. Our other two local wineries, Morgan Creek and Indian Island, both offer rosés as well, but they take a different approach in that they use Minnesota grown French-American hybrid grapes in the blends. Because of these grapes’ natural high acidity, the wines are often way too tart if made dry. Made from the Frontenac grape, the Morgan Creek rosé is called Nova. It is very deeply colored and finishes slightly sweet. Owners Georg and Paula Marti deem it a perfect companion for the wood-fired pizza they serve at the winery. Indian Island offers two rosés. The Maiden Blush wine is light, sweet and fruity, “Perfect for a day at the lake or enjoying the sun on your patio,” says winemaker Angie Netzke. On the other hand, their Frontenac Rosé is fuller with black cherry flavors and aromas. Finishing semisweet, it also goes well with pasta as well as pork and poultry. Sampling any of these rosés, be they dry or sweet, locally produced or from a distance, should bring frivolous pleasure to the hot summer days ahead.

Leigh Pomeroy is a Mankato-based writer and wine lover.


Beer

By Bert Mattson

Summer and the Social Medium A

bsent a plan, in modern times, it’d be all too easy to spend summer vacation scrolling through social media. Even in instances where I’ve successfully put my body in motion, hiking or swimming, my spirit can been found sitting on a rock swiping at the screen. Rarely does the content merit so much attention. Worse, many an it-doesn’t-get-anybetter-than-this moment are interrupted in order to capture and post it for posterity. Which is a bit like bragging since the act itself overshadows the original endeavor. It reminds me of the old Mountain Dew commercials where, whatever the season, a bunch of bronzed kids are portrayed outdoors at some extreme sport which ultimately culminates in a close up of a hand, holding a bottle, label conspicuously positioned. I try not to be a beer snob, and I suppose I’m not, but awhile back while drinking a fruitforward ale -- and enjoying it -- I realized I’d be reluctant to have the scene appear on Instagram. There are times in my life when I’m compelled, in order to disabuse myself of any delusions of good taste, to immerse myself in something I wouldn’t ordinarily enjoy. Which brought me to fruit-enhanced India Pale Ales. In truth, summer is a time when a lick of citrus suits the circumstances. It is refreshing and can help, in the presence of some sweetness, with balancing the bitter. Further, the addition of some citrus can complement the character of certain hop varieties. Citradelic is a year round offering, in the category of American IPA, from New Belgium Brewing. It pairs Citra

hops with tangerine peel to achieve a citrus situation, only imposing in the best possible way. One isn’t overly conscious that they’re sipping a fruitforward beer. While Citra hops are primary, Galaxy, Azzaca, and Mandarin Bavaria hops make interesting cameos with tropical and fruity tones. The results range from slightly sweet impressions of tangerine to more exotic elements of pineapple, passion fruit and peach, with pine peaking through. Here fish tacos make a versatile platform for pairing. Lime and cilantro echo citrus and herbal notes, while a salsa can be made to echo tropical tones. Cotija cheese or sour cream should help blunt the bitterness so that other flavors may come forward and frolic. Jerk chicken poses another interesting option. Ballast Point Brewing Company decided to introduce mango to their Even Keel Session IPA. I find mango to be a flavor with green – almost veggie — undertones. So this combination makes sense to me: mango can find something in common with both herbal and citrus elements from Even Keel’s blend of hops. Additionally, under 4 percent ABV, this one mixes well with warm weather sport. For pairing, it should suit much the same mentioned above. A picture of a cooler full of both beers and a few fish tacos might make the splash on social media you’re looking for. On the other hand, it could also be just the opportunity to socialize with friends in the flesh. Bert Mattson is a chef and writer based in St. Paul. He is the manager of the iconic Mickey’s Diner. bertsbackburner.com

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Drinks

Happy Hour:

By M. Carrie Allan | Special to the Free Press

southern mn style

A cocktail in perfect balance

“W

e didn’t even take credit for the drink at first,” Kenneth Voyles, communications director and historian for the Detroit Athletic Club, told me as I scurried after him through the DAC’s art-and-mahogany-adorned hallways. “We just couldn’t find anything definite on it.” I’d shown up at the worst possible time, the evening of a major wine dinner and the day before the Tigers’ home opener, and Voyles was rushing around trying to deal with a last-minute menu crisis. But he patiently answered the questions I directed to the back of his head, and he later accompanied me to the club’s beautiful Tap Room bar so I could sample the Last Word in the place where it probably originated. Dedicated cocktailers probably know the history: how Seattle bartender Murray Stenson pulled the drink from obscurity in the early 2000s, taking it from the pages of Ted Saucier’s 1951 cocktail book “Bottoms Up!” and adding it to the menu at the Zig Zag Café in Seattle, from whence its reputation spread. The Saucier book credited the DAC as the source of the drink and mentioned a well-known vaudevillian, Frank Fogarty, as having introduced it around New York. Plenty of speculation surrounded the Last Word: that Fogarty came up with it; that it was invented during Prohibition, which would make it a rare bird indeed. But Voyles says the DAC did some digging for a culinary history of the club, “and one of my writers found this old menu, and there it is. And we know definitively when that menu was created, because the club magazine did an article about the menu in 1916.” Fogarty’s one known visit to the DAC took place the next winter, so although he might have liked the drink and taken the recipe back to New York, he probably didn’t come up with it. I’m sticking to “probably” on much of this story because, although I’ve seen that menu - at 35 cents, the cocktail is the priciest on the list - it doesn’t mention ingredients. So probably that Last Word is our Last Word, but history is often murky, and booze history more so, because the people who should have been taking notes were taking shots instead. Now that there’s a definite connection between the club and the drink, “we embrace it,” Voyles said, noting that the club’s new rooftop cigar bar, opened last year

34 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

as part of its centennial celebration, is called the Last Word. When Stenson rebooted the cocktail, word spread. It wasn’t just because the drink - an equal four-way split between gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino and lime - was good, but because back in the early days of the cocktail renaissance, a bar that could make one was a bar that had chops. “A decade ago, it was still a sign of a good bar if you had maraschino, if you had fresh citrus, if you had Chartreuse, if you had good gin,” says Joaquín Simó, former bartender at Death & Company and now co-owner of Pouring Ribbons, both in New York’s East Village. “And if you could mix these ingredients in equal parts, that meant precision, which meant you were jiggering” still uncommon then. I loved the Last Word at first glance. A pale, almost opalescent celadon, on the palate it’s the Traveling Wilburys, a strange supergroup of unlike and seemingly combative ingredients that together reach something close to perfection. (Maybe the Wilburys are an inapt metaphor, because there were five of them and the Last Word is a foursome. But I refuse to reference the band Damn Yankees; Ted Nugent doesn’t deserve to be in a metaphor with this drink. Even a tortured metaphor.) Every one of the drink’s ingredients is a powerhouse, yet somehow it works. In fact, Phil Ward, who bartended at New York’s Pegu Club and Death & Company and now owns Mayahuel, an agave-spirits-focused bar and restaurant in the East Village, describes the drink as “a four-way car crash in which no one is hurt and everyone’s glad they met afterward.” In the years since its rediscovery, the Last Word has inspired a series of rejoinders, as bartenders have taken its four-way, equal-parts template and devised variations, mixing up the spirits, modifiers and citrus. Several - such as Ward’s Final Ward (rye, green Chartreuse, maraschino, lemon), Simó’s Naked & Famous (mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, lime) and Sam Ross’s Paper Plane (bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, lemon) - have themselves become part of the cocktail canon; all three are included in author Robert Simonson’s recent app, Modern Classics of the Cocktail Renaissance. Ward also devised the Pete’s Word (Laphraoig Scotch, green Chartreuse, maraschino, lime) and


has done a riff at Mayahuel using pineapple-infused mezcal. He doesn’t quite consider his fouringredient Division Bell one of the family; its ingredients aren’t in equal portions, so he thinks it doesn’t count. The equal-parts blueprint is tricky, he says, “and there aren’t that many that are really good, so I feel like it’s an odd template that should be respected.” To be in the clan, Ward says, a drink should be four equal parts, one of which is citrus, and shaken (which would put the Blood and Sand in the club as well, though it, like the Last Word, is a rediscovered ancestor). Such cocktails are “really difficult to devise, because the balance has to be just right. But when you get one that works, it’s foolproof,” Kara Newman, spirits editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine and author of the forthcoming “Shake. Stir. Sip.: 40 Effortless Cocktails Made in Equal Parts,” told me by email. Other than the threeingredient Negroni, she says, the Last Word is probably the most riffed-on equal-parts drink. “I think [bartenders] appreciate the magic of the symmetrical structure

- but let’s get real, they also like them because you don’t need to remember all the proportions. . . . If you can remember what goes in the drink, you’re golden.” In Detroit, I found variations at multiple bars. The Sugar House, which at the time had a menu on which every drink was keyed to a particular moment during Prohibition, served a drink called A Machine Gun Is the Last Word, combining barreled gin, Cardamaro, Aperol and lemon in a Chartreuse-rinsed glass (which, given its resemblance to a Paper Plane, probably makes it a riff on a riff ). Owner Dave Kwiatkowski pointed me to another of his creations, the delicious Rites of Spring (gin, génépy, Aperol and lemon). The Standby, which opened in December, offered the Last Straw, head bartender Joe Robinson’s blushing variation in which the Chartreuse is infused with strawberries and the maraschino is kicked out for elderflower liqueur. It’s certainly a coincidence that a city known for an industry that once thrived on its capacity for replication produced a cocktail

spec that has now been rejiggered worldwide. Unlike with the early automobiles that came out of Detroit, though, it’s hard to find a variant of the Last Word that has bettered its origins, though you may find a favorite based on your spiritual leanings. (My affection for smokier mezcals biases me toward Simó’s Naked & Famous.) S t i l l , w h o c a n s ay ? Eve n now, there may be a bartender composing a variation that will be the Porsche or the Tesla to its early progenitor. (Certainly there’ll be a Yugo or Pinto among the bunch as well; when the spec doesn’t work, don’t even get behind the wheel.) But given cocktailers’ tendency to experiment, to quote each other’s drinks and their own, even if some new variation improves on the original, it still won’t be the Last Word. Just the next one.

Allan is a writer and editor. Follow her on Twitter: @Carrie_the_Red.

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Food

What’s Cooking By Sarah Johnson

southern mn style

Layers of dee-lish! Onions are more than just an ingredient

S

ummertime brings a bounty of gardens and farmers markets spilling over with fresh produce. One of the most overlooked, cheapest and tastiest items on your shopping list: bulb onions. Stop using onions merely as recipe ingredients and start letting them shine on their own. Whether yellow, white, red or brown, onions deserve a starring role. Who knew the humble onion had such grandiose origins? Picture this: • Onions were probably the first vegetable planted by the first colonists who landed in North America. • Originating around Iran, onions have been cultivated for 7,000 years. • The all-wise ancient Greeks believed onions gave them strength from the gods and consumed them extensively raw, cooked, as juice and as rubbing oil. (You could probably smell that army coming from quite a distance.) • Ancient Egyptians worshipped onions, believing their spherical shape and concentric circles within symbolized eternity. They used onions in the mummification process and painted their likenesses on pyramid walls. • Archaeologists excavating the ashes of Pompeii discovered an extensive network of onion production, as ancient Romans relied heavily on the vegetable for food and medicinal uses. • Onions were a perfectly acceptable form of currency in the Middle Ages of Europe. You could pay your rent and purchase goods and services using onions. • Before earning its current nickname as the Big Apple, New York City was known as the Big Onion because it was the kind of city where you could peel off layer after layer without ever reaching the core. • There are fewer than 1,000 dedicated onion farmers in the United States, cultivating 160,000 acres of bulbs to produce 2 million metric tons annually. California is the leader in onion farming, with much of the crop going to dehydrated onions. Texans love their onions. The Lone Star State’s most famous onion (“Texas 1015”) is super sweet and contains very little pyruvate, the tear-causing substance released during chopping.

36 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

TEXAS ONION CASSEROLE 4 large sweet onions, sliced 6 ounces potato chips, crushed 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 2 cans cream of chicken soup ½ cup milk Layer the above three ingredients. Repeat layers again. Combine two cans cream of chicken soup with milk. Pour over layers and top with crushed chips. Bake at 350° for one hour.

Two versions of the same casserole – one full-fat and the other less so – demonstrate how easy and adaptable onions are to cook. Like potatoes or carrots, it’s hard to screw them up. SWEET ONION CASSEROLE

1 pound onions, sliced and separated into rings 1 egg, beaten 1 cup heavy cream 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese Paprika Preheat oven to 350°. In medium saucepan, combine onions with water to cover. Bring to boil; boil 1 minute. Drain. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish. In bowl combine egg, cream, salt and pepper; pour over onions. Sprinkle with cheese, then paprika. Bake 25 minutes. Makes 6 servings.


SWEET ONION CASSEROLE LOWFAT VERSION

GRILLED VIDALIA ONIONS

1 pound onions, sliced and separated into rings

1 teaspoon butter per onion

1 cup buttermilk

1 chicken or beef bouillon cube per onion

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Aluminum foil

2 egg whites 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese Paprika Preheat oven to 350°. In medium saucepan, combine onions with water to cover. Bring to boil; boil 1 minute. Drain well. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with non-stick vegetable coating. In bowl combine buttermilk and cornstarch and stir until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Mix in egg whites, salt and pepper; pour over onions. Sprinkle with cheese, then paprika. Bake 25 minutes. Serves 6. But the best way to eat onions, hands down, is grilled. This recipe brings back memories of family reunions on the farm, old folks with paper plates and cobs of corn and hot dogs rhapsodizing over their delicious packets of grilled onions. To me, this is the essence of summer.

1 Vidalia onion (medium or large) per person

Slice the ends off the onion and peel the outer skin off. Place the onions on the aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick spray. With a sharp paring knife, scoop out some of the onion in the center to make an indentation. Place the butter in the hollowed-out area. Then place the bouillon cube in the butter. Wrap the onion up in the foil, sealing it tightly, place on a medium- to low-temperature grill, and cook 30 to 40 minutes. The onion is done when it feels soft to the touch. Open the foil packet and put the onion in a shallow bowl or right on your plate. Be careful, it’s juicy! If you find the bouillon flavor to be too strong, use half a cube per onion.

Sarah Johnson is a cook, freelance writer and chocolate addict from North Mankato with three grown kids and a couple of mutts.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 37


Reflections By Pat Christman

38 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


M

innesotans have a fascination with water. Perhaps water’s allure is in its vibrant blue color, or the sound it makes as it laps the shoreline near the lake home. Maybe it is the variety of fish we enjoy coaxing from its depths for dinner. More likely, the allure is what the waters of Minnesota’s many lakes and rivers represent to us: summer fun swimming, boating and fishing ... Time spent with family at the lake ... Watching a sunset from the shoreline. Whatever it is that draws Minnesotans to water, we are fortunate to have so much of it nearby. MM

MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 39



SOUTHERN MINNESOTA


SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Table of Contents

48 52

44 In Town Living with a Country Feel 48 Do It Yourself Chalk Paint 52 Home Trends to Expect in the Year Ahead 54 How to Make Spring Projects More Eco-Friendly 56 Simple Scandinavian 58 Reclaimed wood

adds instant appeal to home projects

60 How to Take Care of Your Trees 62 5 Simple Ways to Go Green at Home

56

42 •

58

and Save Money

Did you know? T

he majority of grass species have chlorophyll to thank for their appealing green color. Chlorophyll is a bright pigment that absorbs both blue and red light especially well. But chlorophyll largely reflects green light, which is why the yards and fields we spend so much time in are green. And chlorophyll does more than influence the color of grass. Chlorophyll also plays an important role in the process of photosynthesis, during which green plants use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. According to LiveScience.com, chlorophyll molecules absorb light and then transfer that energy to special molecules that, when stimulated, fire off electrons that produce chemical changes in the plant. That chemical energy is ultimately turned into sugar, highlighting the essential role that chlorophyll plays in lawns’ survival.

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In Town Living with a

Country Feel


J

ust about half a mile off of Stoltzman Road as you are leaving town, is a little subdivision hid inconspicuously among the trees and bluffs. Not long ago this piece of property would have been considered well outside of the city limits of Mankato. However, today it is a different story all together. Travel down this direction and you will find a unique area where you may one day build your future home, the Indian Lake Preserve. Nestled in between a ravine filled with trees and bluffs to the north and northeast and prairie and country roads to the south and southwest is a small cul-de-sac style community that is currently in the works with many plots of land to choose from. Not only is the area filled with trees, wildlife and adventure, but the houses are some of the most unique and beautiful in the Mankato area. “We were there one time and my daughter and I were kind of looking in the back and there were like four deer that ran right by us,” said Autumn Freed, a new home owner in the subdivision. “That was really exciting for her and just really nice to see.” With plenty of stone in the fronts and beautiful pitched rooftops, the community stands out from the crowd of cookie cutter houses that you may find in areas of the city that are filled with town homes.

Some people choose to design and build their own homes in the area, and some people like Autumn Freed and her family happen to stumble onto beautiful homes already in the process of being built. “My husband and I were looking at houses in the area to buy and we didn’t want to build a house,” said Freed. “So we went to look at this house and it wasn’t finished yet.” “When we first went into the house I wasn’t expecting to really like it because I kind of need to see stuff and I knew it wasn’t finished,” said Freed. “But we left it and I was excited because the builder did a good enough job telling me what he thought was going to be there, that it just felt like a place that I could really see us.” Max DeMars, a General Contractor in the area, started building this particular home without an actual buyer initially in mind. “It’s unique in the fact that we took a challenging lot from a size stand point and tried to work with it and design a home that is within harmony of that lot,” said Max. “The way it’s positioned, the orientation of the sun, transfer of light with the windows, the scale and magnitude of it is unique. It’s fun to be expressive with the design and the work and finding a certain buyer for that home and what attracts them to it is kind of the fun part about it.”

Max DeMars, a General Contractor and owner of DeMars Construction, puts the finishing touches on a stone column outside of the house he is building in the Indian Lake Preserve development. Most of the homes built in the Indian Lake Preserve have elaborate stone fronts that set them apart from cookie cutter developments. This distinctive subdivision stands out from most others in the area for it’s very large plots of land and beautiful home designs. Although it is technically apart of the city of

Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

• 45


Mankato, you would not guess it by looking at it. Each property is in fact not connected to city utilities and as you gaze around, you will find it difficult to see any of the hustle and bustle of city life. “My wife and I had built our first home and lived in the country and we liked country living, but we wanted to be closer to town.,” said Josh Williams, a General Contractor with Web Construction and resident of Indian Lake Preserve. “There is more privacy and space here than your typical residential community. It’s not like your neighbors are ten feet away from you, so you have a little bit more room.” Lots in the Indian Lake Preserve range from 1.27 acres all the way up to 4.89 acres. With the typical Mankato housing lot around half an acre, it’s a significant jump. And with that jump comes a lot more options with what you can do. “One of the things that my wife and I really liked is that we have the flexibility to plant fruit trees or grape vines,” said Williams. “With that much ground you have a lot of flexibility to add some other aspects that you have room for aside from just a house.” Frequented by an abundance of wildlife and with a horse farm just down the road, you can be sure that your children will grow up in a place surrounded by adventure and excitement. A place where their minds can roam and they can experience the world as it was intended, not through a television screen, but by enjoying the world around them. “Our kids are super excited, they keep talking about how they are going to have a forest in their back yard,” said Freed. “We have gone out there a couple of times and we have gone down and had a picnic next to a little creek there. The kids being able to play in the trees and they had their boots on and they were going through the creek. I like that aspect of that our backyard is going to be a bunch of little adventures for them as they get bigger.” “That’s the thing that I love about living in this area, that nature is just out of your back door,” said DeMars. “There are so many rivers and trails in the area, you will always have something to do whether it’s kayaking, biking or just enjoying the scenery.”

46 •

• june 2016 • Special Advertising Section


To the north and east of the development is a small wildlife refuge where residents can look out their back doors and gaze upon an undisturbed natural habitat belonging to many native Minnesota animals.

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Do it yourse lf

Dream Paint Story and Photos by Cliff Coy

48 •

• june 2016 • Special Advertising Section


26

years ago, Annie Sloan, a renowned decorative painter, was frustrated by the lack of paint options available to her, so she decided to take it upon herself to create a new type of paint. She wanted a decorative paint that was immediate and allowed her to be direct and spontaneous. With three young boys under seven at the time, she had little time to decorate and wanted a paint with a fast turn around where she could paint a piece of furniture in the morning, wax it and put it back where it was by the afternoon. Thus, chalk based paint was born. “I also wanted the colors to be mixable without becoming dead or muddy,” said Annie Sloan, the creator of Chalk Paint®, who named it such because of it’s beautiful velvety matte finish. “The way we make colors is not the same as any other paint company.” Since it’s creation in 1990, chalk based paint has gained in popularity and many different companies have sprung up to put their own personal take on the popular paint. Two of the

most admired brands that are stocked in the area are Amy Howard’s One-Step Paint, a company based out of Tennessee and available at any Ace Hardware nationwide, and Country Chic, a Canadian company which is stocked by Mankato’s very own Junky Monkey. “The main reason for a clay or chalk based paint is adhesion,” said Kelly Matejcek, owner and operator of The Junky Monkey. “It will adhere to to many surfaces with little to no prep at all and that is why people like it. Anyone can come in and use this. You don’t have to be really versed in how to paint furniture or other home decor items. You can just open this and you are good to go.” The easy to use properties of this paint have made it popular with home decorators, DIYers and furniture re-claimers. All you have to do is give whatever you are working on a quick clean and then paint it. “A couple of years ago we refinished a dresser using regular paint and we had to sand it all down, then we had to prime it and then you can finally put the

Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

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50 •

• June 2016 • Special Advertising Section


paint on,” said Michelle Neiman the Purchasing Manager at Arrow Ace Hardware. “With this all you have to do is clean it and you can paint right over it. So it’s very easy to use.” The chalk based paint lines also can be painted on virtually any surface. “You can paint wood, you can paint fabric, you can paint metal, you can paint concrete, you can paint Formica, you can paint pretty much anything,” said Neiman. ”You can even paint fabric with it, we just recommend adding a little bit of water to the paint beforehand.” Each brand has their own claims to fame but in the end, all of them are a good option for your painting needs as they all have low to no volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), which are used to increase a paints shelf life and flow-ability. “It’s kind of like the difference between buying really high processed foods and organic foods,” said Amy Howard, creator of the One-Step Paint. “It was important to me to have a paint that had no VOC’s in it because about 60% of the furniture that we are rescuing and restoring in this country is going into nursery’s and children’s rooms.” “What people don’t realize is that the toxins in the paint continue to emit after we have used them,” said Howard. “Most people think the toxins effect us when you are stirring them up or painting with them, but it will continue to emit that after it has been put up.”

“The main thing with this is that it is environmentally safe,” said Matejcek. “The chalk and mineral based line actually is completely VOC free. So I think that’s set them apart initially because there are no mineral solvents in this paint. So there is nothing toxic for our waterways if you are rinsing out brushes or contaminating anything.” But don’t be fooled by the big brand name paints that you may see at your regular hardware or discount store. Make sure you check the labels to ensure that you are buying a true chalk based paint. “A lot of the companies are jumping on board kind of with this chalk finish revolution or renaissance and they are calling it that but all it is, is a flatter finish of an acrylic paint,” said Howard. “It has nothing to do with being a true chalk paint. They are just taking an acrylic paint that has plastics and chemicals in it and you can’t get depth from it.” In our society, we have a habit of just throwing out furniture that looks old and going to buy something cheap to replace it that isn’t even real wood. So when you use chalk based paint, you aren’t just using a paint that is environmentally safe and easy to use, but you are also saving sturdy all wood furniture from being tossed into a landfill and wasted.

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Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

• 51


Home trends to expect in the

year ahead

T

rends in home remodeling and decor tend to come and go. Something that is popular for a little while can fall out of favor when the next new idea comes along. New trends are always on the horizon, and 2016 may encourage homeowners to try something new.

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52 •

• June 2016 • Special Advertising Section


• Metallics and metals are back. Although stainless

• Fabric on the walls: Walls also will be covered in

• Texture: Texture is a big component of interior design.

• Pinks and blues: Expect to see pale pink and blue in

steel accents in the kitchen have long been popular, the glistening look of metal and metallic shades are back in a big way. Inspired by the 1950s and 1970s, brass, gold and metallic finishes are popular right now.

Furniture and accessories featuring faux fur and natural fibers are becoming popular. Pieces adorned with cozy materials can seem more inviting. Organic shapes, such as tables looking like the tree trunk they were cut from, also are expected to become more popular.

• Artisanal touches in accessories: It’s all about

getting back to basics, with homeowners desiring pieces that are one-of-a-kind and handmade rather than massproduced. Expect to see more accessories that are made by hand or in small batches, like pottery or handwoven textiles, as homeowners are increasingly turning to independent artists and artisans when decorating their homes. Homeowners can even support independent artists when choosing art for their homes. For example, YourArtGallery.com provides an online marketplace for artists to showcase and sell their work, and buyers looking to support independent artists can rest easy knowing that 90 percent of all image royalties go directly to the artist, a stark contrast to the roughly 50 percent offered by more traditional galleries.

texture and pattern. Textiles will increasingly turn up on walls and in places they haven’t traditionally been seen. Patterns may lean toward floral, tropical and indigenous artisan weaving designs. various design applications. The Pantone Color Institute® released a blending of two colors, Rose Quartz and Serenity, as their 2016 Color of the Year. This has impacted color trends through all areas of design - including home touches. These colors pair well with midtones, like browns and greens, as well as the increasingly popular metallics.

• Smart homes: Technology is changing the way people

look at their homes. Water-resistant music systems for the bathroom, wirelessly operated Bluetooth devices that turn on lights or appliances from a smartphone and even fixtures that use technology to self-clean are turning up more and more.

Home decor trends are always changing, adding new life to homes and keeping armchair interior decorators on their toes. This article provided by Metro Creative Connection

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Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

• 53


How to make

spring projects T

more eco-friendly

he arrival of warmer weather means different things to different people. Some anticipate opportunities for outdoor fun, while others may be considering redecorating or remodeling their homes. For the latter group, home improvement season provides a great opportunity to make homes more eco-friendly. When planning home improvement projects, it’s best to first choose a project and then look for ways to make the project more environmentally friendly. Such an approach may not only benefit the environment, but it also may benefit homeowners’ bottom lines.

Interior decorating Longer days and warmer temperatures often translate into wanting to freshen up the interior of a home. Heavy draperies and comforters are put away, and lighter fabrics are

taken out of storage. Whenever possible, reuse or repurpose items you already have rather than purchasing new items. Longer drapes can be cut and hemmed to be used as window treatments in other rooms. Making a patchwork blanket out of old T-shirts is a crafty project that makes use of items that would otherwise be destined for landfills. When laundering linens, skip the energy-using dryer and let items line dry in the sun and fresh air. If you decide to purchase some new items, look for products made from sustainable or organic fabrics. Hemp and bamboo textiles have grown in popularity. Hemp and bamboo plants grow quickly, and their durability makes these materials smart choices. When replacing items around the house, donate older items to a charitable organization.

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• June 2016 • Special Advertising Section


Flowers and plants Spring and summer call to mind beautiful blooming plants. Relying on native, sustainable plants is practical, environmentally friendly and cost-effective. According to the National Wildlife Federation, sustainable plants are native plants. Native plants sustain local wildlife more effectively than non-native alternatives, so include native plants in your sustainable garden. Native plants also are less reliant on pesticides and herbicides to keep them healthy and viable. Don’t forget to bring plants indoors as well. Even though you may be opening the windows more, indoor plants can filter and purify indoor air. The NASA Clean Air Study, led in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, found that certain common indoor plants naturally remove toxic agents such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air. Efficient air cleaning is accomplished with at least one plant per 100 square feet of home or office space.

Proper disposal Spring cleaning is another tradition for many families come the end of winter and dawn of spring. Many people use spring as a time to go through closets and garages to remove items they no longer use or need. In an effort to clean up fast, some people may dispose of chemical products, paints, treated lumber, and many other items in ways that can be damaging to the environment. Always learn local municipal guidelines for proper disposal of potentially harmful products. Area recycling centers may have drop-off areas

for stains and paints, used motor oil and other potentially harmful products. Before discarding something, see if it can be donated or sold. This will result in fewer items ending up in landfills. Exercise caution outdoors as well. Runoff from cleaning products used on home siding or driveways can leach into the surrounding soil or find its way into sewage drains that ultimately direct fluids to public waterways. Choose environmentally responsible products whenever possible. Springtime renovation and cleaning projects provide the perfect opportunity to adopt eco-friendly practices that pay dividends for years to come. This article provided by Metro Creative Connection

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507-931-6683 Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

• 55


Simple

S candinavia n

Submitted by: Antje Meisner Concepts

M

y intrigue with modern Scandinavian design began when I was 13 years old. That was the summer that I spent 6 weeks living with my aunt in Northern Germany. I immediately fell in love with the design elements of her apartment. The minimal but intentional furnishings, the beautifully crafted open shelving, the pale wood floors, and the sparse white kitchen. There were beautiful art pieces and fresh flowers. Everything had a purpose and everything had a place. Even the most utilitarian pieces added beauty to the interior. There are many things to love about Scandinavian design. The clean lines, flawless craftsmanship, and the pared back sensibility. They all combine to create an understated elegance that is extremely livable. The emphasis on natural materials and neutral palettes create a calm and peaceful environment. It’s maximum style with minimum fuss. Simplicity and function are the guiding principles. Take a look at this design aesthetic if you want to simplify your design style or add a fresh and modern feel to your space. There are many ideas and concepts that can be incorporated into your own home. If you want an interior that is thoughtful and purposeful this style may be for you. 56 •

• June 2016 • Special Advertising Section

Scandinavian design is all about connecting with nature and the outdoors. Often, windows are large and uncovered. Wherever possible windows are unadorned so the maximum amount of natural light comes through. If window treatments are used, they are simple and free of unnecessary design elements. Wood plays a starring role. It is used for flooring, as wall accents, and in many furniture pieces. Warm woods are important in the sparse décor to add warmth and a sense of welcome. Blonde wood tones simultaneously add warmth and keep the feel light. Other natural and organic materials such as leather, metal, and natural textiles are incorporated. What prevents Scandinavian interiors from appearing too bland is the mix of old and new. Combining architectural features or vintage, iconic pieces with modern items adds a touch of history and character to a neutral space. Layered lighting pieces are simple and usually have a strong and simple shape. The color palette is made up of a realm of neutral tones. Including whites, beiges, greys, browns, and black. Still, color plays an important role and it usually appears in accessories, art, and textiles. Bright accents can enliven and


energize the design and be changed out with the seasons. The perception that Scandinavian interiors are all white and lacking color is not reality for most Scandinavian homes. However, Scandinavian design does incorporate loads of white. There can be wonder in white spaces. White walls reflect light beautifully, look fantastic with wood, and allow the use of mixed colors and patterns. There is a reason that museums, architects, and designers love white. Not only do white walls provide an open, airy feel to a space, but they also provide a perfect backdrop for showcasing interesting silhouettes in furniture, art and lighting fixtures. Consider the option of white for your home. It’s not for everyone, but if you can, embrace the purity of a white space. As with other colors, whites have varying temperatures and tints. White can be bright and vivid or soft and muted. There are literally hundreds of whites to choose from. Place several white paint chips side by side and you’ll begin to see the variance in undertones and tints. This can make the selection of the right white somewhat difficult. Some tips on picking the right white. Consider the room’s orientation to the sun. A clear, white paint works well in rooms that don’t receive noonday sun. Warmer whites will enhance a northfacing room. Cool whites with gray undertones are best for south-facing spaces. Making the most of natural light, incorporating wood and natural materials, clean-lined furnishings, and simple color palettes work in harmony to create a modern space. Don’t be afraid of white walls, they can be both sophisticated and playful. These are just a few things to be learned from Scandinavian design. Finally, decorate with intention. Be thoughtful about what you purchase and bring into your home. Less is more and can be incredibly beautiful. That was the lesson I learned and still remember, thanks to my incredible German summer so many years ago.

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Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

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Reclaimed wood adds instant appeal to

home projects R

epurposing salvaged wood is a popular trend in the home improvement industry. Not only can using salvaged wood give a home a one-of-a-kind look, but it’s a handy way to incorporate the three Rs of green living into your lifestyle: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reclaimed wood is often used in flooring, beams, wall treatments, and doors, but it also can be turned into furniture or home accent items. Reclaimed wood adds warmth and historical interest to a home’s decor that newer materials may lack. Although finding wood that can be salvaged takes time and some legwork, such efforts can quickly pay off. Many businesses are now devoted to reclaimed timber, which can help make the process of finding and using salvaged wood even easier. Homeowners considering reclaimed wood may be interested to learn that such wood can serve various functions aside from benefitting the planet. • Match old-growth wood. New regulations may prevent certain species of trees from being cut down. That means 58 •

• june 2016 • Special Advertising Section

it can be challenging to match old wood in a home, particularly if you’re looking to maintain historical value and authenticity. Relying on salvaged wood items can alleviate this concern, ensuring that you can find rare woods that are no longer available brand new. • Salvaged wood has character. It’s difficult to mimic the natural age marks and character that older wood may have. Instead of being raised on farms, wood harvested decades ago probably grew in natural environments, making the wood both durable and strong. The color and grain of salvaged wood may also be unique. • Look at objects in a new way. Doors are versatile pieces of reclaimed lumber because they’re already flat and rather large. Doors can be turned into headboards, tables or benches. Staircase or porch posts can be turned into candlestick holders, and wood shutters can dress up walls and provide a place to hang artwork and other wall items. • Reclaimed wood can be found everywhere. Most people do not have to look too far to find wood they can salvage. Check salvage yards, landfills, dumpsters in front of older


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homes being renovated, or older, unused barns in rural settings. You also can collect driftwood or discarded shipping crates. While some reclaimed wood can be used as-is, some pieces may require millwork, including sanding, cutting, shaping, and finishing. If you do not have these skills, you probably will have to hire someone who does. The Internet is awash with ideas for putting salvaged wood to use. Get inspired and then find the pieces that will fit your project. This article provided by Metro Creative Connection

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• 59


How to take care of

L

your trees

awns and gardens tend to draw the bulk of homeowners’ attention come spring and summer. But it’s important that property owners tend to the trees that dot their property as well. The types of trees homeowners have on their property may influence when it’s time to trim and prune the trees. Homeowners concerned about tree maintenance should speak with local landscaping professionals and tree services about caring for the trees on their specific properties, but there are a few tricks to pruning trees that homeowners should keep in mind when dusting off their gardening tools. • Prune at the right time. The Arbor Day Foundation® notes that pruning during dormancy (i.e., winter) is the most common practice. Pruning in late winter, after the season’s coldest temperatures have passed, can lead to impressive

and healthy growth in the spring. The ADF advises that some trees, including maple and birches, may bleed sap during pruning. But this is normal and should cease as the tree starts to bloom. Novice landscapers should confirm with landscaping professionals about the best time to prune trees on their properties to ensure they are not inadvertently harming the trees or making them more vulnerable to fungus. • Use appropriate tools. When removing branches, use sharp tools to minimize damage to the bark. The ADF notes that young trees are best pruned with one-hand pruning shears with curved blades. For trees with high branches, use a pole pruner or hire a professional tree service. Novices should avoid anything too risky when pruning their trees, leaving the more difficult jobs to the professionals.

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• Follow the rules of pruning. When pruning trees, the ADF advises homeowners follow the one-third and a quarter rules of pruning. In adherence to these rules, no more than a quarter of a tree’s crown is removed in a single season, and main side branches are at least one-third smaller than the diameter of the trunk. When trimming deciduous trees, homeowners should never prune up from the bottom more than one-third of the tree’s total height. Finally, where possible, homeowners should aim for side branches that form angles that are one-third off vertical to form 10 o’clock or 2 o’clock angles with the trunk. • Water correctly. Like lawns and gardens, trees need water to thrive. Insufficient watering can make it hard for trees to thrive in summer, but overwatering can be harmful, too. The ADF suggests that watering each tree for 30 seconds with a steady stream of water from a garden hose equipped with a diffuser nozzle should be sufficient. Newly planted trees may need more help as they try to establish deep root systems, so consider laying mulch around newly planted trees. Mulch helps the soil retain moisture and form deeper, stronger root systems. Trees maintenance should be a priority as homeowners once again start tending to their lawns and gardens. More information about caring for trees is available at www. arborday.org. This article provided by Metro Creative Connection

Special Advertising Section • june 2016 •

• 61


T

hinking green throughout the year can offer some significant benefits. Here are some easy ways you can go green in your own home and lower your energy

5 simple ways to go green at home and save money

bills: Invest in a programmable thermostat. It will automatically adjust the temperature in your house, saving you energy while you’re out for the day, away on vacation or sleeping. Switch all of your lightbulbs to CFLs (compact fluorescent light) or LED bulbs. They last longer and use up to 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, saving you money on your electric bills. Insulate well. Use insulation with a high R-value, such as Roxul Comfortbatt, to top up insulation in your attic. Aim for an R-value of 50 or a depth of 16 inches. For whole home efficiency, ensure other areas of your home are well insulated, such as crawl spaces, basement headers, walls and ceilings. It will keep your house cool in the warm weather and take the stress off your air conditioning unit. Stop air leaks around your home by sealing existing gaps and cracks. Use caulking or weather stripping around doors and windows. Installing a door sweep is also a good idea. Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models. Only do laundry or run the dishwasher when you have full loads. Remember that many little improvements can add up providing valuable monthly savings for you, while protecting our environment for the future.

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• June 2016 • Special Advertising Section


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for Yourself.

GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO CHALLENGE THE JUDGE and the two other golf courses in Prattville at RTJ Capitol Hill. Bring your clubs and come take on Judge hole number 1, voted the favorite hole on the Trail. Complete your day in luxury at the Marriott and enjoy dining, firepits and guest rooms overlooking the Senator golf course. With the Marriott’s 20,000 square feet of meeting space, 96 guest rooms and luxurious Presidential Cottage combined with three world-class golf courses, business and pleasure can definitely interact in Prattville.

THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL AT CAPITOL HILL is home of the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic on the Senator Course September 18 to 24, 2014. The Marriott Prattville is part of the Resort Collection on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Visit www.rtjgolf.com or call 800.949.4444 to learn more.


Then & Now: Sibley Park By: Bryce O. Stenzel

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Early History of Mankato’s T

Sibley Park

he largest of Mankato’s numerous city parks (over 120 acres), Sibley Park has had a long association with the early history of the community. Located at the confluence of the Minnesota (south bank) and Blue Earth (east bank) rivers, the area was considered sacred by Native Americans, both for its proximity to the important river junction itself, as well as for the presence of a large hill or “mound” that dominated the site. In 1850, fur trader and future first state governor of Minnesota, Henry H. Sibley, established a trading post at the southern base of the mound. The crude log structure he built there gave Sibley an early claim to the land, and was the primary reason the later park

64 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

would be named in his honor. A year later, the treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota (in which Sibley took an active role in negotiating) were signed, opening 24 million acres of land in south-central Minnesota to Euro-American settlement. That same summer, an excursion boat made its way up the Minnesota River as far as the confluence with the Blue Earth River. Aboard the steamboat were two St. Paul businessmen, Parsons King Johnson and Henry Jackson, who were eager to expand their economic interests by establishing a townsite. In February, 1852, Johnson and Jackson returned, only to discover that the area they had chosen was prone to extensive flooding, as evidenced by the high water marks left


on trees near the river junction. Johnson and Jackson resolved to move the center of their townsite further downstream, at the great bend of the Minnesota River, thus inadvertently preserving the land around Sibley’s original trading post from large-scale commercial development. Today, the site of Sibley’s Trading Post is occupied by the George Ott Cabin, which was originally built in 1857 at a different location and was moved in 1931. As settlers flocked to Mankato to establish homes and businesses, the area surrounding the old Sibley trading post was used primarily for farmland; however, city leaders recognized early on the potential of the site for a future city park. The U.S.Dakota War of 1862 interrupted those plans. In the tragic aftermath of the Conflict, the decision was made by Sibley (now a general) and others to punish the Dakota Indians by hanging 303 of them for “crimes” against white settlers. While General Sibley awaited President Abraham Lincoln’s final sanction on executing the prisoners (Lincoln ultimately pardoned 265 of the prisoners), it was decided to move the condemned men from the Lower Sioux Agency (where the military trials had been held that determined the prisoners’ guilt) nearer to the final execution site in downtown Mankato. Historian Thomas Hughes placed the location of the temporary prison, nicknamed Camp Lincoln, “on the flat land in West Mankato lying between Front Street and the mound in Sibley Park.” Whether or not the prison was actually located within the boundaries of the current park remains unclear, but it is a possibility. After the U.S.-Dakota War, Mankato continued to expand rapidly. With the arrival of the railroad in 1868, population of the town had increased to the

point where it could incorporate as a city, which was done. In July 1887, city officials issued bonds for $15,000 for parks. On October 3, 1887, the City of Mankato purchased 120 acres of land from the Givens family for $13,088. According to the Sibley Park heritage plaque, erected in 2006, …By December 1887, the city added land to the park by purchasing the nearby Southern Minnesota Stock and Fairgrounds, which included an oval horse and bicycle racetrack, grandstand and judging stand. By 1907, Sibley Park added a bear cage, and a small-scale zoo was established. More land was added in 1920, along with bison and many other animals. In 1932, Sibley Park’s zoo added an inseparable pair: Mutt, a lonely lion, and Jeff, a dog. A dam was built in 1934 to create a lake and swimming hole, but after flooding in 1951, the dam was destroyed. Another tragic flood occurred in 1965, which killed many of the zoo animals and left Sibley Park unrecognizable… A quick-thinking city employee, armed with a loader, succeeded in pushing over the large fence posts that supported the prairie bison cage, freeing the inhabitants, who fled to the top of Sibley Mound and remained there until the flood waters receded. These bison were recaptured, and relocated to Blue Mounds State Park in the extreme southwest corner of Minnesota, where they became the nucleus of a new herd of plains (prairie) bison being created there. Subsequently, in 2015, eleven descendents of these original six, genetically pure Sibley Park bison were returned to the Mankato area to be used in creating another new bison herd—this time at Minneopa State Park. MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 65


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ʼ¼ ã«ÊÃÜ Ø Â ØØ Üܫâ¼ú ¼ Ø¢ à , ÜèÜÕ ã 㨠ú Ø ¢Ê«Ã¢ ãÊ ×è«ã 㨠¨ÊØ ãÊ ÂÊó ʃ ܨÊè¼ ã¨ ã ú ó Ø Ê ʈ Hà 㨫â «Ü ¡ÊØ ÜèØ ʂ , ÊÃʰã Õ¼ à Êà «Ã¢ ØÊèà Ê ÂÊó«Ã¢ úʈ «ã¨ Ø ,ʰ¼¼ «Ã ÜÊ ÜÜ«Üã ʢ¼«ó«Ã¢ ¡ «¼«ãú ÊØ ,ʰ¼¼ èã Ü«Ã ã¨ÊÜ Â ¢ ÿ«Ã Ü Ã q Ü Ø ¢Ê«Ã¢ ãÊ Âú ÜÊÃÜʰ Üʼ ¼ ¢ úʃ , ¹ Õ ã ¼¼«Ã¢ 㨠 㨠㠫ã ôÊè¼ ¨ÊÊó 㨠 ãÊ Üã Øã ʫâ ÜÊÂ Ø Ü Ø ¨ Êà úʈ ú 㨠ã«Â , ØÊ ¹ Âú ʭZã Øܹú à )èã ¨ʮ ʛ㨠ÊÂÕ¼ ã Ü Ø« Üʜ q Ü Ü¨Êè¼ ôÊØã¨ʃ ʨʃ ã ¼ Üã ˌȻȹʈ , ôÊÃʰã ó à ¡ ã¨Ê ¢è ÜÜ Êà ô¨ ã ¼¼ Âú #ÊÊ )ÊèÜ ¹ Õ«Ã¢Ü Ã ; « Üʰ )Ê 7ÊèØà ¼Ü ô«¼¼ ثâ «Ã èã «ã ܨÊè¼ «Ã 㨠¨«¢¨ ã¨Ø «¢«ã Ø ¼Âʈ à 㨠ú ¼ «Â , à ó Ø ã¨«Ã¹ Êèã 㨠«Ø ¡èãèØ Ü ʄ Nell Musolf is a mom and freelance writer from Mankato. She blogs at: nellmusolf.com

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Your style By Ann Rosenquist Fee

An open letter to men who want to say

(but don’t know how to say)

“You look amazing but what you’re wearing does not” Dear Men,

Happy Summer! It’s a time of ease, style-wise. It’s also a time of high stakes and great challenge. Not in terms of what you personally wear, but in terms of conversing with the woman in your life about the style risk she’s taking and not quite nailing. Right away, you’re thinking: No problem! I’ll tell her she looks great. “You always look great.” A no-fail default. Men, you are wrong. As follows: 1) She can tell you’re lying, and when the world lets her down in the form of weird glares and her coworkers acting like they don’t notice her bold choice, which is sure affirmation that the choice was wrong, it’s basically your fault for not saving her from herself; and 2) Done properly, actual thoughtful feedback in an iffy moment can make her feel even better than your rote “great” when she actually does look great.

Here’s how to address some common issues: 1) UNFLATTERING NEW HAIRSTYLE. It’s a

known biological fact that the change of seasons prompts some women to walk into their salon and demand a dramatic new look. Bangs, layers, a pixie cut. This is more about the desire to transform into a different person -one who throws lawn parties and is skilled at applying leg bronzer without leaving streaks -- than about a hairdo or whether the hairdo is flattering.

Bear this in mind. And I mean constantly, you should bear it in mind constantly starting now. Listen for any contextfree things she says, out of nowhere, such as “I might go back to school for welding” or “I feel like my spiritual home might be Paris.” Keep track of these so that when she shows up with new hair, you’ll say the right thing, e.g., “You look so autonomous and unconventional!” Or, “You look so foreign, but not out-of-place foreign, just like you were born foreignly.” (NOTE: It’s useless to bother with truth if the look is unflattering, because it’s hair, and it’s gone now, and if it occurs to you to say “it’ll grow back,” you can be damn sure she has already thought that about 600 times since leaving 70 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE


the salon and she does not need any such remarks from you.) Pay attention pre-hair-change and you’ll be equipped to say the right thing immediately post-salon, if not throughout the whole long, awful growing-out period.

2) ITEM OF CLOTHING OR COMBINATION OF ITEMS OF CLOTHING THAT LOOK VAGUELY WRONG ON HER PARTICULAR PERSON. A similar principle applies here. Dramatic wardrobe changes are often driven by the urge to transform on a deeper level. In theory, this can work. It is totally possible that if she’s been a capri-wearer or a sporty shorts person her whole adult life, and then one summer out of nowhere she goes maxidress or skort or something like that, perhaps her postures and gestures and ways of being in the world might also shift. I mean, she’s not going to become a golf pro at age 37 WITHOUT wearing skorts, is she? She can’t make the first move away from accounting and into full-time jewelry-making WITHOUT a closet full of maxi-dresses, correct???

What you need to do in the case of an awkwardly not-quite-working new garment is consider it a vision statement. Think to yourself (but do not say aloud) “wow, that looks like the half-assed Halloween costume of a (golf pro) (crafty-craft gypsy) (whatever).” Then, silently brainstorm what other items would complete the costume. Make suggestions as follows: “You know what else would look awesome?” And then, say the other things. Start small. See how she reacts. If she’s wearing a skort and you suggest “a visor in a complementary color which also brings out your lowlights,” and she beams, keep going. Name more golf pro accessories, whatever those are, which you should know by now if she’s been mentioning it and you were paying attention because you cared AT ALL about her dreams. If you suggest the visor, but it is not well-received, default to “... or anything, really anything, because you are honestly one of those people who can wear anything.” Which, technically, she can. I mean apparently right now she is.

(SOCIAL EMERGENCY CLAUSE: If it’s a case where it really isn’t working, and you fear for her pride, go with metaphor. Make the outfit the problem, not her, definitely not her. Also compliment the outfit. At the same time, compliment her. At the same time, save her from herself. For example: “Everything you have on right now looks amazing, but overall I think you maybe have a little more sock hop happening than you intend.” That was something my husband said to me recently at the sight of a black skirt/pink t-shirt/black scarf/pink headwrap getup. I think you can picture that and I think you know I wasn’t going to a sock hop. Somehow the comment left me feeling like my powers of style were spot-on, and yet the world maybe just wasn’t ready for that today. Honestly I don’t know how he does it. I can tell you we’ve been married 25 years this month. Whatever it is he’s doing, when he gives feedback like this, should probably be written into all vows.

favorite happiness funtivity, which is pulling out a lot of things from your closet and trying new combinations! Clothes party!!! Wife who loves clothes is upstairs having a one-woman stoned clothes party! Often, the next morning, the new combos were all over the floor like passed-out party people. Sometimes, the next morning, Scott would share highlights of my little speeches about the outfits. Because I didn’t just come up with them, I also put them on and then went out to the back porch where he still was -- because I’d turned in early, because one plans ahead when taking a sleep aid which might accidentally lead to walking around the house stoned for hours -- and explained what the outfit was for. The fact that Scott didn’t stop those dress-up party presentations is not as negligent as it sounds. My Ambien pageants weren’t all that different than when I’d marched into other rooms at any time of day and announced, context-free: “I’m only wearing wedges from now on because they make me stand like this which opens my third chakra.” “I just invented DIY dermatology with an insulin needle and peroxide.” “I am completely done with prints.” When I said that kind of thing on Ambien, just like all the other times, Scott did what he does. He took me seriously. He assumed there was both reason and passion behind whatever I was talking about, and said the kind of things a person wants to hear when they want but don’t know exactly how to do/wear/try/be something new. He said, “Say more about why.” He said, “I get it.” He said, “Well, I mean, yes, that is an amazing combination but I just don’t know if it makes the statement you want to make in public.” That was in response to a boots/knee socks/denim cutoffs/sweater/scarf/hat getup I trotted out one Ambien night and pronounced “perfect for going to Hy-Vee.” I don’t know why HyVee. And Scott didn’t ask. Which is how you’re going to handle it when a woman you adore shows up in something bold and different and iffy and new, whether she’s of sound mind or not. You’ll blow past unnecessary questions and comments, and go straight to trusting that her incomprehensible reasons and fragile visions are the most important things right now. Dwell in those, speak to those, and she will feel great. She will trust you with her chancy chances. And that will show. And it’ll look damn good on you both. Good luck, Happy summer, Sincerely,

Ann

3) STONED-ON-AMBIEN DRESSUP PARTY IDEAS. This is where you can really shine. At least, my

husband did. For a while I took Ambien to fall asleep. The proper way to use the drug is to take it post-getting-inbed so that you’re stoned into sleep. You’re not supposed to take it pre-getting-in-bed which can lead to being stoned and still walking around the house. Walking around so happy. Sooooo happy that you go right to your

Ann Rosenquist Fee is executive director of the Arts Center of Saint Peter and a vocalist with The Frye. She blogs at annrosenquistfee.com. MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 71


Coming Attractions: June 2

Songs on the Lawn: Holy Rocka Rollaz 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Civic Center Plaza — Mankato — free — 507-385-6640

4 Bookin’ on Belgrade Nearly 5K Family

Fun Run 8:30 a.m. — North Mankato Taylor Library — 1001 Belgrade Ave. — 507-345-5120

4 Joe’s BBQ Cook Off fundraiser for Mankato Curling Club 8 a.m.-4 p.m. — DeGroods Appliance Company — 220 St. Andrews Drive — Mankato — 507-388-9391

6 Concert in the Park: The Concord Singers 7 p.m. — German Park — New Ulm — free — 507-233-4300

16 Songs on the Lawn: Barefoot Wino’s

11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Civic Center Plaza — Mankato — free — 507-385-6640

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ArtSplash Art Fair 10 a.m.-3 p.m. — North Mankato Taylor Library — 1001 Belgrade Ave. — North Mankato — free - 507-345-5120

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Solstice: Outdoor Music Festival 12-11 p.m. Saturday, 12-10 p.m. Sunday — Land of Memories Park — Mankato — $10 adults (ages14 and up), $5 children (ages 5-13) — camping available — www.mankatosolstice.com

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North Star Bicycle Festival 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. — Intersection of Lee Blvd. and Lookout Drive — North Mankato — free — www.northstarbicyclefestival.com/Default.aspx

20 Concert in the Park:

The Original German Band 7 p.m. — German Park — New Ulm — free — 507-233-4300

27

Concert in the Park: Molly and Sonny Boy 7 p.m. — German Park — New Ulm — free — 507-233-4300

24-27 Deep Valley Homecoming

Registration required — for registration and full schedule visit www.metsy-tacysociety.org/ events.

22-25

8-11

Highland Summer Theatre presents “Seussical” 7:30 p.m. — Ted Paul Theatre — Earley Center for Performing Arts — Minnesota State University — Mankato — $22 regular, $19 discount — 507-389-6661

9 Songs on the Lawn: Pour Me Band

11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Civic Center Plaza — Mankato — free — 507-385-6640

13 Concert in the Park: The Vine Garage Band

7 p.m. — German Park — New Ulm — free — 507-233-4300

Dr. AngelA Schuck Dr. keith FlAck

72 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Highland Summer Theatre presents “The Nerd” 7:30 p.m. — Andreas Theatre — Earley Center for Performing Arts — Minnesota State University — Mankato — $16 regular, $14 discount — 507-389-6661.

23

Songs on the Lawn: Captain Gravitone and the String Theory Orchestra 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Civic Center Plaza — Mankato — free — 507-385-6640.

24

Henderson Sauerkraut Days 3 p.m.-1 a.m. — Bender Park — 200 N. Third St. — Henderson — 952-200-5684

28

Willie Nelson with Kris Kristofferson 7:30 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater — Riverfront Park — $45, $55, $69.50, $89.50, $125 and $145 — www.verizonwirelesscentermn.com

30

Songs on the Lawn: Dollys 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Civic Center Plaza — Mankato — free — 507-385-6640.


Faces & Places: Photos By Sport Pix

MS WAlk

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1. Registrants get signed up before the walk begins. 2. A team has its group photo taken by Inspired Photography. 3. Walkers wind their way around Spring Lake Park. 4. Participants gather to raise awareness for MS. 5. Walkers begin their journey around Spring Lake Park. 6. Team “Keep Erin Smyelin” celebrates at the finish line. 7. Teams make their way around the course during the walk.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2016 • 73


Faces & Places: Photos By Sport Pix

EAST-WEST Letter of Intent

1. There were six individuals who signed letters of intent for Mankato West high school. 2. Mankato East head baseball coach Cory Smith speaks about Brady DesLauriers and his career at the ceremony. 3. DesLauriers poses for a photo with Smith. 4. DesLauriers signed to play baseball for Southwest Minnesota State University. 5. Eric Carpenter of Mankato West signs his national letter of intent. 6. DesLauriers and Allison Taylor were the two signees for Mankato East this spring. 7. Jake Dale signed to play baseball at Waldorf University. 8. KaNeesha Stoltzman also committed to Waldorf.

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74 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

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Faces & Places: Photos By Sport Pix

EAST Play- ‘out of order’

1. Bryce Plagman opens the door to greet Greg Sorbo who played a waiter. 2. Kelsey Leland hugs an unreciprocating Logan Swanson. 3. Logan Swanson (L) tries to calm a frantic Sam Gruis (R) during the rehearsal. 4. Bryce Plagman pulls Stephany Morrow in close during a scene. 5. Stephany Morrow is appalled by what she witnessed during a scene. 6. Bryce Plagman tries to pretend nothing is wrong while Kelsey Leland looks on. 7. Kelsey Leland runs as she goes through her lines during dress rehearsal. 8. Jennifer Hopp played a housekeeper during the performance. 9. Allison Denn played a detective who was knocked unconscious several times during the play.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • may 2016 • 75


From this Valley By Pete Steiner

The Girl Graduate “Wishing you the best in life... may you ever be the same as you are, Grace, happy and good-natured.”

I

n blue fountain pen script, Ruth Severn wrote those words in Grace’s yearbook. Not atypical thoughts for a high school senior upon graduation, although today they’d be texted instead of written. Grace was my maternal grandmother, and the words were penned 100 years ago. Grace Reed graduated from St. John’s Academy in Jamestown, North Dakota on June 14, 1916. Among the precious things I inherited from her are a love of literature and theater, a pocket watch, and a hardbound, gold-embossed combination scrapbook/ yearbook/diary entitled, “The Girl Graduate: her own Book.” In it, she recorded the events and photos of the class of 1916 during their final months of high school. It gives pleasant insight into a life that was not necessarily simpler than now, although it may have seemed so. •••• Grace always called me “Peet-oh.” She was the diplomat of the family, exceedingly well-mannered, even elegant. If I have any good manners, it’s in large part because of her. She taught me in no uncertain terms, one does NOT use one’s finger to push peas onto a fork. A gentleman helps the lady of the house to be seated at dinner, and it is appalling for a man NOT to hold a door open for a lady. The practice of this latter instruction from Emily Post has drawn me some suspicious looks from contemporary females, who may hesitate to walk through that door, possibly wondering what it is I am after, and haven’t I heard of women’s liberation? •••• There were 14 girls and only three boys in the Class of 1916 at St. John’s Academy. Grace loved theater, and a program from the class play reveals she had the lead that spring. A local reviewer said her portrayal “won her audience from the start. ... She was splendid.” She had been a pretty good student, with 88 percent ratings in Reading and Latin Grammar, and 96s in spelling and CONDUCT from Mother Alice. I turned a page to discover a lovely pressed flower from 100 years ago (not the only pressed flower I’d find.) Like all the girls at graduation, Grace would carry a bouquet of roses. Prior to the ceremony, there they all are, posing in white dresses for a photographer. That evening, the student with the highest average in LATIN got ten dollars in GOLD. Clothes then, like now, made an important fashion statement. Grace describes her dress for the earlier juniorsenior reception as “of yellow taffeta, trimmed with yellow silk, low-necked ...” Her graduation dress was of “silkstriped marquisette … with high white shoes.” A faded 76 • June 2016 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

black and white photo shows her with a wistful gaze away from the camera lens, with the caption, “Ready to start.” And then, pressed between the next two pages is “one of the [red] roses I carried.” A wonder that in all the intervening years, it never slipped out. •••• The book includes a three-page list of graduation gifts, including a wrist watch from her parents, silk hosiery, gold hatpins, a couple of two-and-a-half-dollar gold pieces, and a dozen red roses from a Gordon Karr. My favorite photo in Grace’s book is of her in “the costume I wore to [a] Halloween party” in the fall of 1916. She’s dressed as a gypsy, with headband and beads, looking playful, even a little seductive. •••• We can contemplate what expectations were for a girl graduate in 1916. Classmate Madeleine wrote, “Tho’ a kiss be amiss, the miss who misses a kiss may miss being a Mrs. He who misses the bliss of a kiss May miss being Mr. to Mrs.” Another scribe hoped all the girls would become “the model housewife.” With marriage much on the minds of early 20th-century female grads, the “class prophecy” predicted my grandmother would marry “the Senator from Florida … after her first husband succumbed to the yellow fever.” In fact, she would wait 18 months before marrying Jabez, my grandfather, on Thanksgiving Day, 1917. She was 19. By 23, she would have three children, including my Mother. •••• With flowers, class picnics, and frilly dresses, the times may have seemed quaint, idyllic, even romantic. But if they didn’t have to worry about global warming, nuclear war, the Zika virus and sexting, they were worried about malaria and yellow fever – there were no antibiotics yet. There was no air conditioning, perishable food was kept in a root cellar or ice box (an insulated box filled with actual ice, ala a modern cooler), electricity was new and inconsistent, there was no radio yet, much less television. My grandmother would live through World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, and most of the Vietnam War. Through it all, she remained steadfast and joyous. I still see her smiling, never getting flustered, living up to her name: Grace.

Peter Steiner is host of “Talk of the Town” weekdays at 1:05 p.m. on KTOE.


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WE'RE HERE TO HELP. Accra Self-Directed Home Care Services.

Each person has unique needs and with our 25 years of experience providing support to people with disabilities – we'll help you navigate the different services and possibilities available to you. With PCA Choice – you have the option of choosing your own caregiver, including your friends and family members.

More Choice. More Flexibility.

Call our New Ulm office and ask about the possibilities!

507-225-0623 • 866-935-3515Toll Free www.accracare.org

SERVING PEOPLE STATEWIDE


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