Farmhouse / Volume 4

FARMHOUSE A Farm & Food Magazine / Volume 4

FARMHOUSE / VOL. 4

FARMHOUSE Volume 4

ALMA CREAMERY

14

PLUMLEE BUFFALO RANCH

20

CLARE DOVETON

30

THE ROOST

40

ROWHOUSE RESTAURANT

50

ON THE TABLE

58

ROSE WINES

67

all content by Four Birds Media except where noted

(785) 766-5669 info@fourbirdsmedia.com Lawrence / Kansas

cover art: Clare Doveton

Home cooked meals

Whether it’s a place to perfect that pecan pie, carve a turkey or warm up leftovers I can help you find the perfect fit‌ for all the things that move you.

ALMA CREAMERY 509 E 3rd Street Alma, Kansas

15

MARKETPLACE Alma Creamery / Alma, Kansas

There is an unattributed quote that says: “Do one thing and do it well.” At the Alma Creamery in Alma, Kansas, that isn’t a saying on a motivational poster. It is a guiding business principle.

“We make cheese,” Shon Hansen, chief operator, says with a matter-of-fact tone. “This business has been open since 1946 and it’s made cheese the entire time. There’s something to be said for not fixing what isn’t broken.”

Nestled on the eastern edge of the little town, Alma Creamery produces, packages and distributes various Cheddar, Jack and Colby cheeses. Their products are distributed through Dillons and Hy-Vee grocery stores and various other shops throughout Kansas and parts of Nebraska and Oklahoma. The creamery also operates a small shop just off the production floor.

“To be honest, not much has changed in the cheese business over the past 70 years,” Shon jokes. “Of course all of our equipment utilizes much more technology and the working conditions are more ergonomic than when the business opened in the 1940s, but it’s still the same process of balancing the moisture and acidity and pH levels.”

Shon is happy to explain in any amount of detail the production process. In fact, the gift shop has the 12step process detailed with photos.

“We’re pretty open here,” he says. “We’re proud of our products and we’re proud of how we produce them.”

The production crew includes five to seven workers.

They can produce, from scratch, a block or barrel of

cheese in about 10 hours. When demand is high, generally early November through the Super Bowl in February, Hansen says the creamery can use 50,000 pounds of milk and make 5,000 pounds of cheese a week.

Last year, the creamery had trouble keeping up with the demand.

“It was certainly a good problem to have,” Shon acknowledges. “During the holiday season we were going all-out producing product. It was a very good end to the year.”

The Co-Jack half moon is the company’s highestselling product. The smaller size and lower price drive the demand, but Shon says they really don’t have any exceptionally high or low sellers.

“Over time we’ve really found what works and what people want,” he says. “Half moons sell really well because the size is very manageable. Of course the cheese curds sell well and the Kansas-shaped cheeses are always popular.”

Shon says Alma Creamery is part of his family’s expanding food business. They also operate a production facility for Hormel and a bacon plant in Iowa.

Yes, a bacon plant.

“We are very happy to help preserve this creamery,” Shon says. “It is a solid business that produces superb cheese for appreciative people. The people who work here are really great and we are thrilled with the quality of our products. The fact that folks in Kansas appreciate our work and buy our cheese is a testament to the people working here.”

FH

The crew at Laird Noller helped me find the perfect vehicle for my MicroGreens business, Backyard Produce. With this Ford I can extend my reach into Kansas City and further West. - Terrance Webster

935 West 23rd Street, Lawrence / (785) 843-3500 www.lairdnollerlawrence.com

PLUMLEE BUFFALO RANCH 29300 Southwest 99 Frontage Road Alma, Kansas

Larry Plumlee doesn’t want people to think that he doesn’t work hard. Clearly, tending to a 400-acre ranch and maintaining a herd of 75 buffalo isn’t easy. The thing is, Larry says, it’s just not all that hard.

“It’s surprising how easy it is to maintain these buffalo,” Larry says with a laugh. “If I had known then what I know now, I would have been raising buffalo all along.”

Larry and his wife Shirley operate Plumlee Buffalo Ranch just north of Alma, Kansas.

“These animals, really, are so self-sufficient,” Larry says. “We’ve been doing this almost 15 years. We haven’t had a veterinarian out here once. Not one time. And we’ve never lost an animal because of sickness and we’ve never vaccinated an animal. They don’t need it. These animals are almost bulletproof, really. I feed them Safeguard granular wormer mixed with grain twice a year and that’s it. We’ve learned how to keep them happy and they return the favor.”

The Plumlees started raising buffalo after Larry broke his back falling from a horse. For years the couple had operated multiple cattle and horse ranches just outside of Manhattan, Kansas. After the fall, Larry knew he needed to make a change. The Plumlees did extensive research, sold their cattle and horses and invested in a few bison.

“We really enjoy these buffalo,” Shirley says. “People don’t believe us when we tell them how docile and low maintenance they are. But, like Larry said, they are very peaceful creatures. They protect their area and protect their calves. At this point they trust us almost completely. We knew when we started raising buffalo that if we ever mistreated them, they would never trust us again. We take good care of the herd.”

The herd is led by Samson, the 2,700-pound bull.

Samson is an enormous animal. His size makes him unmistakable in the herd. He towers over the calves and young bulls. He’s responsible for the growth of the herd.

“Yeah, Samson has a pretty good life,” Larry says with a big laugh. “Shirley says it’s Samson and his harem.

He’s a big, big boy, but he does his job well. Our herd has grown because he’s happy and healthy.”

Calves are born in late spring. In stark contrast to cattle operations, calving season on the Plumlee ranch is stress free.

“To be honest, we go on vacation during calving season,” Shirley says. “We’ll leave the ranch for a week or so and come back to 15 or so new calves. We’ve never had any trouble during calving season.”

The herd spend the spring, summer and fall seasons roaming 400 acres of rolling Flint Hills pasture. They graze on grass and hay, rambling the ranch freely.

The sight of the herd spread across a dozen acres underneath a big Kansas sky is nothing short of majestic. It’s easy to forget the buffalo aren’t wild. When winter storms roll through, the herd makes its way to the corral closer to the Plumlee home. Larry lays out hay across the snow and the buffalo use trees for windbreaks.

Larry and Shirley use a local processor and harvest between 15 and18 buffalo a year. The meat is sold through regional Hy-Vee stores, local co-ops and their own small shop in their home. Larry says their biggest client is a regional company that sells buffalo burgers at state and county fairs.

“It’s not a fair in Kansas without a Buffalo Burger from Plumlee Ranch,” he says.

An unexpected benefit to running a successful buffalo ranch in Kansas is the tourist. That’s right, tourists.

“Initially, we thought it was surprising how many people stopped by just to see the buffalo,” Shirley says.

“When the herd was smaller we’d have people stop along the road a lot. When they started knocking on our door we knew we had to manage the crowds.”

Now the Plumlees accommodate as many hands-on tours of the ranch as they can. They charge a nominal amount for adults and require reservations. Seeing so many people engaged and interested in the buffalo energizes Larry. As a former Army helicopter pilot, Larry says they donate much of the money generated from tours to help with the Wounded Warrior foundation at Fort Riley.

“I love having families out here,” Larry says. “For kids, being outside and close to the buffalo has to be better than staring at a screen all day.”

FH

An interactive learning center exploring the science & history of the Flint Hills

315 S. 3rd Street Manhattan, KS 66502 / 785.587.2726 / flinthillsdiscovery.org

We’ll see you in March.

Though we’re closed for the season, that doesn’t mean we’re not working. We’ve transplanted tomatoes into their hydroponic pots, we are seeding vegetables and flowers most everyday and have started to transplant the little plugs into larger pots.

While we get things ready for the Spring season, please take a minute to go to our website and sign up for our Crop Update emails and our CSA program. We’ll get back to work... we’re opening in just a few more weeks!

- Karen & John Pendleton

1446 E 1850 Rd / Lawrence, Kansas

(785) 843-1409 / www.Pendletons.com

CLARE DOVETON Modern Landscape Artist Lawrence, Kansas

31

“The Drift of Things”

“To the New Year”

When did you begin painting and what attracted you to the art form?

I started painting seriously when I moved to New York City in 1994. Painting just works for me over other art forms. It is contemplative and meditative, and oils in particular are wonderfully malleable. Oils take to my messiness and mishaps; I feel we sort of work together and eventually stumble onto something. When that “something� hits, everything rings clear like a gong. It is pure magic.

What about the landscape of the Great Plains and Kansas inspires you?

What attracts you to the subject?

I lived in New York City and San Francisco for about 11 years. Living in big cities, buildings and congestion and endless advertising eat up your horizon line. I painted abstractly for the most part, I think because everything around me was a buzz. Life felt very fast. I worked countless hours to afford whatever tiny apartment I never had time to be in. I was up late and wore heels and never set foot on grass.

A few years after the birth of my first son, I moved back to Kansas and I eventually ended up renting a farmhouse in the middle of a cornfield. And everything slowed down. I feel like I really tuned into the sky for the first time - the earth too, for that matter. There was just nothing in the way for as far as the eye could see. There was just The Whole Sky. My husband and I had our second son out there and spent most of our time just tending to the land. We kept chickens and ducks and tried to grow our food. I had a studio in one of the outbuildings for a while. Painting and life are one in the same, so that is what poured out. We lived out there for about six years and just moved back to town. So the work is beginning to morph again to reflect this new thing.

How do you describe your work?

I work mostly from memories (rather than from photographs or on-site) of spaces and of light, and I think that this gives the work a lucid and atmospheric quality.

These are memories of where home lies, or what I drove by earlier that day, or a moment where the light struck me. There is this feeling of great space between things in Kansas, and I think that comes through. The work is very much guided by what I am seeped in. Whether I am living in a cornfield on a farm, or on this hill in town, plays a part. What I am reading shines through for me, and often finds its way into the title of the piece. Whether it is autumn or winter. If I am broke or carefree. Whether there is Arvo Part or Patti Smith on the stereo. All things play a role. The work is moment minded.

Do you paint landscapes other than rural scenes?

The most recent work is influenced by our move to the top of 9th Street here in Lawrence. Our house sits on top of the hill and looks toward downtown. In past works I always scraped in a few lines with various tools to loosely represent lines in the fields or telephone wires, etc., but can now see cell towers and perhaps even

“While You Were Sleeping”

“The Light Burns Dim”

roads forming. The color in the work has changed - the skies are stark and the light has dimmed. The horizon line here in town is so different. And the canvases seem darker now, though that often happens to my work in the winter.

Can you describe your process? For instance, do you see a scene and decide to paint it, or do you imagine a scene and then put it to canvas?

I start each piece with an under-painting – something messy and colorful and not terribly thought-out covering the entire canvas. There is no right side up. In fact, there probably won’t be until close to the end. I am constantly flipping the works on the floor. I use thinned pigments to build up layers and layers, as the shape of the painting sort of builds. I often scrape lines in with a knife or other tool to separate planes or find balance in the work and to also loosely represent something manmade. Most of the lines get painted over, but some feel crucial and those will stay. I try to stay pretty wide open. The whole magic of painting is in not knowing what the exact outcome will be. And it’s not always up to me anyway. I am looking for the paint to do something I haven’t seen before or to make a new mark. Some days it does, and others it doesn’t, and I have to keep trying to find a way in.

What is your typical timeline, from start to finish?

That really depends on the flow of things. And how strict my deadline is! I have finished a painting in a few hours and I have also taken years on a single piece. I would say two to four weeks is a good guess for a larger work.

What percentage of your work is commissioned?

I would guess about a quarter of what I produce currently is commissioned work.

They are often for corporate collections, but also for private collectors looking to fill a specific (usually large) space. When taking on a commission, it’s important to me when possible to see where it will hang so I can get a sense of the light at different times of the day and see what else is in the space to make sure the flow and color is right. I really enjoy them. Its so interesting to start a piece knowing where it will land. Each one is it’s own challenge.

Clare Doveton has been selected as the 2015 Featured Artist for the Benefit Art Auction at the Lawrence Arts Center. Her solo exhibition will be on display January 16 – March 1 at LAC, followed by the Art Auction on April 11th.

For more information: www.lawrenceartscenter.org.

Clare is currently represented by Weinberger Fine Art in Kansas City, Missouri, and Strecker–Nelson Gallery in Manhattan, Kansas. www.claredoveton.com

39

THE ROOST 920 Massachusetts Street Lawrence, Kansas

41

For Manda Jolly, it’s the challenge of the morning person.

“I think we have a responsibility here,” Manda says. “When someone comes in to start their day with us, we need to get their day started right.”

Manda, with her husband Sean and friend Ken Pingleton, own and operate The Roost, (920 Massachusetts), a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Lawrence.

“Some people come in and they are in pretty rough shape,” Manda says with a smile. “It happens almost every day – and I’m not just talking about a hangover. People come in and by the look on their face I can tell they aren’t having the best day. I think it’s our job to give them a great experience and change the trajectory of their day.”

The crew at The Roost serve up big plates of homegrown Kansas grub. The food is beautiful in its simplicity and tradition. Each plate is, essentially, a testament to their love and passion for the state of Kansas. The restaurant is named after a farm in Phillips County that Manda’s family has operated since 1873. Honoring that land, and all those who work the land, is a major motivation for The Roost.

“We love this state,” Sean says. “We’re all from Kansas and we’re proud to be operating our restaurant here. I think, by using many local ingredients and serving traditional dishes, we are honoring our roots and showing appreciation.”

Sean’s dishes are robust and filling. They are the types of plates that have filled family tables on Sunday mornings for generations. The Kansan offers two eggs, bacon or sausage, toast and potatoes. For breakfast, they offer Potato Pancakes, Corned Beef Hash and incredible Eggs Benedict (or “Bennys” as they call them). Lunch brings heaping salads, Roast Beef & Spinach or Portobello “Sammys” and trottole pasta in cheesy béchamel.

“We’re not doing anything super complex here,” Sean says.

“But what we do, we do really well. That’s important. The ingredients we use are flavorful and, if we do our job right, don’t need a lot of embellishing. Sometimes just getting out of the way of the natural flavors is the best thing we can do for a dish.”

Equally important to both the ambience of the building and the bottom line of the business is the bar and coffee menu.

Ken Pingleton manages both the coffee bar and the traditional bar. He says getting people a great cup of coffee is not a job to be taken lightly.

“It’s no secret that many people in Lawrence are very, very passionate about their coffee,” Ken says with a smile. “I’ve been told we have the best coffee around. That’s huge compliment because I know there are so many great shops in Lawrence.”

The barista at The Roost moves with purposeful energy at all times. There is no downtime when you are responsible for the mochas, lattes and espressos at a popular breakfast restaurant. Barista Chelsea Rae flashes a stoic smile between pours and moves to the next order. It is clear she takes her responsibility seriously. Her work is diligent, precise and delicious.

The Roost is a dream come true. When Manda was enrolled at the University of Kansas, she began working at Milton’s. As the hostess she saw the operation and was easily convinced she was made for hospitality.

“I like taking care of people,” Manda says with a soft smile. “I knew that right away when I started at Milton’s. I also knew I wanted a restaurant of my own.”

Manda and Sean began seeing each other soon after he started cooking for Milton’s. When the opportunity to open their own shop, in the same building where they both had worked, presented itself, they jumped.

“It was kind of a now-or-never moment,” Manda recalls.

“Sean and I both wanted to run our own place with our own ideas, but the opportunity was never right. When Milton’s was closing, we called all our friends, cashed out our savings and took the plunge.”

The couple knew they needed one more person to help. They approached Ken, a veteran Lawrence bar manager. Ken was initially hesitant to sign on, but says Manda and Sean were “very persuasive.” He said yes and the trio was set.

Manda, Sean and Ken conducted a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the final bit of renovation and start-up costs and opened their doors in July 2013. Business has been brisk since opening and the business now employs more than 30 people.

The three owners seem very well suited to work together.

Manda is calm and confident. Ken is a gregarious host and Sean is the quiet driving force in the kitchen. They complement each other and compliment each other; each makes it a point to shift credit for The Roost’s success.

“I couldn’t ask for two better people to do this with,” Ken says. “Sean is a fantastic chef and Manda is the best host anywhere. They make this such a great experience for everyone involved.”

Manda is quick to duck the spotlight and return the compliment.

“Sean and Ken do the heavy lifting,” she says. “I try to make guests feel comfortable and cared for. Those two make sure they leave feeling full.”

FH

FARM BUREAU FULL PAGE AD.indd 1

11/12/2014 12:24:56 PM

ROWHOUSE RESTAURANT 515 Southwest Van Buren Street Topeka, Kansas

51

Greg Fox never intended to be a chef and he never planned to live in Topeka, Kansas.

“I grew up here and love it,” Greg says. “But I never planned on creating a life here. I mean, I was in New York City and Nashville and I was finding success. To be honest, I think maybe I had the idea of coming home in the back of my head, but when that urge struck me, I was a little surprised.”

As fate would have it, a dilapidated building a few blocks from the Kansas capitol building grabbed him and wouldn’t let him leave.

“RowHouse found me,” Greg says. “I honestly believe that.”

Greg grew up in Topeka and proudly owns being a bornand-bred Kansan. After high school, Greg headed east to follow his dream of being an actor and musician. Thoughts of the Kansas prairie were far from his mind. He was finding work as an actor while working at the legendary Sarabeth’s Kitchen.

“I was hustling and trying to make those dreams come true,” Fox recalls. “I was successful and happy in New York and I really loved working in the restaurant. But after awhile I realized music was my driving passion and I wasn’t going to make it in New York as a musician. So, I headed south.”

Greg chased his dreams and music to Nashville, Tennessee.

In 2000, with money earned from his acting and music, Fox and a business partner opened Cibo Euro-Café and Catering Company. As the restaurant (he describes it as a “great lunch spot”) grew more successful, Greg curbed his music dreams and focused on the business. Things were rolling.

“I’m very proud of that work in Nashville,” Greg says. “We really made great dishes and worked very hard to satisfy every person who came in the building.”

By 2005, family issues were bringing him back to Topeka a few times a month. The more he traveled “back home,” as he refers to Topeka, the more he thought about making his stay in the capital city permanent.

“I tried many times to find a location in Topeka to open a version of our Nashville restaurant,” he explains. “It just would not work. I mean, it was as though fate was against the idea.

Either the city wouldn’t zone a location or money would fall through at the last moment; it didn’t work.”

By then Greg had made the move back to Topeka and was helping with his brother’s restaurant, the great Celtic Fox. He knew he needed his own place. That’s when he found RowHouse.

Greg purchased two properties in Topeka’s decaying row house neighborhood. The Topeka Historical Society had pur-

chased the buildings, but no renovations had been done.

“I knew as soon as I saw the building, even in the state it was in, that I wanted to open a restaurant here,” Greg says. “I ditched the lunch concept almost immediately and focused on dinner. We started renovation with a specific feeling in mind and this restaurant is exactly what I envisioned.”

Greg’s RowHouse Restaurant is quaint, charming, bright and bustling. The building can accommodate 75 guests on three stories of service. The basement is intimate and dark. The main level and top floor are flooded by natural light streaming in through big, east-facing windows. Greg’s kitchen is compact and, to be honest, cramped.

“Because we have to abide by historic structure codes, we can’t have any industrial equipment in here,” he explains.

“So, we make do with what we can. I’m not complaining. I mean, look at these huge windows. How many restaurant kitchens have you been in with this much natural light?”

Greg operates RowHouse a bit different than most traditional restaurants. They are open only four days a week, and the prix fixe menu changes, completely, every week.

“By this point, I have hundreds of menus that we’ve done,” Greg says. “But in those early years there were a few times of panic, wondering what I had done to myself.”

The menu reflects the season and availability of ingredients and, well, how Greg is feeling..

“I’m so glad I decided against a traditional menu of options,” Greg says with a relieved smile. “I know that I would get tired of making the same thing every night. Now I can control inventory more easily and ensure the freshest ingredients. And I know exactly what everyone is getting. You can come in and just have the salad and a glass of wine, but you’re paying for the entire menu.”

Greg defines his menus as American fusion and heavily vegetarian. He strives to make each menu healthy, as fresh as possible and a little unexpected. Watching him in the kitchen and walking around his restaurant, it is abundantly clear that he is happy, but not content.

“I’m so proud of what we do here,” he says. “I love the food we make, the people who work here and the people who dine here. I’ve created a business that allows me to do what I love but also explore new ideas and travel.”

And to think, he did it all in Topeka.

“Really, this restaurant is a testament to this great city,”Greg says. “I love living in Topeka and I love being from Topeka.

It’s an honor being able to operate RowHouse here. But, of course, this restaurant couldn’t be anywhere else.”

FH

ON THE TABLE

Seasonal recipies from local cooks

Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb w/ Stone Ground Mustard Pan Sauce and Mediterranean Couscous Salad w/ Lemon Vinaigrette Chef Kelly Risley / Lawrence Hy-Vee Rack of Lamb 2 2 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 1

lb oz cloves oz Tbsp Tsp Tbsp Tbsp Tbsp Cup

Rack of Lamb Fresh Rosemary Fresh Garlic -peeled Fresh Mint Kosher Salt Course Gound Black Pepper Olive Oil Unsalted Butter Stone Ground Mustard Red Wine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a food processor, make a paste with the rosemary, mint, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Evenly distribute paste over lamb.

Heat a pan to Medium, add 2 tbsp. unsalted butter to the pan. Once butter is melted, place the lamb in the pan rib side up. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Set pan aside (pan drippings will be used for the sauce). Transfer lamb to a sheet tray and place in the oven uncovered.

Cook for 45-50 minutes, or until medium rare (internal temperature of 130 degrees).

Using the same pan, add 1 cup of red wine to pan drippings. Use a whisk to incorporate drippings from the sides and bottom of the pan. Reduce wine by 1/2. Add 1 tbsp. stone ground mustard and 1 tbsp. butter. Whisk all ingredients together. Cover and set aside.

Lay rack on cutting board and let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Drizzle mustard sauce over lamb when plating.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Lemon Vinaigrette

16 4 4 4 2

2 2 1 1 3

oz oz oz oz oz

Couscous Dried Apricot - chopped Chopped Walnuts Crumbled Feta Cheese Fresh Mint - Chopped

Tbsp Tsp Tsp Tbsp Tbsp

Champagne Vinegar Kosher Salt Black Pepper Lemon Juice Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cook couscous as directed on package and let cool. Add apricots, walnuts, feta, and mint to couscous and set aside. In a small bowl, add vinegar, salt, and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in olive oil.

Pour over couscous and toss.

59

Pulled Pork Sliders w/ Pablano Jam & Pickled Onion Chef Sean Jolly / The Roost Pulled Pork Sliders 2 lbs 2 Tsp 2 Tsp 6 cloves 2 Tbsp 1 Tsp 1 Tsp 1 Bunch 1 whole 4 oz 6 Pack Zest

Pork Shoulder Kosher Salt Black Pepper Garlic (minced) Dried Oregano Cumin Coriander Cilantro Stems (Removed & rough chopped) Yello Onion (rough chopped) Green Chilies Light Beer 2 Limes & 1 Orange

Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Combine the garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, cilantro and citrus zest in a bowl with olive oil. Pour mixture in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag with the pork and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Place onion and chillies in a braising pan deep enough to hold the pork shoulder. Place the pork on the onions and pour in 5 beers. The liquid should just be covering the pork. Cover with foil and place on center rack of oven for 6 hours.

Drink the 6th beer.

When pork is done it should be tender and able to pull apart with a fork. Reduce the remaining braising liquid by 3/4 and puree for a delicious sauce.

Poblano Jam 1 Lb 1/2 2 Tsp 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 2 Tbsp

Poblano Peppers Yellow onion (small diced) Garlic (minced) White Wine Vinegar Water Sugar

Preheat over to 350.

Lightly toss peppers in olive oil and roast on a sheet tray for 1.5 hours. Allow peppers to cool completely. Remove seeds, stems and skins and rough chop. In a medium sauce pan, saute onions over medium heat until they become tender and start to caramelize. Add the vinegar and reduce until it is almost gone. Add the peppers, garlic, water and sugar. Reduce again until liquid is almost gone.

Allow to cool fully before serving.

Quick Pickled Onion 1 2 1 2 1

Cups Cup Tsp Tsp

Red Onion (julienned) Water White Wine Vinegar Sugar Salt

Combine water, vinegar, sugar & salt in small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Add onions to hot mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Bison Steak Marinade Shirley Plumlee / Plumlee Buffalo Ranch 8 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/2

oz Cup Cup Cup Tsp Tsp

Buffalo Steak Bourbon Soy Sauce Brown Sugar, Packed Black Pepper Garlic Powder

Marinate steaks or brisket at least 24 hours. Grill steaks according to individual preference. Cook brisket covered with foil at 325 degrees for 3 to 5 hours depending upon weight. Check after 3 hours. Recipe makes enough for 4 average steaks or one brisket.

Grilled Bison Steak 8 oz

Buffalo Steak Garlic to taste Salt to taste Butter or Oil Lemmon Pepper

Brush steaks with melted butter, coconut oil or olive oil. Sprinkle with and pepper.

Place meat at least six inches from source of medium heat. Turn with tongs to retain juice. Brush steaks each time you turn them. Watch carefully to no overcook. 1-inch steak: Rare - six to eight minutes. Medium: eight to ten minutes.

Remove from heat, cover and let rest for two to three minutes.

RowHouse Shortbread Cookies Greg Fox / RowHouse Restaurant 1.5 2 2 7

lbs Cups Tsp Cups

Butter (room temperature) Sugar Vanilla Extract Sifted Flour

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar. Mix until just incorporated. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour all-at-once and mix until combined. This is cookie batter; so don’t over stir, just get it all combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide dough info four equal parts. Form into square logs and wrap with clear plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to a week.

When ready to bake, preheat over to 350 degrees. Cut logs into 1/4-inch thick cookies and place on prepared baking sheet an inch apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes, checking frequently, until desired color. Allow to cool to cool and decorate as you wish.

Alvamar Country Club The Place to Play

For more information, please call: (785) 842-7767 or email: bminnis@alvamar.com

A Rose of Any Color

by Steve Wilson & Jamie Routledge of City Wine Market / Lawrence Spring is finally right around the corner. Sure, it’s poked its head under the tent a few times earlier this winter but spring’s official 2015 limited engagement is almost here. For those of us in the wine business, the arrival of spring means many wineries will soon be shipping their latest releases. And unique to the spring offerings (wineries also release in the fall) is something we eagerly await each and every year... the latest vintage of dry rosés.

and there are umpteen different grape varieties that can be used--are crushed and left to soak. As the clear juice from the inside of the grapes mixes with the color compounds called anthocyanins (as well as many flavor and aroma compounds) from the skins, it assumes its telltale pink hue. When the winemaker concludes the extraction has yielded the desired color and flavor profile, the red skins are removed and the juice is slowly fermented to dryness.

If you haven’t yet stopped to smell and taste the rosés, we can predict the question you probably have… and the answer is no, white zinfandel is far from the most qualified ambassador for all wines pink. Unfortunately, many off-dry white zins are one-dimensional, poorly made; cloyingly sweet wines that offer very little to justify the consumption of their calories. In truth, their real crime is not tasting awful (though certainly some do). In most cases, white zin’s main offense is just being overly boring.

For the wine drinker, part of what makes roses interesting comes from the fact that there are so many different red grapes that can be used. Unique to the rosé style, a grape that in one case might create a full-bodied, powerfully bold red can also be used to make its light-bodied, elegant antithesis. If you’re not looking for something overly esoteric, common red grapes like Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Franc make some mouthwatering roses. And although they are delicious by themselves, rosés are particularly good with food, from take-out to fine dining. Are there any good reasons not to drink rose, you ask? We’ve not been able to find one.

When made well, dry rosés have an uncanny ability to mimic the flavors and aromas of fresh fruit. And after just coming off of winter’s fresh fruit drought, the ripe flavors of strawberries, watermelon, cherries, raspberries, rhubarb, peach, grapefruit and tangerine carried by bright acidity couldn’t be any more welcome.

Dry rosés are made in very small amounts, relative to the amounts of red and white wines most winemakers will make in the same vintage. In the production of rosé, red grapes--

That brings us back to the arrival of spring. Most dry rosés do their best work when they are young and fresh. Accordingly, the time for rosé-color your glasses is now. Cheers!

Steve Wilson & Jamie Routledge operate City Wine Market in Lawrence. The shop offers a vast selection of wines and craft beers, wine tasting, wine pairings and answers.

(785) 856-2489