Winter 2014
muskogeephoenix.com
The wonderful neighborhood of Boston Street
2
WINTER 2014
Green Country Living
3
contents Boston Street
6
A look at the close-knit community of a cul-de-sac on Boston Street.
The Robinson Home
15
Scott and Julie Robinson share their memories of their home and the Boston Street neighborhood.
The Davis Home
21
Ann Davis has turned her Boston Street home into a living art gallery.
The Halbrook Home Jim and Marla Halbrook have lived in their Boston Street home since 2011.
28 37
WINTER 2014
Smart selections for a romantic Valentine’s Day evening.
The Cook’s Pantry
40 4
Wonderful Wine
Local restaurants share delicious recipes for a Valentine’s Day dinner.
45
Historic Homes of Muskogee The Callahan House.
Cover photo by Jerry Willis
on the cover
Winter 2014
WINTER 2014
STAFF
editor ADVERTISING SALES Layout & Design
Issue 35
Jerry Willis Angela Jackson Amanda M. Burleson-Guthrie
Green Country Living is published quarterly by the Muskogee Phoenix. Contents of the magazine are by the Muskogee Phoenix. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the Muskogee Phoenix. Green Country Living, P.O. Box 1968, Muskogee OK 74402. email jwillis@muskogeephoenix.com - Editorial: (918) 684-2932 email adjackson@muskogeephoenix.com - Advertising and distribution: (918) 684-2813
muskogeephoenix.com
The wonderful neighborhood of Boston Street
Ann Davis keeps a painting on the late Roger Davis’ easel and keeps his palette and brushes as her husband left them.
facebook.com/greencountryliving
Green Country Living
5
Unique Neighbors A look at a special Boston Street neighborhood By Cathy Spaulding
W
ally Cleaver and The Beav would look right at home walking past the houses on Boston Street while the chirpy, bouncy “Leave It to Beaver” theme plays. The Boston Street area between 26th and 29th streets evokes that early baby boomer neighborhood spirit. Most of its houses date to the 1940s or 1950s, when World War II
6
WINTER 2014
veterans were home establishing families. “It was a boom time in Muskogee as well as the rest of the nation,” said Muskogee historian and columnist Jonita Mullins. “The population was swelling, and we did enjoy a building boom.” Mullins said the area would have been considered an early suburb because it was just outside the original township. However, unlike the cookiecutter homes that popped
up after the war, Boston Street is more of an eclectic neighborhood, she said. Each house along those blocks boasts distinct character. The neighborhood features such styles as Georgian revival, Cape Cod, art deco, Cotswold cottage and ranch. “This tells me they were not spec houses,” Mullins said, referring to houses built for market appeal. “These people built the homes for themselves. You can tell because they involve
a lot of individual uniqueness.” Linda Hattaway, who lives in a rambling white ranch house, said her family was attracted to its back den when they moved there 20 years ago. “When we moved in, we had three sons and we just let them have the den,” she said. “I wanted some place where the boys could hang out.” The boys have since grown, and visiting grandchildren now take over the space, she said. Hattaway recently retired from
Top: Homes along the Boston Street cul de sac were not part of a development, but were built at various times in a variety of architectural styles. Above: Ron Boren’s family home anchors the cul-de-sac on Boston Street.
Left: Though both made of brick, Sean Barney’s Georgian revival style home and Jim and Marla Halbrook’s Cotswold cottage style home show the range of architectural styles built on the Boston Street cul-de-sac. Above: The homes in the Boston Street cul-de-sac offer interesting and quirky details, such as this wrought iron gate hung between aged brick pillars. Right: Preston Jones’ home on Boston Street is called the Miami House because of its art deco look. Green Country Living
7
Left: A curved arch leads to the library of Linda Hattaway’s expansive ranch home on Boston Street.
Below: The library of the Boren home on Boston Street includes a vast book collection and a number of vintage items maintained the way Ron Boren’s mother organized them.
Right: Family photographs adorn a secretary in Ron Boren’s home.
Photos By Jerry Willis
8
WINTER 2014
the Muskogee County Health Department. Her husband, Dan Hattaway, is the math coordinator for Muskogee Public Schools. Like many homes from that era, Hattaway’s house abounds with knotty pine paneling. It lines a wall in the front room and dominates kitchen fixtures. She said she put a light whitewash on the kitchen paneling to lighten it up. “Another cool thing is that the house has mahogany doors,” she said, rapping on a closet door. The closets also have built-in storage, another appeal, she said. A thick arch leads to what Hattaway assumes was a former dining room. It’s now is used as a library. Cubby holes built into the arches hold books and collectibles. “This is a perfect house to entertain in,” Hattaway said. Sean Barney said “classic
Georgian columns” attracted him to his house a few years ago. He has come to love the molding along the walls and the sturdy construction. Barney said the house was built by Manhattan Construction Co., which typically was a commercial builder. “It was built to be here for a long time,” he said. “It was designed to withstand an F5 tornado. The windows remind me of a high school classroom, with the steel grids.” The windows are covered with copper screens, which allow ample views of the outdoors. “But it is amazing that when you take off the screen, there is so much light,” he said. Barney said the previous homeowners gave him an accordion file with information about the house. “I’ve got all the blueprints from when they were actually
blue,” he said. “I could make a duplicate house from the blueprints.” Andrea Chancellor lives in one of the neighborhood’s older houses. She said it dates to the 1930s. Chancellor, a marketing and membership executive with Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, recently moved into her house. But she knows the neighborhood well. “I grew up on Boston Street, six blocks down,” she said, adding that she drove up and down the street until she found the house. “It’s vintage on the outside, but with a totally remodeled kitchen that doesn’t make it feel out of date,” she said. “But, I like the small rooms; it’s cozy, tucked away so you don’t notice it.” It also is a good “walking neighborhood,” she said. “You really could walk to the grocery
Green Country Living
9
10
WINTER 2014
Clockwise this page: Pine paneling and a large fireplace occupy one wall of Linda Hattaway’s living room. The den of the Hattaway home was a teen hangout during Linda and Dan Hattaway’s son’s teenage years, but it is now a playroom for the Hattaway grandchildren. The fireplace mantel in Ron Boren’s place is a carved masterpiece.
Green Country Living
11
store or the drug store.” Chancellor said she especially enjoys the side porch that faces 26th Street. It’s a great place to entertain. She likes to fire up her porch chiminea for gatherings. “Everybody waves to each other,” she said. “It’s like a community within a community.” The sense of community is what has drawn younger families and other people to the area. Residents say they invite neighbors for parties and attend neighbors’ funerals. “It’s home, the dirt under my feet,” said Ron Boren, who lives in the white-columned Plantation style home at the end of the cul-de-sac. He recalled growing up in that very house and making friends with all the neighborhood kids. “We just kind of had a mecca for the kids,” he said. “In the backyard, sometimes there’d be
people from all over.” He said his backyard attracts eagles, hawks, owls and other wildlife. “There was a canopy of trees that went from 24th all the way down the street,” Boren recalled. “Cars in the 1960s would automatically turn their lights on. And during broad daylight, the lights would come on in the cars, it was so dark under the canopy.” Dutch elm disease killed many of those trees in the 1980s, he said. “And if Muskogee ever had a music row, that street would have been it,” Boren said. “Around 2000, when Jim Blair moved in, I’d hear bluegrass music coming out of Jim’s house. Andy and David Kay jammed at their house. A bass player would be waiting on my porch. We had three bands playing at one time.” 2
Below: A large sunken family room offers lots of seating and play space in the Hattaway home.
12
WINTER 2014
14
WINTER 2014
The Robinson Home Scott and Julie Robinson’s Boston Street Home By Cathy Spaulding
J
ulie and Scott Robinson find all sorts of old-home oddities in their home. “There are still a lot of original things in the house,” Julie Robinson said. “Funny to me, there are outlets to window unit air conditioning. Of course, when the house was built, there was no air conditioning. In every room, there are wood shutters. They were made custom to fit over the air conditioners.” The house no longer has a ringer for the maid, however. “I took out the ringer just in the last year, when I redecorated the room,” she said, cracking a smile. “I say I push it and push it and she never shows up. It was like a little doorbell next to the bed, where you can ring the maid. I decided it was time to go. She wasn’t going to show up.”
The Cape Cod-style house dates back at least 70 years, to the early 1940s, maybe 1939, Robinson said. Scott Robinson bought the house 33 years ago. Julie Robinson said she knows the house and the neighborhood well. “Anybody from Muskogee grew up knowing this neighborhood,” the former Muskogee Public Schools teacher said. She recalled that the Boren home, at the end of the Boston Street cul-de-sac, had spectacular Christmas decorations: “The decorations were all motorized, and you would have to park blocks away to walk down to see them during the holidays at what was THE decorated house at Christmas time. It was just amazing.” Robinson, the director of the Port of Muskogee, said he
and his family moved to Boston Street because they needed a larger house. He said one of the first things he did after they moved into the house was to announce the birth of his son. “I remember putting up an ‘It’s a boy’ sign in the front yard,” he said. Scott and Julie Robinson recall when their children played
on the street. Julie Robinson said she has seen how families have changed the neighborhood. “It’s only been in the past 10 years, maybe in the last five or six years, we’ve seen a turnaround in the neighborhood,” she said. “As older people have passed on, the younger people have moved into the neighborhood, so it’s really
Right: Scott and Julie Robinson with their youngest daughter Bailey. Below: Scott Robinson bought his Boston Street home 33 years ago. He and his wife, Julie, have seen a lot of changes over their years in the neighborhood.
Photo By Jerry Willis
Green Country Living
15
Clockwise both pages:
The kitchen opens to a sunny breakfast room.
Books, collectables, and wood tones warm the Robinson’s den.
A large fire place acts as the focal point for this seating area in the living room.
Photos By Mandy Lundy
16
WINTER 2014
nice. We have kids running around the neighborhood again.” The Robinsons’ youngest daughter, Bailey, grew up in the house. Bailey, a senior at Muskogee High School, said she always liked the house’s old character. Her favorite room could well be a tiny den, warmed with knotty pine paneling, with a cushy brown couch along two walls and a crowded bookshelf along another. “It’s real cozy,” Bailey said. “I really like the wood paneling. It reminds me of the ’70s or something.” Julie Robinson said Bailey likes entertaining her friends and watching TV in the den. The bookshelf, which has a small fireplace, brims with books and collectibles, including a
cricket bat that Scott Robinson bought in London, his wife said. The room also boasts a variety of balls, including croquet balls and a replacement baseball autographed by the late St. Louis slugger Stan Musial. Scott Robinson said he grew up going to baseball games in New York and St. Louis. At one game, he and other kids got to go onto the St. Louis baseball field and visit the Cardinals. He said he got a baseball autographed by Musial. However, that ball was lost when his brother used it in a game, Julie Robinson said. “So I got Scott a Stan Musial baseball,” she said. “It was over a couple hundred dollars.” Julie Robinson said the house has its original oak and pine floors. Its cast iron and porcelain kitchen sink and faucets also are
original, she said, adding that it would be costly to replace them. A house this old has its upkeep challenges, she said. “But any house has challenges.” An older home also has advantages beyond style, she said. “This house’s walls are all plaster, not Sheetrock,” she said. Such construction not only makes the home more sturdy, it makes it seem cooler in the summer and warmer in winter, she said. However, it’s harder to hang things on plaster, she said. That hasn’t kept her from turning the formal dining room into a work of art. Flow Blue plates assembled around sconces form blue rings against the white walls. Robinson said the plates are collector’s items, which cost “anywhere from $200 to
Green Country Living
17
$1,000.” “The sconces are original to the house next door,” she said. “The neighbors were having a garage sale and I thought they were fabulous, so I just bought them.” Crystal chandeliers and sconces can be found throughout the house. A chandelier in the stairwell casts highlights and shadows on the walls and family pictures. An art piece, featuring round prisms, produces similar magic in the family room. The piece gathers light from an east window. “When the sun reflects it, it does all kinds of crazy things with the light,” Robinson said. She said the prism came
18
WINTER 2014
from a Mexican artist colony, Tlaquepaque. Other art and collectibles in the house also are from Mexico. “We spend a couple of months a year in Mexico,” Robinson said. “We have a house down there we rent and go to in the summertime. It’s a whole other life in a town called Ajijic. It’s outside of Guadalajara.” Even Marley, the family’s never-stopping white dog, came from Mexico. “We found him from a shelter there, and he does everything in Spanish,” Robinson said. The Robinsons also have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Bobby. 2
Clockwise both pages: A glass sculpture that the Robinsons found in a Mexican art gallery catches light coming through the living room window.
The Robinson’s cheery kitchen has the home’s original sink.
Navy and cream accents the formal dining.
The first floor bathroom.
Green Country Living
19
Clockwise this page: A baseball signed by the Cardinal’s Stan Musial is displayed in front of a photograph of Scott as a boy (in plaid) with Musial.
The entry of the home opens to a staircase landing.
The master bedroom.
20
WINTER 2014
The Davis Home Ann Davis has filled her Boston Street home with her late husband’s art
A
nn Davis calls her Williamsburg Colonial home on the Boston Street cul-de-sac “the little
dollhouse.” “I think it’s a very inviting house,” she said. “It’s sort of an all-American house, typical ‘Father of the Bride,’ white with black shutters. We’ve joked before that it’s the ‘happy house.’ If you watch movies, you know the happy family always lives in the white house with the black shutters. It’s not grand, it’s just
By Travis Sloat very comfortable.” That sense of serenity is something Davis is very good at providing with her design tastes, which she says are based in English Country. Nothing in her house is untouchable, she said. “I’m a decorator,” she said. “Nothing here is ‘fine.’ It’s all been chipped. You can put your feet on my furniture. If I think about what I hear the most from people, it’s how comfortable it is, and my favorite place is right by the fire.” Davis has filled her home
Right: The front entrance to Ann Davis’ home on Boston Street. Below: Ann Davis and Lola find a comfortable spot near the fireplace in the living room of her Boston Street home.
Green Country Living
21
22
WINTER 2014
Clockwise: The late Roger Davis painted the table in the dining room.
with the artwork of her late husband, Roger, who died in April 2013. There are 25 original paintings in the living area alone, and approximately 40 more throughout the lower level of the house. The paintings combine to create a unique and colorful wallpaper for Ann Davis and her son, Callaway, 14.
In the farthest corner of the living area hangs Davis’ favorite painting, a large work of sunflowers framed in gold. Just under it is a small desk holding stacks of books, another theme in the house. “They’re almost all art books,” Davis said. “John Singer Sargent was Roger’s favorite artist, and
there are Rembrandt books, Michaelangelo — anytime we went to a bookstore he went straight to the art section. Mine are all interior design books. Instead of novels, we’ve got art books. I guess that’s just more of our inspiration.” Roger Davis’ easel, which formerly resided in the basement,
Ann Davis displays her collected china alongside art by her late husband, Roger Davis.
The tables and chairs were painted by Roger Davis. The four chairs are painted with seasonal scenes including the French name for each season.
Green Country Living
23
24
WINTER 2014
Green Country Living
25
Clockwise both pages: The stairwell in the Davis home is a gallery of Roger Davis’ work.
The late Roger Davis painted a number of portraits of his son, Callaway, over the years.
A tranquil landscape presides over a seating area in the dining room.
Photos By Jerry Willis
26
WINTER 2014
is on display in the living room, too. It holds one of his paintings, cans of brushes and the palette he used to mix paints, which Davis said is one of her favorite possessions. But the house takes a back seat to her neighbors and the area they live in, she said. “The thing about living in this area is that it’s just like an extended family,” she said. “I’ve always loved that. It almost seems like you kind of step back in time, not just because of the architecture, but in how we treat each other. I’ve never experienced another neighborhood where people take you in.” She said one of her favorite memories of living in the area was the 2007 winter storm that left most of Muskogee without power and other utilities. “We have the most fun storm parties,” she said. “We get excited, we get almost giddy
when they happen. We know we’re going to go to each other’s houses. We know one person is going to stock the wine, and one person is going to start the soup or whatever.” During the 2007 storm, the people on the cul-de-sac went from house to house to stay with one another as each home lost power, Davis said. “For whatever reason, we were the last to lose power,” she said. “We were hunkered down in here with every dog, every person on the block who hadn’t gone to a hotel, and three kids piled up on blankets. We had a ball. It was so much fun.” The living room certainly has enough space for entertaining, and it is home to no fewer than 15 places to sit. A small table and chairs are visible from the vestibule. Both were handpainted by Roger Davis — the table with a simple fruit motif
and the chairs to represent the four seasons named in French. Tucked into another corner of the living room is a china cabinet, which displays several pieces of blue and white china and miniature figurines cast into sharp relief by a lamp cleverly situated close by. The dining room features a large armoire that functions as a bar and a place to hang another Roger Davis painting. He also painted the table, which sits beneath a low chandelier and holds a candelabra. Davis said the design of her home is a hodge-podge of items. “You know, everything’s sort of a collection or half of a collection,” she said. “Nothing is really intentional. I’m not an avid collector of anything except art. It’s really just things I’ve brought home. I don’t really think there is a defining quality, except that it’s unpretentious. It’s comfy.” 2
Green Country Living
27
30
WINTER 2014
Top to bottom: An iron bed in the guest bedroom is covered with a handmade quilt made for the Halbrooks by a friend.
The furnishings in the Halbrook living room are done in silver, black and red.
Marla Halbrook has decorated this guest bedroom in a Victorian theme with a bright, sunny color scheme.
“It’s to the point now where, where do you have time when you work all week?” she said. Another feature of the master bedroom is its stairway, which leads to the back porch, which the Halbrooks glassed in because it made them feel more secure. The house also has an open-air sitting area off the dining room. Halbrook said she liked the house’s neighborhood. “It’s like a hidden pocket here,” she said. “I also like the potential in this house. Sure, it looked like someone came in here and painted it alien green, but you have to look past that. “I signed the offer on this house before Jim had even seen it,” she continued. “The minute I walked in this house, it just felt like I belonged here. I got such a great feeling from this house. It’s a big house, but I’ve never felt frightened; I’ve always felt very safe here.” 2
Green Country Living
31
Clockwise both pages: The Halbrooks display three Peter Nixon paintings they bought on a cruise. The dining room in the Halbrook home is elongated and centers on a lengthy dining table. The landing on the curving staircase overlooks the living room of the Halbrook home. Marla Halbrook has retained the pink and blue tile in the downstairs bath. The Halbrook kitchen has a black-and-white tiled floor, beadboard cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
32
WINTER 2014
Photos By Jerry Willis
Green Country Living
33
Scene and Be Seen Barney Christmas Party Sean Barney opened his home to friends and Boston Street cul-de-sac neighbors to celebrate the holidays. Photos by Jerry Willis
34
WINTER 2014
Scene and Be Seen New Year’s Day Brunch Rebecka Wright invited neighbors from the Boston Street cul-de-sac and others to a brunch to celebrate the first day of 2014. Photos by Mandy Lundy
Green Country Living
35
food & drink
Wonderful Wine By Valarie Carter
T
his year for Valentine’s Day, avoid the crowded restaurants and make a reservation for two at Chez “insert your name here.” With this sumptuous menu, you can enjoy a romantic evening at home and imbibe wines of twice the quality at half the price. The typical restaurant markup on wines is two to three times that of liquor store prices. I usually order wine when dining out but always cringe, knowing I could have had so much more for my money. Even the recipes for this menu call for a fair amount of wine, so spend your money on the wine and prepare this Valentine’s menu at home.
Sparkling wine with a selection of cheeses Try a hard cheese such as Parmesan or Grana Padano, a triple cream such as St. Andre’s or Belletoile and either creamy blue or aged cheddar. You’ll need only 1-2 ounces per person, and you will still have leftovers. Tip: Look for a wonderful cheese called Drunken Goat. It’s a Spanish semi-soft goat’s cheese that’s been soaked in red wine for three days. The process gives the rind a purple hue, and it is
Get more value from expensive wines with a dinner at home totally delicious.
Osso buco with Pinot Noir Osso buco is simply braised veal shank, but the taste is simply divine. 6 3-inch thick pieces veal shank - about 4 pounds Olive oil Salt and pepper Flour for dusting 3 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, small dice 4 ribs celery, small dice 3 carrots, small dice 4 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons dry Italian herbs 2 cups dry white wine (I like to keep a box of chardonnay or sauvignon blanc in the fridge for just such an occasion) Large pinch of saffron (optional) 1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes 1 quart chicken or veal stock
with flour. 2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat until shimmering.
3. Add shanks and cook on one end until golden brown. Flip and repeat with other end. Remove shanks from pan and set aside. 4. Add butter to pan and heat
Sparkling wines and fine cheeses make a delightful light repast for a romantic Valentine’s Day.
Gremolata Zest of 2 lemons 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced 1 cup parsley leaves - washed and dried well. Pinch of kosher salt 1. Liberally salt and pepper both ends of the shanks and sprinkle
Photo By Jerry Willis Green Country Living
37
until foamy. 5. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent. 6. Add wine and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove the brown bits. 7. Add herbs and saffron if using. 8. Add tomatoes and stock. Cook down to reduce by 1⁄₃. 9. Return shank and any accumulated juices to the pan. Return liquid to a bubble. 10. Partially cover and cook about 2 hours or longer over low heat or until meat is fork tender. 11. While the meat is cooking, prepare gremolata by chopping all ingredients together on a cutting board (or using a food processor) until fine. Transfer to a bowl for sprinkling at the table. This is traditionally served with risotto Milanese, but pasta, rice and potatoes would also be luscious. Sprinkle meat with gremolata at the table. Add a green salad to complete the meal. This recipe serves six, so plan for delicious leftovers the next week. It also freezes beautifully. You can certainly prepare this dish a day or two in advance to make your Valentine’s Day more relaxing.
Red wine chocolate cake with zinfandel OK, OK, I know. Most of the time, the wine pairing rule for dessert is that the wine must be sweeter than the food. A nice port would be lovely with this dessert, too, but the same wine used to make the cake would be fabulous. I think a zinfandel works nicely, but a red blend or cabernet sauvignon would also work well. Red Wine Chocolate Cake 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature ³/₄ cup firmly packed dark
38
WINTER 2014
brown sugar ¹/₄ cup white granulated sugar 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature ³/₄ cup red wine, zinfandel or any dry red wine you have left over 1 tablespoon freeze dried coffee crystals 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon allpurpose flour ¹/₂ cup Dutch cocoa powder ¹/₈ teaspoon baking soda ¹/₂ teaspoon baking powder ¹/₂ teaspoon table salt Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (also known as powdered sugar or 10X sugar) 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. 2. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment and spray the interior with a nonstick baking spray. 3. Add coffee crystals to wine and stir until dissolved. 4. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 5. Cream butter and sugar until smooth with paddle attachment of an electric mixer. 6. Add sugars and beat about 2 minutes on medium speed. 7. Add the egg and yolk and beat well. 8. Add the red wine mixture and vanilla. Beat well. 9. Gently stir in dry ingredients only until just mixed. Do not over mix. 10. Spread batter in prepared pan. 11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 12. Cool in pan about 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 13. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving 2
Wine list Sparklings to try • Once Upon a Vine Bubbly, California, $12 • LaMarca Prosecco, Italy, $12 • Domaine Ste. Michelle “Michelle” extra dry, Washington , $15 • Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Italy, $16 • Gruet Brut, New Mexico, $17 • Chandon Brut Classic, California, $18 • Chandon Blanc de Noirs, California, $19 • Jordan “J”, Sonoma, $30 • Moet & Chandon Imperial, France, $50 • Veuve Cliquot Yellow Brut NV, France, $52 • Moet & Chandon Rose’ Imperial, France, $56 • Perrier-Jouet Brut Fleur de Champagne, France, $180 • Armand de Brignac Brut, France, $300 Pinot noirs to try • Acacia, Sonoma, $12
• Leese-Fitch, California, $13 • Hahn, California, $13 • Erath, Oregon, $17 • Meiomi, Monterey/Santa Barbara/Sonoma, $18 • Gavilan of Chalone Vineyard, California, $19 • Acacia, Napa Valley-Carneros, $19 • Ritual, Casablanca Valley Chile, $21 • David Bruce, Sonoma Coast, $31 • Land’s Edge Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, $50 Zinfandels to try • Greg Norman, California Estates, $13 • Brazin Old Vine, California, $14 • Artezin, Mendocino County, $16 • Klinker Brick Old Vine, Lodi, CA, $18 • Murphy-Goode, Sonoma County, $19 • Triumph Cellars, Calistoga, CA, $22 • Earthquake Lodi, Appellation, $26 • Saldo, Northern CA, $31
Green Country Living
39
food & drink
I (Heart) Muskogee The Cook’s Pantry By Melony Carey
C
ouples traditionally celebrate Valentine’s Day over an intimate dinner, whether lovingly prepared at home or enjoyed at a special restaurant. Who better to cook up the perfect Valentine’s Day menu than Muskogee’s chefs and restaurateurs? Although they may be busy on Valentine’s Day cooking for others, they took a little time to share their love with these recipes for a special Valentine.
Local restaurateurs share their perfect Valentine’s Day recipes 1 teaspoon of garlic Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper Let reduce for 1-2 minutes then add: 1 teaspoon of fresh diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon of sliced black olives Serve immediately over toasted baguette.
Salad — Janet Brown, Sweet and Sassy
Appetizer — Toby Feikert, Miss Addie’s Pub and Cafe
Shrimp Provencal 4 jumbo shrimp 3 tablespoons of butter 2 tablespoons of white wine
40
WINTER 2014
Spinach Salad with Spicy Honey Dressing 4 cups fresh baby spinach 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 tomatoes cut into wedges 1 ¹/₂ cups shredded cheddar
cheese 1 cup salted sunflower kernels 2 ribs of celery, chopped Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside Dressing:
¹/₂ cup vegetable oil ¹/₄ cup honey ¹/₄ cup cider vinegar ¹/₄ cup chopped onion 3 tablespoons chili sauce 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Green Country Living
41
42
WINTER 2014
¹/₄ teaspoon salt In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine dressing ingredients and shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.
Main Dish —- Kenny Greer, Mahylon’s Bar-B-Que
Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Sauce 1 beef tenderloin, trimmed McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning A beef tenderloin can be cooked whole instead of being cut into a filet or filet mignon. The tender should be totally “peeled” (strap and silver
removed). Season your tender with your favorite seasoning. I prefer McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. Tenderloin can be cooked in the oven, but outside grilling is recommended to enhance the flavor. The grill should be extremely hot (hardwood or charcoal) to sear the meat. While searing the tender, roll the loin to make sure all sides are seared. This will help the tender retain its natural juices. After the tender is seared on all sides you can remove the tender from the direct heat or lower the heat source, because now you want to cook the tender inside. Continue to roll the tender over the grill to equally cook the tender throughout. Cooking this piece of meat medium rare to medium is suggested. The meat on the ends will be more done because this loin will taper at one end and not be as thick, therefore cooking past the medium stage. You can check the tender by pressing on it throughout the cooking process. The softer the tender the rarer; the more firm the tender, the more done it is. This loin should be left to stand for about 5 to 10 minutes before
Kenny Greer’s beef tenderloin recipe will please your palate.
Submitted Photo
Green Country Living
43
slicing. Slice the tender into medallions and serve. Horseradish Sauce: You can make a sauce that will be a great accompaniment for this meat. It consists of sour cream and prepared horseradish. Mix the sour cream with the horseradish. Remember the horseradish will make the sauce spicy, so add to taste.
Father-daughter shop proprietors Jim Dum and Emily Dum feature this sweet coffee drink.
Whole Latte Love Bomb 1 ounce strong coffee ¹/₂ ounce chocolate syrup ¹/₂ ounce strawberry syrup 1 cup milk Ice Whipped cream Dessert — Beth Stacy, Harmony House
Victoria Crème (from Harmony House Cookbook)
Place coffee and syrup in 12-ounce glass. Add milk and ice; stir. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup. For hot coffee drink, use
a large coffee mug and follow recipe, using 4 ounces heated milk per drink and reducing all ingredients by half. Add two straws and share, or repeat for each serving. Wine — Mike Alberty, Broadway Liquor For the shrimp appetizer, Alberty recommends Rombauer Chardonnay Nobilio sauvignon blanc. He suggests either Triumph Cellars or Joseph Carr cabernet sauvignon to complement the beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce. All are affordably priced. 2
2 cups heavy whipping cream 2 cups sour cream 1 packet unflavored gelatin 1 cup sugar Vegetable — Gary and Mary Armstrong, Club Lunch
Roasted Asparagus 2 pounds fresh asparagus 2 tablespoons good olive oil ¹/₂ teaspoon kosher salt ¹/₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¹/₂ cup freshly grated Parmesan Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the bottom half of asparagus spears. Lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and return to the oven for another minute to melt and slightly brown.
Dissolve sugar in gelatin in heavy cream over medium heat. Stir in sour cream until mixture is smooth. Pour into individual gelatin molds (heart-shaped or other) and chill until set. Serve with chocolate sauce or raspberry puree.
Coffee — Jim Dum and Emily Dum, Jim and Em’s Coffee
An appetizer of Shrimp Provencal can be shared. For heartier appetites, make one per person.
44
WINTER 2014
Photo By Jerry Willis
Historic Homes of
Muskogee
The Callahan Home By Jonita Mullins
I
n an eastside neighborhood, a unique house at Broadway and P Street is known as the Callahan Home. Likely built in 1905, it is one of only a few in Muskogee to have Late Gothic Revival architecture. Gothic Revival, recalling the style developed in Europe at the end of the Renaissance, is known for arches and steeply pitched roofs. It was popular in the U.S. between 1840 and 1880, then experienced a brief renaissance around the time of Oklahoma statehood. The architecture as well as the significance of its former owner James Callahan make this home eligible for the National Register
of Historic Places. It is first found in the 1905 city directory, which shows it to be the home of John and Maggie Kaigler. They likely built it. John Kaigler was a partner with Wade Tevis in a department store, whimsically called the Misfit Clothing Parlor. Their store was at 109 N. Main St. There were at least two Misfit Clothing Parlors in Muskogee at various locations through the years. The Kaiglers sold the home in 1910 to Dr. James O. Callahan. This would begin the home’s association with a family that was quite significant in Indian Territory history.
The Callahan story begins with Samuel Benton Callahan, who was a mixed-blood Creek, born in Alabama in 1833. He came to Indian Territory as a child and settled in the Three Forks area. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he joined the First Creek Mounted Volunteers and attained the rank of captain. In 1864, he was elected to represent the Creek and Seminole Nations in the Confederate Congress in Virginia. At the time of his death, Callahan was the last living member of this Congress. The Callahan family and many other Creek families took refuge during the war in
Sulphur Springs, Texas. Even after the war ended, many of the refugees remained in Texas. Samuel Callahan and his wife, Elizabeth, had several children, including James and Walter, who both became physicians, and Josephine and Alice. Elizabeth Callahan died in Texas. Josephine Callahan, one of the older children, married a merchant, Homer Spaulding. They moved to Muskogee in 1884 and found success in the mercantile and ranching business. Spaulding was soon paying for other members of the family to join them in Indian Territory. Samuel Callahan and at least
Photo By Jonita Mullins Green Country Living
45
one daughter – Alice – lived in a boarding house on Callahan Street, today the site of the former Muskogee Day Nursery. Dr. James Callahan, known to the family as Jimmy, lived with his wife, Stella, near the Methodist Church on Broadway. Eventually Samuel Callahan moved in with his son and spent the remainder of his life in their care. James Callahan was a partner
the site of a number of planning meetings for a new high school and library. James Callahan is credited with helping secure the sites for Central High School on Dayton Street and the Carnegie Library on East Broadway. It was his unapologetic efforts to build up the east side of town that earned him a street named after him. The Callahans were staunch Methodists and big supporters
write a novel, “Wynema.” Although Alice Callahan died at age 26, before the Callahans bought the home on Broadway, no doubt her novel held a place of honor on a book shelf or parlor table in the house. Family gatherings would have included the Spauldings and the Walter Callahan family, known for its pretty daughters. The Callahans’ neighbors Mary Locke and her daughters,
dentist. Nearby was the home of L.B. Gritts, who had been a delegate to the Sequoyah State Convention. Being Creeks, all the Callahans received allotments from the Dawes Commission. Several of these allotments encompassed what is today the Grandview Addition in eastern Muskogee. After James Callahan’s death, his widow taught at Central
A historic photo of the Walter Callahan family from the Dub West collection.
with H.C. Rogers in a medical office in the Severs Block. Later, Walter Callahan joined this office. He brought his large family to Muskogee after working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Indian reservations across the West. James Callahan and his family moved into the home at Broadway and P in 1910. By this time, he had built a reputation as a booster of the east side of Muskogee. His home was likely 46
WINTER 2014
of the church’s high school for girls. When it opened at East Okmulgee and F Street, it was first called Harrell Institute. After a fire, the Spauldings gave a generous donation to have the school rebuilt. It was then named Spaulding Female College. James Callahan’s younger sister Alice taught English at the school and edited the school newspaper. She is credited with being the first Oklahoman and first Native American woman to
Fannie and Anna, also taught at Spaulding College. One can imagine that gatherings at the Callahan home would include the Spauldings, the Lockes and perhaps the Rev. Theo Brewer, who ran Spaulding College, discussing the educational needs of Muskogee children. Other prominent neighbors of the Callahans who might have visited were Reuben Evans, a livery owner and rancher, and Dr. Albert Bonnell, a
High School and continued to live in the home for a number of years. Eventually the home passed out of the Callahan family, but they did not fail to leave their mark on the home and much of the east side of Muskogee. Loren Ferren has owned the home since 1983. While he has done some remodeling, he has tried to retain the unique architectural style of the home. 2
Green Country Living
47
Clockwise this page: Brian Jones and Andrea Chancellor sit around the chiminea at their home on Boston Street. This side porch has become a conversation spot to visit with neighbors on the cul-desac. Preston Jones collects art displaying flamingoes for the sunroom of his art deco home. Ron Boren plays the grand piano in his home.
Green Country Living
13
The Halbrook Home Jim & Marla Halbrook’s Boston Street Home By Travis Sloat
M
arla Halbrook said that when she moved into her house on Boston Street, everything that didn’t move was painted green. “It was spray-painted green from floor to ceiling,” she said. “I’ve repainted, and we’re not nearly done, but I look back and think, ‘My gosh, we really have done some stuff.’” Halbrook and her husband, Jim, moved to the Boston Street cul-de-sac from Florida in 2011. They have been renovating the home since. “It’s just been so overwhelming,” Halbrook said. “And I told myself that we’re just going to do one room at a time.” The brick house now features
28
WINTER 2014
forest green shingles and red and green awnings over doorways and windows, complimenting both the walls and the roof. At approximately 5,000 square feet, with three bedrooms and four bathrooms plus several living areas, the house has plenty of room without the outside bulk that would normally accompany such specifications. This is in part due to the massive basement, which includes a laundry room and storage, plus what Halbrook refers to as “Jim’s little man cave.” “It’s very cool down here,” she said. “And there’s history down here as well. The fireplace is original to the house, and I’ve been told that the original owners had a player piano down here, and they would often have
the kids pick out a roll of music to play.” The basement also features a shelf to house Jim Halbrook’s collection of John Wayne plates, which he said was very important to him. “I’m a John Wayne wacko,” he said. “I really like the Duke.” As you enter the front door, you see a comfortable sitting room featuring a fireplace and a curio cabinet. Step in a bit farther, and a table displaying a photograph of a 1956 Ford in front of the original house comes into view. The Cotswold cottage style home has a circuitous floor plan, and each room has hardwood flooring and leads into the next with comfortable transitions facilitated by Halbrook’s design. Just off the sitting room is
the sun room, whose original windows have been replaced. Stepping through the sunroom leads to the dining room. The long table is set in red and white, which matches the place settings on the smaller kitchen table as well as the colors in the kitchen. A winding staircase leads to the upstairs bedrooms and storage areas, including a full walk-in closet made from cedar planks. Halbrook said the house’s original owner stored her mink coats in the room. “We were told it was wall-to-wall minks in here,” she said. The first bedroom is Victorian-themed, with a buttercup-yellow paint scheme accented in light blues. The room contains three Peter Nixon
paintings, which the Halbrooks picked up on a cruise. “Jim saw those and loved them,” Halbrook said. “Instead of having to buy them individually, we got the set, and I love them.” A second bedroom upstairs has the same specifications as the first, but with a different paint scheme and a light fixture from the 1940s, when the house was built. Attached to the second bedroom is the master bedroom, which has a full bath and a walkin closet. The room is accented with a dark chest of drawers and an electric fireplace. Several windows in the room supply plenty of natural light. By the bed are two blankets, where the family Rottweilers, Leigha and Duke, sleep at night. Halbrook said the master bedroom is in the “first stages” of its development. “I liked the room because it had a full bath and the closet,” she said. “But the problem with it is, since it’s over the garage, it gets cold easy. So we bought the electric fireplace, and it’s really been wonderful.” She noted that the ceiling needs painting but that she would probably do that herself.
Left to right: Jim and Marla Halbrook’s master bedroom is done in dark furniture with a large electric fireplace. A photo taken in 1956 shows a new Ford in front of what would become the Halbrook home. Jim and Marla Halbrook sit on their stairs with the family Rottweilers, Leigha and Duke.
Green Country Living
29
Scene and Be Seen
Shrine Tournaments The Bedouin Shrine Classic is a weeklong basketball tournament and Muskogee tradition that raises funds for the Bedouin Shriners’ transportation fund. The Bedouin Shriners provide transportation to and from four Shrine-operated hospitals. Children who have burn injuries, orthopedic conditions, spinal cord injuries or cleft palate receive care at no charge to the family. Photos by John Hasler
36
WINTER 2014