Open Doors Arizona Magazine - December 2017 by Jonathan Himlin

CONTENTS | DEC | 2017

Photo by Kyle Donovan

SPOTLIGHT

LANDSCAPE

CULINARY ART

CRAFT

HAPPY HOUR

A New Year’s Resolution to Give All Year Long Yard Tweaks for the New Year Delicious New Year’s Eve Hors d’oeuvres Ideas Gluten Free Sugar Cookies Cognacs for the Holidays

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SPOTLIGHT

A New Year’s Resolution to Give All Year Long

‘Tis the season for giving. Each year at this time we find great satisfaction in buying and wrapping presents for the ones we love, bringing ear-to-ear smiles to their faces. Donating to charities that support causes close to our hearts is also very rewarding, and in many cases comes with a year-end tax write off. But after all the scraps of wrapping paper are cleaned up and the holiday decorations are taken down, there remains a great need in many areas for charitable giving throughout the New Year for those who are willing and able to do more. 6

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With the prevalence of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, it seems with each passing day we learn of a new natural disaster in the world, or we hear a story about injured Veterans not receiving the care they need, or of a friend or relative stricken with a disease, or of another mass shooting claiming more innocent lives. And while the need for charity has perhaps never been greater, there are myriad organizations working to change things for the better. National and international organizations like The United Way, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Doctors Without Borders, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Taskforce for Global Health, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Salvation Army, etc. are among the most well known charities and do good work at

home and in some cases abroad. Many have local offices in cities across the U.S. But there are also an abundance of lesser-known, local organizations that are worthy of your support, i.e. churches, schools, community centers, fire and police stations, food banks, health centers, and animal shelters just to name a few. Additionally, there are more ways to make a difference than by simply providing financial support: giving blood, donating your used car or clothing items, helping a neighbor in need or becoming a volunteer. Volunteering your time and expertise for a cause is often more helpful to an organization and can be even more personally rewarding to you. By dedicating hours out of your free time you become more personally invested in the success of the project and you’ll take pride in lending a hand, not just writing a check. You’ll also likely gain positive relationships with others who share your passion and sense of good will. Volunteer Match (www.volunteermatch.org) is a website that connects people with organizations in their local area in need of volunteers. Currently it lists close to 1,000 volunteer opportunities near Peoria, AZ. Meanwhile, below are a few organizations that might inspire you to help, financially or in some cases as a volunteer. This list is by no means comprehensive. It is only a small sampling of possible organizations that you can support. Choosing a charity is a very personal decision. If you’re inspired to do so, research and choose a cause close to your heart and you’ll find that giving, no matter what time of year, can be its own greatest reward.

Peoria Education Foundation

Address: P.O. Box 5544, Peoria, AZ 85385 Website: www.peoriaedfoundation.org Since 1987, the Peoria Education Foundation has offered grants to teachers in the Peoria Unified School District to enhance the educational experience of students. The Foundation is an IRS designated 501(c)(3) which provides college scholarships to students and grants to teachers within the district for innovative projects. Thanks to generous donations from community partners, private donors, the annual student Art Festival, Peoria Unified School District staff and other fundraisers, the Peoria Education Foundation has distributed more than $800,000 in educational grants and more than $150,000 in scholarships to district teachers and students in the last five years.

Peoria Firefighters Charities (PFFC)

Address: PO Box 6659 Peoria, AZ 85381 Website: www.pffc.org Peoria Firefighters Charities (PFFC) is a non-profit group made up of Peoria AZ. Firefighters. The idea of our charity was conceived when we lost a fellow Peoria Firefighter several years ago. We came together as a family, and firefighters began donating money from each of their own paychecks to assist our fallen firefighters young wife and three year old daughter. Time passed and the young family was no longer in need of our financial support, but our membership decided to continue the gratifying feeling of helping those in need. Peoria Firefighters Charities was formally started in 2000 with the intent of being involved in the community and making a difference.

When choosing a charity it is a good idea to determine how your donation will be used. Groups like GuideStar (www.guidestar.org), CharityNavigator (www.charitynavigator.org) and CharityWatch (www.charitywatch.org) can give you an overview of an organization’s financial health and budget breakdown.

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SPOTLIGHT

Soldiers Best Friend

Address: 14505 N. 75th Ave., Peoria, AZ 85381 Phone: (623) 218-6486 Website: www.soldiersbestfriend.org Soldier’s Best Friend provides U.S. military veterans living with combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with Service or Therapeutic Companion Dogs, most of which are rescued from local shelters. The veteran and dog train together to build a trusting relationship that saves two lives at once and inspires countless others. We are devoted to helping our veterans living with combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). We also want to help the pet overpopulation problem. Soldier’s Best Friend is an Arizona-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Our board and staff are comprised of war veterans, practicing PTSD therapists, professional service dog trainers, veterinarians, experienced nonprofit professionals, and many great volunteers. We are dedicated to pairing and training service dogs with veterans at no cost to the veteran.

Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona

Address: 9133 W Grand Ave, Peoria, AZ 85345 Phone: (623) 583-2417 Website: https://habitatcaz.org Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. We envision a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Serving Central Arizona since 1985, Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona (Habitat), an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, is an independent, locally run, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. We work in partnership with low-income families, volunteers and sponsors to build, renovate and repair homes.

The Salvation Army

Address: 8702 W Cholla St, Peoria, AZ 85345 Phone: (623) 486-4663 Website: www.salvationarmyusa.org The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

West Valley Child Crisis Center (WVCCC)

Address: 18001 N 79th Ave., Suite C56, Glendale, AZ 85308 Phone: (623) 848-8863 Website: wvccc.org Every child in Arizona deserves a safe environment where they can thrive. That is why, since 1986, the WVCCC has provided safe placement services for children who are victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Our mission is to be proactive in ending the cycle of family violence through education, prevention programs, and safe placement services to promote healthy family environments for the future of Arizona’s children.

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Volunteering your time and expertise for a cause is often more helpful to an organization and can be even more personally rewarding to you.

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SPOTLIGHT

Eve’s Place Community Services

Address: 9133 W Grand Ave, Peoria, AZ 85345 Phone: (623) 623.537.5380 Website: www.evesplace.org Mission of Eve’s Place: Supporting Any Victim of Domestic, Sexual and Teen Dating Abuse By Increasing Access To Services Through Mobile Advocacy. Eve’s Place Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization in the West Valley of Maricopa County. For over 10 years, Eve’s Place has provided innovative and empowerment based programs to victims of domestic, sexual and teen dating abuse. Eve’s Place has introduced the concept of a Mobile Advocacy Program for victims in 10 separate communities in the West Valley. This new program brings services to victims in their own community regardless of their place in the healing process. It is our goal to reach the 75% of domestic abuse victims who will never go or call a shelter program for assistance. The Mobile Advocacy Program can provide all the services available in a shelter without the bed for any victim of domestic abuse. We are proud that we are a leader in Arizona, in developing and maintaining innovative programs that provide needed assistance to victims of domestic abuse.

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Goodwill

Address: 20713 N 83rd Ave., Peoria, Arizona 85382 Phone: (623) 825-1247 Website: www.goodwillaz.org Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona is grateful for the goodwill of our community, knowing Arizonans have a choice of where to bring their used clothing, household goods and furniture. Without your generosity, we couldn’t do what we do. We’re proud of the fact that our career centers provide skills training and job placement, and are available to the general public at no-cost, all thanks to your goodwill. Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona is deeply rooted in the local community and positively impacts Arizonans every day. Working as a catalyst for positive change, we take a neighborly approach by offering 80+ community locations where your no-longer-needed items can be dropped off, which in turn help place thousands of Arizonans in jobs every year. Because items we sell at our retail stores range from classy to cool to unconventional—some would even say quirky—shopping at Goodwill is an adventure. You never know what you might find— from vintage clothing and furniture to modern household goods. In fact, quirkiness is part of our personality, and lends a sense of fun and friendliness to the shopping experience.

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LANDSCAPE

Yard Tweaks for the New Year By Anesia St. Clair Anesia is a licensed contractor and owns Pure Patio, a design center and retail store in Goodyear, Arizona.

A beautiful view… saving money… less work… If a New Year’s resolution can bring all of that, you’d sign up, right? This year, let’s forget the lofty resolutions that fade away and try some that you will want to keep. If you’re game for some easy wins, read on! Resolution #1: Save Money Right now, go out to your irrigation timer and turn it off. Look for the OFF or SYSTEM OFF label on the dial and switch it directly to that. Close the cover and start saving money today. “What about my delicate shrubs? We’re in the desert and they must be watered. Surely the trees will die. But we planted rye grass this year.” I know, still turn it off. We habitually overwater everything, especially during the winter. You can probably go from October 1 to May 1 with zero water on your landscaping. I do this every year and my plants are in full bloom and thriving. The roots on your shrubs go down 2-3 feet and the dirt is moist there. We don’t have enough heat in the winter to dry it up, and we do get rain from time to time. Your tree roots are much deeper. You will need to water your grass infrequently (0-2 times/week) if we don’t get any rain, but if you commit your timer to a daily watering schedule, you’re wasting money. Resolution #2: Learn How to Manually Start Your Irrigation Timer You just learned how to turn it off. Great! Next, learn how to turn it on manually for a one-time watering event. This is called a “manual start.” You can look in your timer’s owner’s manual, go online and find the manual there, go to YouTube and search “irrigation timer manual start,” or ask your landscaper to show you. Your city may offer free irrigation classes for homeowners and this will be a great way to learn this and more. The reason knowing how to run a manual start is so handy is this allows you to leave your timer off and only run it as needed. You’ll water very infrequently, only when you notice signs of stress.

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Resolution #3: Learn How to Program Your Irrigation Timer As temperatures rise and stay high during the night, it becomes handy to automate your irrigation. If you know how to program your timer, you can change it every month as temperatures climb up and go down. For optimal plant performance, keep the run time (number of minutes the water is on) the same year ‘round and gradually alter the frequency that you water. Resolution #4: Cap Off Unused Irrigation Drip Lines Every plant in our urban landscape has at least one drip emitter installed near it. If a plant dies, locate these emitters and cap them off. You can get ¼” plugs, or “goof plugs” at Home Depot or Lowe’s. All you need to do is take a scissors or pruners and make a fresh, straight cut off the end of the drip line, then push the plug onto it. No more watering nothing. If you decide to replant in that location later, just cut off the plug and throw it away. Resolution #5: Work Less A side benefit of watering less is that your plants and grass grow slower. You’ll need to prune and mow less. This saves you work. If you have a landscaper, you could decrease the frequency of visits and cut your bill in half or less. There is a cycle created when we over water. Plants grow more vigorously, and then we are compelled to prune them. Pruning creates an injury that the plant strives to recover from by growing back as fast as possible. The growth is fed by the over watering. Soon, the plant recovers and looks unruly again, and we feel compelled to prune. Water, prune, water, prune.

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A side benefit of watering less is that your plants and grass grow slower. You’ll need to prune and mow less. This saves you work. If you have a landscaper, you could decrease the frequency of visits and cut your bill in half or less.

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LANDSCAPE

If your plants are located in a space that can truly accommodate their mature size, most species need to be pruned anywhere from once every three years to two to three times per year. They take on a natural, pleasing shape and we enjoy their blooms.

with those with high water requirements on the same irrigation line, it can be very tricky to satisfy all their needs together. Make an attempt to match up plants with similar water needs on the same irrigation line as you replace them. They will all be healthier for it.

In keeping with your resolution to work less, you may choose to omit some plants from your landscape altogether. Builder front yards are famously planted too densely and in random order. Plants that are too close together or too close to the sidewalk or driveway need pruning more often. Pull them out and plant something smaller or not at all, drastically reducing your maintenance burden. Right plant, right place!

Take inventory of the empty spaces with capped drip emitters in your yard and consider plant replacement. As we lose plants over the years, we often don’t replace them one at a time. Before you know it, you have a dozen plants missing and your landscape is sparse. We lose the wow factor and our yard needs a little remodel. Consider planting multiple plants of the same species and color to make a bigger impact. If you like purple, for example, plant purple lantana, Katie ruellia, and British ruellia in all of your empty spaces. Their growth habits and foliage vary, giving you diversity, while their similar color promotes balance across the landscape.

Resolution #6: Create a Beautiful View Is the view out your window a little drab? By watering less, you’ll need to prune less, and you’ll enjoy more blooms than ever before. Most of our desert shrubs have very long bloom cycles. We often don’t realize this because landscapers routinely shear off flowers. You can have color in your yard all of the time, regardless of the season. If you have large plants in small spaces, replace them with smaller plants that have room to grow naturally. Eliminate the need to shear them off for the sake of space and enjoy their natural beauty. When plants die, try to evaluate why and then make a correction. Agave, cactus, and other succulents are a little more finicky about water and are prone to frost damage and pest issues. Native or desert adapted leafy shrubs tend to be very resilient and require less attention. Most plant failures are due to an irrigation or pest issue. If you have plants with very low water requirements mixed

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With easy access to gardeners and drip irrigation systems, our landscaping can tend to move to the back burner on autopilot. We over pay for water, our plant health declines, we lose plants one at a time, and after some years it can add up. Taking an interest in how your irrigation system works and assessing your plant species and their placement can be very beneficial. You can truly save money in an instant and begin to enjoy more blooming color at the same time!

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CULINARY ART

Delicious New Year’s Eve Hors d’oeuvres Ideas Whether you’re hosting or attending as a guest, New Year’s Eve celebrations mean two things for sure: a midnight toast and hors d’oeuvres galore! So to help you bring in 2018 with a satisfied smile, here are some of our favorite culinary inspirations that have proved to be crowd pleasers at past parties. Google any one of these and you’ll find dozens of different recipes available. Feel free to experiment with adding or removing an ingredient or two here and there to best please your taste buds.

Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraiche on Toast or Cracker with Dill

This simple yet delicious dish is a party favorite, so be sure to bring enough for everyone. And for a lower-calorie option, use sliced cucumbers instead of toast.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms With Marscarpone Cheese and Panko

A savory filling of sausage, panko bread crumbs, gourmet mushrooms, herbs, garlic and mascarpone stuffed into a large white mushrooms, then baked 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees.

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Baked Brie en Croute

You can wrap the brie on its own or pair it with preserves, dried fruits, spreads or nuts. Fill with apricot preserves or your favorite type of jam. Fresh whole-berry cranberry sauce works well too!

Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade with Herbed Goat Cheese

Serve this bright and fresh creation on crostini or in a bowl with pita chips on the side.

Asian-Style Turkey Meatballs with Hoisin Peanut Sauce

Cocktail meatballs with Asian flair! Cook about 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Serve with fresh cole slaw on the side. This dish can easily be made ahead of time and reheated for the party.

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CRAFT

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies By Vanessa Coppola and Kinley Couch Visit www.seevanessacraft.com for more crafts and recipes.

With so many food allergies and sensitivities, I always like to have a batch of gluten free cookies available at holiday parties. This recipe, created by my assistant Kinley, is the best gluten free sugar cookie recipe I’ve ever tasted and can pass for the real deal. Once your cookies cool, dip them in glaze and decorate. You can crush up natural candy canes or use colored sugar as decoration. To create your own colored sugar, add five drops of all natural food coloring to ½ cup of granulated sugar and mix. This cookie recipe freezes well, so don’t be afraid to make the full batch and save some for later.

COOKIE INGREDIENTS (makes 5 dozen cookies) 1 1/2 cup of butter softened (3 sticks) 2 cups of organic granulated sugar 4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 5 cups gluten free flour (we recommend Bob’s Red Mill Baking 1-1 baking flour) 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt

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DIRECTIONS In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with holiday cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes on the top rack and then bake 5 minutes on the bottom rack for 10 minutes total or until golden brown. GLAZE INGREDIENTS 2 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons almond milk 2 tablespoons almond cream cheese DIRECTIONS Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Dip cooled cookies in glaze and allow to dry, approximately 30 minutes, before serving.

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HAPPY HOUR

Cognacs for the Holidays By Paul Lukacs You can find more articles from Paul Lukacs and other talented wine writers at www.winereviewonline.com.

Long regarded as the world’s finest brandy, Cognac can be an ideal holiday delicacy. Though often thought of as a restaurant or club beverage, it seems right at home, when at home, this time of year. Whether a gift for someone special, a treat for guests, or even a present for one’s self, fine Cognac offers something special in a special season. Cognac does have something of a split personality. On the one hand, it’s a spirit--heady and strong, a drink akin to whiskey or rum. On the other, it’s made from wine, and like any wine bespeaks its geographic origin or “terroir.” The brandies that do that most evocatively are the most special. This double character is reflected in how Cognac is both marketed and consumed. Traditionalists usually drink it neat, often after dinner, and often in a snifter or tulip-shaped glass. By contrast, more contemporary consumers tend to treat it as a cocktail. They drink it over ice, with soda, tonic, and all sorts of other mixers. For them, it’s more of a bar or nightclub beverage than a living or dining room one. Not surprisingly, the big Cognac producers advertise their products primarily to this contemporary, usually urban audience. They try to grow the market by looking beyond the traditional one. While neither approach to Cognac is inherently right or wrong, it’s important to understand that each looks for something different from what’s in the glass. Thus different Cognacs, or categories of Cognac, are best suited to the different approaches. Because the addition of soft drinks or juices, let alone liqueurs or other spirits, inevitably will mask a Cognac’s subtleties and nuances, it makes no sense to use truly special brandies as bases for mixed drinks or cocktails. For the millions of consumers who enjoy Cognac this way, entry-level Cognacs are the way to go.

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When newly distilled, Cognac is fiery stuff. Aging in cask tempers it, and long aging actually enhances it, yielding after many years the wonderfully expressive elixir so celebrated by connoisseurs. That’s why French law requires all Cognacs to be registered by age, with the youngest that can be sold being at least two-and-a-half years old. Cognac of this age, usually identified as “VS,” is great for cocktails and mixed drinks. The large firm of Hennessy makes a very popular “VS.” Warm and grapey, it costs roughly $35, and accounts for nearly one bottle in three of all the Cognac sold in the world. “VSOP” or “Reserve” is the next category. The youngest Cognac in these blends must be at least four-and-a-half years old, though many producers do use some older spirits, the final brandy averaging closer to eight or ten years of age. Although most “VSOP” Cognacs are probably best suited for mixing, some firms that specialize in this category make brandies worh sipping by themselves. Remy Martin is probably the best known. It’s “VSOP” ($50) tastes spicy, slightly sweet, and is im-

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pressively long. Others to look for include the more floral Courvoisier “VSOP” ($40) and Hine’s elegant “Rare” ($60). The next category, however, is the one containing most of the finest Cognacs. To be labeled “XO” or the like, the youngest brandy in the blends must be at least six-and-a-half years old. Almost all firms, though, use significantly older stock. As important, these brandies almost always are made from wines from the best regions, since these are the ones proven to improve with age. Cognac is a large area, stretching from the Atlantic coast some eighty miles or so into central France. Centuries of experience have demonstrated that three small sub-regions, all in its center, yield the best grapes for brandy. Two are somewhat confusingly called “Champagne”--one “Grande” because covering more acres, the other “Petite.” (The name has nothing to do with the Champagne that is home to the world’s finest sparkling wines.) The smallest sub-region is Borderies, just to the west of the town of Cognac itself. Virtually all the best Cognacs come from one or more of these three areas.

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HAPPY HOUR Cognacs from Borderies display a distinctive nutty flavor, while those from the two Champagnes tend to be more floral and fruity. As important, brandies from all three have the capacity to age both vigorously and gracefully. Although they begin hot and raw, they become seductively smooth and sumptuous over time. This transformation occurs only in cask. Once the Cognac is bottled, it can no longer change. The very finest Cognacs sometimes stay in casks, all made with tight-grained oak, for over fifty years. Since a proportion of the spirit evaporates through the wood every year (called the “angels’ share”), these are both rare and costly. They form a significant portion of the blend in the most expensive, prestige Cognacs, the sort that come in deluxe crystal bottles and cost a small fortune. The best known of these is Remy Martin’s “Louis XIII.” It comes in a round Baccarat bottle, and costs over $2500!

Jean Fillioux produces a series of excellent Cognacs that are marked by delicacy more than power. “Tres Vieux” is over twenty years old, and displays a sweet spice character. Martell “Cordon Bleu” ($125) Marked by brandy from Borderies, this always popular label tastes deep and nutty, with flavors that to an American palate resemble pecan or walnut pie. Otard XO ($135) Round and rich, with chocolate-tinged undertones, this is an expressive, well-balanced “XO.” Pierre Ferand “Selection des Anges” ($150) From Grande Champagne and roughly thirty years old, with a crisp, apple-like character and vanilla undertones.

Happily, one need not spend anywhere near that much to savor truly superb, old Cognac. The quality difference between most prestige bottlings and “XO” types is far smaller than between “XO” and “VSOP.” Unless you’re flush with extra cash, there’s really no need to go beyond “XO.”

Remy Martin XO ($160) Rich, almost lush on the palate, with hints of caramel and vanilla in addition to rich fruit, all introduced by a floral bouquet, Remy’s XO exemplifies this firm’s style, one that expresses the character of grapes from the Champagnes.

Below are recommendations of eight Cognacs at the “XO” level to consider buying. They’re listed by price, but any one of them would make a special gift--and be a very special holiday treat. Prices all are approximate, and you should note that many stores offer deep discounts this time of year.

Hine “Antique” ($190) Nutty, deep, and very elegant (because not at all hot or heavy), “Antique” tastes rich but at the same time seems delicate--a paradoxical but delicious combination.

Prunier “Twenty Years Old” ($90) From a small, family firm, this Cognac seems perfectly balanced. It exhibits rich, powerful flavors and at the same time feels seductively silky and smooth--the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. Jean Fillioux “Tres Vieux” ($125) A small, family-run firm in the very heart of Grande Champagne,

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Delamin Vesper ($200) From Grande Champagne and quite rich, with a floral bouquet and a wonderfully complex finish. All Delamin Cognacs are very good.