Open Doors Arizona - October 2018 by Jonathan Himlin

CONTENTS | OCT | 2018

SPOTLIGHT

How-to Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Holidays

GOING PLACES

Ireland: Lavish Castles, Charming Inns

OUTDOOR SPACES

How to Add Instant Color with Winter Annuals

CULINARY ART

Festive Thanksgiving Drinks for the Little Pilgrims

HAPPY HOUR

Cool Climate Cabernet Sauvignon

OPEN DOORS ARIZONA is published by Lion Tree Communications.

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SPOTLIGHT

How-to Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Holidays By the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

The American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.

Holiday Food Safety Tips

Whether it is holiday cookies, perogies, roast goose, latke or tamales, foods are an important ingredient of holiday celebrations. Teaching children to cook your family’s recipes can impart ethnic identity and culture, and offers a sense of accomplishment for young chefs. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers some tips to keep holiday feasting fun and healthy: • When preparing food for a holiday celebration, follow food safety guidelines. Bacteria are often present in raw foods. Fully cook meats and poultry, and thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits. • While you’re teaching your children family recipes, also teach them about good food safety. Wash your hands frequently, and make sure children do the same. • Make sure that taste doesn’t include raw eggs or other products designed to be eaten after cooking. • If you offer your helper a taste, be sure to wash the spoon before putting it back into the food. • During preparations for a party, the refrigerator and freezer can become crowded with with sweets, roasts and other goodies, but don’t let these become breeding grounds for bacteria.

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Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separate and use separate utensils when preparing them. • Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, never on the countertop. • Keep hot food and liquids away from the edges of counters and tables, where they can be easily knocked over by a young child’s exploring hands. Be sure that young children cannot access

microwave ovens. Turn pot handles toward the side or back of the stove. â&#x20AC;˘ Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours. â&#x20AC;˘ After a holiday party, clean up immediately. A toddler could rise early and choke on leftover food or come in contact with alcohol or tobacco.

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SPOTLIGHT

Holiday Mental Health Tips

The holidays can be a happy time of year for many people, as they gather with family and friends, exchange gifts and celebrate traditions. But the changes in family routines and extra demands on time can also 8

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cause some stress, especially for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers some tips to help your family enjoy the best of the holiday season:

• During the busy holiday time, try to keep household routines the same. Stick to your child’s usual sleep and mealtime schedules when you can, which may reduce stress and help your family enjoy the holidays. • Take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. Children and adolescents are affected by the emotional well-being of their parents and caregivers. Coping with stress successfully can help children learn how to handle stress better, too. • Make a plan to focus on one thing at a time. Try a few ideas to balance the hustle and bustle of things like shopping, cooking, and family get-togethers during the holidays: Stop and pay attention to what is happening at the moment, focus your attention on one thing about it, and notice how you are feeling at the time. Withhold immediate judgment, and instead be curious about the experience. • Give to others by making it an annual holiday tradition to share your time and talents with people who have less than you do. For example, if your child is old enough, encourage him or her to join you in volunteering to serve a holiday meal at your local food bank or shelter, or sing at a local nursing home. Help your child write a letter to members of the armed forces stationed abroad who can’t be home with their own family during the holidays. • Remember that many children and adults experience a sense of loss, sadness or isolation during the holidays. It is important to be sensitive to these feelings and ask for help for you, your children, family members or friends if needed. • Don’t feel pressured to over-spend on gifts. Consider making one or two gifts. Help your child make a gift for a parent, grandparent, or other important adults and friends. Chances are, those gifts will be the most treasured ones and will teach your child many important lessons. • Most important of all, enjoy the holidays for what they are -- time to enjoy with your family. So, be a family, do things together like sledding or playing board games, and spend time visiting with relatives, neighbors and friends.

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SPOTLIGHT

Holiday Travel Tips

When visiting friends and family over the holiday season, take a few extra precautions to be sure your children will be safe and healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a few tips to consider: • Remember that the homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger spots like unlocked cabinets, unattended purses, accessible cleaning or laundry products, stairways, or hot radiators. • Keep a list with important phone numbers you or a baby sitter are likely to need in case of an emergency. Include the police and fire department, your pediatrician and the national Poison Help Line, 1-800-222-1222. Laminating the list will prevent it from being torn or damaged by accidental spills.

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• Always make sure your child rides in an appropriate car safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt. In cold weather, children in car safety seats should wear thin layers with a blanket over the top of the harness straps if needed, not a thick coat or snowsuit. See www.healthychildren.org/carseatguide for more information. • Adults should buckle up too, and drivers should never be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. • Traveling, visiting family members, getting presents, shopping, and other holiday events can all increase your child’s stress levels. Try to stick to your child’s usual routines, including sleep schedules and timing of naps, to help you and your child enjoy the holidays and reduce stress.

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GOING PLACES

Ireland: Lavish Castles, Charming Ireland is known for its “Céad Míle Fáilte,” which means a hundred thousand welcomes. Local Nicola Brady reveals some of her favorite places to experience a true warm Irish welcome. Whether you seek respite within the grand walls of a restored castle or the comforting ambiance of a countryside inn, you’ll be drawn into the warmth of Ireland.

Opulence In The Country Up in the wilds of Donegal, Lough Eske Castle embodies the warmth of a country house. The lakeside estate is perfect for afternoon strolls, and Spa Solís is home to a light-filled infinity pool and hot tub. Each of the 96 contemporary bedrooms has enormous rainforest showers and oak furnishings. Tip: request a room with a four-poster bed for a night that’s fit for a king.

Escape To The Wild Atlantic Way Near the Atlantic Coast, Ballynahinch Castle Hotel is framed by the majestic mountains and lakes of Connemara. Sit by the log fire and share a pint with newfound friends at The Fishermans Pub. The property overlooks a historic salmon fishery, and you can even join the castle’s lobster fisherman on a guided boat trip to the island of Inishlacken.

An Idyllic Family Gathering A Royal Retreat With its stone towers set against the shores of Lough Corrib in the west of Ireland, 13th-century Ashford Castle seems to have emerged from an Irish legend. An extensive restoration transformed the property with lavishly appointed rooms, suites and cottages. Fulfill your aristocratic fantasies with a falconry or archery lesson, and join a morning walk with the adorable resident Irish wolfhounds. Your travel specialist will make your Ashford Castle experience even more welcoming with a daily Irish breakfast for two, complimentary green fees and €85 in food and beverage credit.

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What if you could live like an aristocrat amidst a 1,900-acre National Trust reserve? In Northern Ireland’s Crom Castle, you can reserve a stay in the entire West Wing — ideal for family and friends — personally hosted by the 7th Earl of Erne himself. Learn about his ancestral home over afternoon tea and end the night with a five-course dinner in the barrel-vaulted dining room.

Perfect For Whiskey Lovers Nothing says cozy like a snifter of whiskey, the smell of an Irish turf fire and the glimmer of gas lamps from the bar. The Bushmills Inn on Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast is the ultimate experience in welcoming Irish ambiance, boasting plenty of nooks and

g Inns

crannies where you can curl up with a book. The Old Bushmill’s Distillery, the world’s oldest whiskey distillery, is just up the road so your glass will never run dry.

A Home Away From Home The drive up to Coopershill is almost as beautiful as the property itself. The estate is set on 500 acres in County Sligo, where a carpet of wildflowers lines the driveway and deer graze in the pasture. This country house is the epitome of luxe Irish style, with antique furniture, four-poster beds and electric blankets for extra coziness. Stay the night, and it will soon feel like your own rural hideaway.

True Country Chic With open log fires, huge antique bathtubs and brown leather couches, the family-owned Ballyvolane House is as inviting as it is charming. It’s also a paradise for cocktail lovers: the artisanal gin Bertha’s Revenge is distilled in the old cattle shed and appears in evening drinks. It’s a perfect start to your meal starring local and seasonal ingredients, like a springtime roasted lamb with sautéed leeks, and ending with a platter of artisan Irish cheeses. Contributed by Ford’s World Travel with offices in Sun City and Sun City West. Ford’s Travel consultants have a combined 350 years of global expertise to help you plan your next vacation. Call: 623-9338256 or visit: www.fordstravel.com

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OUTDOOR SPACES

How to Add Instant Color with Winter Annuals By Anesia St. Clair Anesia is a licensed contractor and owns Pure Patio, a design center and retail store in Goodyear, Arizona.

One of the many advantages of living here is our wonderful fall weather. We recently experienced a noticeable break in the temperatures and our long stretch of beautiful days is here! To add instant vibrant color to your yard, now is the time to introduce winter annuals. Winter flowers will last through spring and there are many varieties that thrive in our climate. You can plant annuals in pots, raised beds, or at-grade planting areas that are outlined by some type of hardscape. You can even plant annuals in places where prior shrubs have died and there is still a drip irrigation line in place. The annuals you find right now at your local nursery or home improvement store are in season and great options. Be sure to check the tag and confirm if it’s suited for sun or shade, and remember that our sunny areas are very sunny and often don’t support varieties labeled for “part sun.” 14

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African Daisy When choosing your plants at the nursery, be sure to pick the best ones. The leaves should look healthy and be the appropriate color. Look for plants that are more abundant with unopened flower buds than blooming flowers. Don’t choose the largest plants. You want medium ones that are up and coming. Ideally, roots should also be almost entirely inside the container and not sprouting out of the hole in the bottom. Squeeze the pot a bit and pull a couple of plants out to look at the roots. The root mass should come out easily. You should see roots slightly circling around the perimeter of the pot, but not to the extent that there are more roots than dirt.

Chrysanthemum Roots should be thin and fine. Thick, stiff roots are likely girdled and could be problematic after planting. Mass planting an area with all the same type and color of annual will provide the biggest impact. If you have a large area, multiple colors and varieties can coexist very nicely when you put taller flowers in back and shorter ones in front. Mixing varieties together is best done when some type of shaping or pattern is followed. For example, plant in wide stripes, a large circle outlined by thin-

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OUTDOOR SPACES

Begonia ner stripes of different flowers, or a tall center of any shape surrounded by short flowers around the edge. Look on the tag of your flower for the proper spacing. Once the roots establish, your annuals will spread. If you follow the recommended spacing, the intention is that your flowers will touch each other and give you solid coverage. Solid coverage helps prevent weeds from taking hold. Before digging in, you will want to clean up the site by removing any weeds, debris, and existing granite or mulch. You may also want to move any existing irrigation lines or reconfigure them to support the number and placement of your new plants. Soil preparation for annuals is very similar to that for vegetables because they both require great soil fertility, water retention, and soil conditioning. For instance, coconut coir is a popular soil conditioner to maintain moisture in the soil, offer carbon to the plants, and it allows water to better move through the soil. To encourage water retention, apply a 3-4” layer of compost or potting soil to your planting area and mix it into the top 12” of soil. Aggressively loosen up the entire area by digging in with a pointed shovel and turning the soil over several times. When planting, dig a small hole for your plant and tear off any dense,

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To encourage water retention, apply a 3-4” layer of compost or potting soil to your planting area and mix it into the top 12” of soil. Aggressively loosen up the entire area by digging in with a pointed shovel and turning the soil over several times.

OUTDOOR SPACES circled roots from the bottom of your root ball before placing it in the hole. Compact the dirt around the root ball pretty firmly before you move on to the next plant. Be sure to saturate the roots of your new plants with water almost immediately after placing each one. Your dry planting area will extract the water from your plant’s root ball and dry it out quickly. Keep a pitcher, bucket, or a

garden hose with a nozzle nearby as you plant. Position irrigation lines if you have them and cover the entire area with 1-2” of mulch to help retain soil moisture. Saturate the mulch and water your plants thoroughly. Liquid fertilizers are often absorbed quickly by roots and do not tend to linger in the soil. Granular fertilizers on the other hand are slow-release and break down over time, providing longer-term nutrition. Compost is a slow-release, natural soil amendment that offers some nutrition as it conditions the soil. Other great organic amendments include blood meal, bone meal, potash, and worm castings. Sulfur is also beneficial, as it temporarily reduces the pH of the soil chemistry, allowing the plant roots to absorb more of the nutrients around them. For continuous color, fertilize every 3-6 weeks until the last chance of frost in the spring. Be sure to check your annuals from time to time. Removing spent flowers may encourage additional blooms. Inspect your plants for damage from insects and disease. Prune off affected areas or pull bad plants to prevent spreading it. Pull weeds while they’re small to keep it easy. There is a little effort required to setup and enjoy annual flowers, but the payoff should be easily seen!

Merigold

In our area, the following varieties are all great choices for winter: Alyssum African Daisy Bacopa Begonia Calendula Chrysanthemum Cyclamen Flax

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Geranium Lobelia Marigold Pansy Petunia Poppies Sweet William/Dianthus

CULINARY ART

Festive Thanksgiving Drink By Rachel Paxton Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at www.creativehomemaking.com.

Please make the children’s table festive at Thanksgiving! It’s so much fun for everyone. I watched a little munchkin’s face fall last Thanksgiving when she realized she was relegated to the “children’s table.” I do set a separate table sometimes for the kids, but I do it like a special treat, not as a punishment for not being an adult. Here are some festive drink recipes for the little Pilgrims at your holiday get-together. Choose festive ware and garnish. Any drink with whipped cream, you can put sprinkles atop, candied fruit, cinnamon candies, Thanksgiving “picks,” drizzle with

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(non-alcoholic) crème de menthe for color, shaved colored chocolate, or add a candy kiss. Tie an orange bow with a sprig of fall leaves on the punch ladle; surround the base with leaves and greenery and miniature pumpkins, squashes, or toy Thanksgiving “ornaments” from the Dollar store. There’s lots to choose from! If it’s hot, stick in a cinnamon stick or butterscotch candy. Dollop with whipped cream and garnish with sprinkles, cinnamon candies, or confectioner’s sugar; add a holiday “pick”; stick a sparkler in each mug and light at presentation time. If it’s cold, use decorated ice cubes – freeze cranberries, tiny ornaments, mint leaves, anything festive and NON-POISONOUS into the cubes and add at presentation time. (Remember at Christmas time that holly berries and all parts of the mistletoe are poisonous); or freeze the same things in an ice mold. You can have great fun with floating ice rings for punch for the kids – put in ornaments, cherries, greenery, anything you can make hygienic-enough and that edible! Whatever you serve, serve it with festive flare, and give it a holiday name!

Nana’s Nog

3 cups milk 1 cup half ‘n’ half 3 T. sugar Put in blender with ice and frappe. Consider orange food coloring and chocolate candy sprinkles to keep with the color scheme. Serves 4.

ks for the Little Pilgrims Pumpkin’s Progress for Pilgrims

1 can of pumpkin puree 12 oz. can of frozen apple juice concentrate Ground nutmeg and cinnamon to taste 2 1/2 cups of water Remove the pumpkin from the can and freeze for an hour, till slushy. In a blender, combine the partially frozen pumpkin, the frozen apple juice concentrate, and spices and blend till smooth. Continue to blend while adding the water.

Spicy Cranberry Punch

1/2 cup red cinnamon candies 4 C. water 8 C. cranberry juice cocktail, chilled 6 oz. can frozen limeade concentrate 6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate In small pan, melt candies in water; chill. At serving time, combine candy liquid and fruit juices in punch bowl. Stir to dissolve. Makes 18, 5-oz. cups.

Children’s Orange Thanksgiving “Champagne”

Combine 2 well-chilled 750-ml. bottles non-alcoholic sparkling cider with 1 cup orange juice or to taste. Turkey Toe-Warmer 1 qt. vanilla ice cream 3 sticks margarine 1 box brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice

Harvest Cider Punch

1 gallon apple cider 12 whole cloves 2 large apples (Granny Smith, Rome Beauty), peeled, left whole 2 cinnamon sticks Ground nutmeg Pour apple cider into large pot. Insert 6 cloves into each apple. Add apples and cinnamon sticks to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and barely simmer over very low heat 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.) Ladle hot cider punch into mugs. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.

Combine and keep in freezer. At serving time, put 1 heaping T. scoop into a mug, add hot water (to taste) and heat.

Pumpkin Orange Punch

4 cups water 3 cups sugar 2 small packages of orange Jello l large can pineapple juice 1 bottle of almond extract Serves 25-30.

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HAPPY HOUR

Cool Climate Cabernet Sauvigno By Mary Ewing-Mulligan You can find more reviews from Mary Ewing-Mulligan and other talented writers at www.winereviewonline.com.

Howard Park, Great Southern (Western Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon “Scotsdale” 2014 (Winebow Inc, $40): Of all the world’s wine regions that I have visited, those of Western Australia have left some of the most indelible impressions on me. I was struck by the remoteness of the state, eight hours flying time from Sydney; the diversity of its wine regions, from charming, maritime Margaret River 150 miles south of Perth on the Indian Ocean, to the isolated, continental Great Southern some 200 miles to the east; and the distinctive quality of the wines. Whenever I see wines from Western Australia, I jump at the opportunity to taste them. This Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Great Southern region. The largest wine region in Australia, the Great Southern encompasses a variety of soils and climate influences, which enables the cultivation of both white and red grapes with needs as diverse as those of Riesling and Cabernet. It includes two coastal subregions on the Southern Ocean, Denmark and Albany, well-suited to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and three interior subregions. From west to east, these interior areas include Frankland River, Mount Barker and Porongurup, all excelling in Riesling as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The Great Southern is a cool region. Its red wines are marked by the juxtaposition of vivid fruit flavors with generally lean, elegant structure -- ripeness of flavor in a cool-climate frame.

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These descriptors are apt for the Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine comes from the Mount Barker area, and specifically from the Abercrombie vineyard, a 38-acre site that’s described as extraordinarily low-yielding, no more than 2 tons/ acre, with gravel and clay-loam soil. Under the name Hay River Vineyard, this was the first site in the Great Southern region to be planted with Cabernet Sauvignon. The Burch family, owners of Howard Park, began using fruit from the vineyard in 2002 and in 2014, they purchased the site, with its nearly 40-year-old vines. They renamed the vineyard in honor of Jeff Burch’s great grandfather, Walter Abercrombie. Scotsdale Cabernet represents a declassified version of Howard Park’s iconic Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon. (In some years, Abercrombie itself is a blend of Margaret River and Great Southern fruit.)

The 2014 Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry, lean-structured, flavorful Cabernet full of concentrated fruit. Its aromas suggest fresh blackberry, blueberry, graphite, vanilla, fresh herbs, black pepper and a floral note. In your mouth it is medium-bodied with enlivening acidity and firm tannins that complement the fruit. The wine’s dark fruit, earth and spice flavors are very concentrated, vibrant and pure. This is a juicy Cabernet that makes your mouth water, but it is built on a solid foundation of tannin that will enable it to age. This wine is entirely Cabernet Sauvignon. Its winemaking regimen includes stainless steel fermentation at cool to moderate temperatures; extended maceration after fermentation for some lots, to enhance the tannins; pressing right after fermentation for other lots, to capture the fruit’s vibrancy; and aging in French oak barrels of 225 and 300 liters, 40 percent of which were new, for 18 months. These techniques foster the wine’s purity of fruit expression as well as its solid but not outsized structure. This wine represents an expression of Cabernet that is uncommon -- a cool-climate style, moderate in weight and fresh in flavor, dry and vibrant -- just as the Great Southern is uncommon. 91 Points

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