To Do
Now
Oak Ridge High School Theater presents “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn, with performances through March 22. For tickets and more information visit ortab.org.
Top activities in the region
March 21
Imagination Theatre at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds presents Storytellers and Scripts: “2 Across” by Jerry Mayer through March 30. For tickets and more information, go to itplacerville.org.
El Dorado Musical Theatre presents “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” at the Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. The show runs through March 30. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
March 22
Local favorite Colton Mountain Band brings traditional county music sound with some original compositions to the Church of Our Saviour in Placerville at 4 p.m. Reservations can be made at (530) 391-4588.
March 23
Face in a Book in El Dorado Hills Town Center hosts author Angelica Jackson, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to celebrate her new novel, “Stay, Girl.” For more information call (916) 941-9401.
Music on the Divide presents Branden and James, classically inspired pop duo, at the IOOF Hall in Georgetown. For tickets and more information go to musiconthedivide.org.
March 27
Ponderosa High School Theater presents “Beetlejuice Jr. the Musical” through April 5. For tickets and more information visit pondodrama.com.
Theatre at the Mine at Union Mine High School presents “The Wizard of Oz” through April 5. For tickets and more information visit onthestage.tickets/union-mine-high-school.
SPOTLIGHT Business
Escargot to go?
It’s coming to Allez! — the French eatery in Diamond Springs where owner and Chef de Cuisine Christian Masse has created a menu filled with delicious options from his home country. The lifelong chef has lived and prepared fantastic food all over the world from Scotland to the Bahamas to El Dorado County. Christian and his wife Jennifer moved here in 1988, taking over Zachary Jacques and sharing their culinary skills with loyal diners while raising two sons. In 2005, the family downsized to Allez! — first located in a historical building in El Dorado and in 2013 moving to its current location. Here food lovers from all over the county and beyond enjoy sandwiches, salads, soups and specialty dishes, not to mention a mouth-watering selec -
tion of desserts. Everything, except the bread, is made in house, Christian proudly shared. Allez! also has a great selection of wine.
Enjoy dining in the cozy, rustic eatery or take the meal to go. The Allez! team is currently working on more to-go options for customers, including the above-mentioned escargot as well as homemade sausages and pastries. Christian is also bringing back paella nights, much to the delight of regulars.
Allez! is open for lunch and dinner.
After more than 50 years in the restaurant industry, Christian still has a smile on his face when he talks about his eatery and his love of creating and serving people delicious food. “It’s my life,” he said.
Mountain Democrat photo by Noel Stack
Pastry chef Michael Masters, Shane Masse and Chef de Cuisine Christian Masse, left to right, are part of the culinary team that brings delicious French food to grateful diners in Diamond Springs.
He is beefy with cute little buns. No drive through, so come on inside and meet him. black Hound mix, 8 wks.
Adopt Today! Second-Chance Animals Make First-Class Pets!
To Ask about these pets at the El Dorado County Animal Shelter (530) 621-7631 • 6435 Capitol Avenue, Diamond Springs
(A162563)
A cat’s purr is medicine for the soul. Adopt your own personal dispenser. F, Siamese, seal point, 25 mo. Suitable for a
Do you need a buddy for adventures? This handsome two-tone Coonhound might fit the bill. 2 yr.
May 3 • 9am Limited Spots Available, so Register NOW! For registration, go to Facebook, GetRattled/Events
Perhaps more white mocha than cocoa, he is a white poodle mix looking for a fur-ever home. 4 yr.
BIG MAC (A163323)
CLARA (A163320)
garden setting, she is a gray DSH with beautiful eyes. 2 yr.
TNR KITTY (A163487) HUCKLEBERRY
COCOA (A163549)
She
ABBY (A163017)
FELICIA (A141161)
DENA (A124986)
This F brown tabby DSH is currently hanging out in the main display enclosure at the shelter. Stop in to meet her. 6yr.
She
MARY-KATE (A163025) He is probably not into the water escape thing,
he might disappear into a cardboard box for you. Lynx Point, DSH, age unk.
HOUDINI (A163319)
THE EL DORADO COUNTY AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OFFERS INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO RESIDENTS OF EL DORADO COUNTY TO IMPROVE LOCAL AIR QUALITY.
The Chimney Smoke RIP offers $599 to $2,000 * to replace a non-EPA certified woodstove with a new efficient, cleaner burning, eligible EPA certified device.
*$2,000 incentive available to low -income residents or residents of designated low -income communities
The expanded Clean Lawn equipment Incentive Pr ogr am (CLIP) offers $100 to $2,000 to replace a piece of gas powered lawn equipment with a zero -emission cordless electric version. Now includes mowers, leaf blowers, weedeaters and more!
The new CHar ge At your Residence and Go Electric (CHARGE) incentive program offers plug -in car owners and lessees a $300 incentive to purchase and install a home EV charger.
The Drive Clean! incentive program offers El Dorado County residents a $599 incentive towards the purchase or lease of an eligible electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen vehicle.
Celebrate spring’s arrival with a skillet fish fry
Family Features
Nothing says spring like a fish fry with the catch of the day. This Pan-Fried Catfish recipe is perfect for enjoying flaky fillets without the mess. Find more springtime favorites by visiting Culinary.net.
Pan-Fried Catfish
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons mesquite seasoning (or seasoning of choice, such as lemon pepper)
1 stick butter
1/4 cup avocado oil (or oil of choice)
1-2 pounds thawed catfish fillets (1/2 pound each)
cooked rice, for serving
Directions: In pie dish, mix flour and seasoning.
In skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add oil. Coat fish fillets in flour mixture on both sides. Place fish in skillet and fry 5 minutes then flip and fry 5 minutes.
Place fish on paper towel to drain excess oil then serve with rice.
Tip: If skillet is large enough, fry two fillets at once. If frying more than four fillets, discard butter and avocado oil then start fresh before frying more.
Dive into this easy, creamy cake
Family Features
This Irish Cream Bundt Cake is perfect for sharing without spending the entire day in the kitchen. Visit Culinary.net for more Irish inspiration.
Irish Cream Bundt Cake
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
1 white or yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Irish cream
Icing:
1 tablespoon Irish cream (optional)
1 tablespoon milk (2 tablespoons if not using Irish cream)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional)
Directions: Heat oven to 350 F.
In bowl, add cake mix, melted butter, eggs, milk and Irish cream. Using hand mixer, mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into greased bundt pan. Bake 40-45 minutes. Let cool on rack.
To make icing: Mix Irish cream, if desired; milk; and powdered sugar. Drizzle icing over cooled cake.
If using cocoa, drizzle only half of icing then add cocoa to remaining icing and finish drizzling. Cut and serve.
STARS AT SCHOOL
Marshall School of Medical Assisting grads
On Feb. 25, community members from Marshall Medical, the El Dorado County Office of Education and the greater El Dorado County region joined together to celebrate the second graduating cohort of the Marshall School of Medical Assisting.
The cohort comprised 12 students, marking a significant milestone since the school’s opening in January 2024.
Special awards were presented for Academic Excellence to Channey Smart and Clinical Excellence to Sarah Leveroni and Jamie Larripa-Schlueter.
The ceremony featured a moving address by graduate Megan Thorla and keynote speeches delivered by county Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala and Jonathan Russell, chief ambulatory officer of Marshall Medical.
During their rigorous instruction, students in the Marshall School of Medical Assisting learn about patient care, medical terminology and technology, patient records and documentation, safe handling and administration of medication, lab procedures, medical ethics, law and much more.
The school’s hands-on teaching approach helps to equip students with the proper skills to confidently enter and sustain a lasting and rewarding career in the medical field by qualifying for an entry-level position as a medical assistant in a hospital, clinic or physician’s office. Moving forward, the graduates can now complete the California Certified Medical Assistant exam.
The Marshall School of Medical Assisting was created in partnership with EDCOE and is grounded in shared values of service and impact. For more information visit aded.edcoe.org/Programs/Medical-Assistant-Program/index.html.
CLUES
1 sets of formal clothes (5)
2 sturdy, plain-woven fabric (6)
3 “Walter Mitty” star Ben (7)
4 gossipy (5)
5 it happens every year (11)
6 harmony (10)
7 (hold) tight (4)
Find the 7 words to match the 7 clues. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in each solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.
SOLUTIONS
©2018 Blue Ox Family Games, Inc., Dist. by Andrews McMeel
All Things Equine
SPRING HORSE CARE TIPS
1. Begin your riding schedule slowly if your horse (and you) have been idle over the winter months.
2. Horses that haven’t shed out their long winter coats will heat up faster and take longer to cool down and dry out on warm spring days.
3. Consider clipping a long winter coat if you are planning to get back into a regular riding routine. A clipped horse or pony may still need to be blanketed if the temperature dips.
4. Spring time is vaccination time, so consult your veterinarian for the recommended vaccinations in your area.
5. Hasten shedding with regular grooming. A shedding blade helps pull out long loose hairs.
6. Be cautious about introducing your horse to lush green pasture if it has been eating hay all winter. A horse that is allowed to nibble grass as it emerges will be introduced slowly and naturally. But putting a horse or pony out on pasture suddenly can lead to things like colic and founder. Make the transition to pasture gradually — especially with ponies, draft breeds, and draft crosses. As little as thirty minutes on fresh grass can cause a pony to founder.
7. Horses accustomed to being blanketed during the cold
weather may still need blankets during temperature dips or rainy weather. Don’t forget to remove the blanket when the weather warms up again!
8. Keep an eye out for signs of thrush or rain scald that can flare up during wet spring weather.
