Salina area’s premier Magazine on People, Places & Style
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what’s cooking? Big Comfort Foods for Winter Warmth
sacred art A Legacy of Faith stained-glass beauty
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$
winter
2014
SUNFLOWER LIVING
SUNFLOWER LIVING
FEATURES
volume 04 / issue 04
Publisher Olaf Frandsen Advertising Director Dave Gilchrist advertising sales managers
FINALIST
2013
ARDS AW
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GREA TP
Kathy Malm Linda Saenger
MAGAZIN E OF THE YE AR
Sales executives
Sue Austin Debbie Nelson Tina Campbell Natalie Brooks Brian Green Erica Green Mary Walker Jenny Unruh Heather Phillips Laura Fisher Jeanna Pohlman Natosha Batzler Christy Underwood
Ad designers
Jamie Jeffries Annette Klein Aaron Johnson Kristin Scheele
photographers Lisa Eastman Larry Harwood Deborah Walker
Contributing writers
Patricia E. Ackerman Cathy Hamilton Amy Conkling Karilea Rilling Jungel Chelsey Crawford Judy Lilly Kim Gronniger Meta Newell West
34.
Count ’Em, 5 Winter Comfort Foods! The temperature is dropping, and the old, favorite dishes are calling
Contributing artist Darin White
Production and editorial services for Sunflower Living provided by: Editor Nathan Pettengill art director Shelly Bryant Head graphic designer Jenni Leiste Chief Photographer Jason Dailey copy editor Deron Lee General Manager Bert Hull e-mail Comments to
sunflowerliving@sunflowerpub.com
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Christy Kohler 333 S. Fourth, Salina KS 67401 (785) 822-1467 / (800) 827-6363 ext. 347 ckohler@salina.com
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Sunflower living winter 2014
DEPARTMENTS
08.
Legacy in Light
Stained glass preserves a religious and artistic heritage from past century
12.
Swede Me!
For genealogical researchers, tracing a Swedish ancestor can be an easy and enjoyable start through a family tree
16.
A Taste Odyssey
Chef Karen Keehner practiced her culinary talents across the country before returning home to Salina
22.
Second-Floor history
From secret societies to speakeasies, the buildings of downtown Salina have a story to tell
26.
Hutch Takes You Both Ways Heading east or west, our quiet little neighbor to the south can be your gateway to two great winter railroad destinations
46.
Photo contest
This round’s winner and our next theme
winter 2014
contents
40.
16.
Vinyl from the Heartland
No longer just a retro-trend, the vinyl records from one Salina factory are spinning around the globe
26.
Sunflower living winter 2014
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from the editor
about the writers Regular Contributors Patricia e. Ackerman
Patricia E. Ackerman is an Abilene-based writer and associate professor at Kansas State-Salina.
Chelsey crawford
Chelsey Crawford is a freelance writer based out of Salina. She attended University of Kansas, studying history and literature. In her spare time she enjoys reading,gardening, and spending time with family. Chelsey is currently working on her first novel, a work of historical fiction.
Karilea Rilling Jungel
Newly retired, Karilea finds each day chock-full. The Salina-based writer gives workshops and presentations and says she is “always looking forward to another illuminating interview.”
THE STUFF OF
NOSTALGIA
There’s a bit of nostalgia ahead in this winter edition of Sunflower Living: two articles on winter comfort food, an evocative overview of Salina’s downtown history, a modern music sound in a retro-package, a search for Swedish ancestors, and the legacy of stained-glass windows in community churches. As always, our magazine highlights local and personal connections to our stories. But sometimes those connections are lost or tenuous. Take, for example, Pat Ackerman’s and Larry Harwood’s feature on stained-glass windows. Church records and a 30-year-old walking tour brochure have passed on the names of many artists involved (including a stunning piece by Birger Sandzen), but we simply don’t know or can’t confirm the names of many artisans who created portions of them. That’s a pity, but it doesn’t affect the power of their work or our ability to appreciate it. Nostalgia is often on the very personal—a feeling for a mother’s recipe or a cover: unique childhood comfort—but it can also be evoked A recording by experiences or events we share with others, just as of Pictures at an Exhibition the light from a stained-glass window by an unknown is played at master falls on all. I hope your winter brings wonderful Quality Record Pressing. times that will, in years to come, become the stuff of Photograph Larry nostalgia. Harwood
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Sunflower living winter 2014
judy lilLy
Lifelong Kansan Judy Lilly is the former Kansas history librarian at the Salina Public Library. Now retired, she attends writing groups, reads, researches and travels with her husband, Dennis.
meta newell west
Meta Newell West spends a lot of time in her Abilene kitchen. She and husband Barry also team up to teach cooking classes.
winter 2014
PREVIOUSLY
about
Letters, Comments and Observations about our Previous Editions
Images of the Land
HGTV Appeal
Still Roaring
Sunflower Living magazine was not around In our very first issue in spring Andy Hammond has a wish at the time to cover the story, but our partners 2010, Sunflower Living covered the list for dirt-bike racing enthusiasts at the Salina Journal reported on it, and longMarrs family, who had lived in a this year, including more events at term residents of the region might remember former administration building of Prairie Harbor (the track norththe dust storms of 1994 and a photography Marymount College and had just bewest of Salina that he operates), project undertaken by Scott Jost and the Saand new competitions featuring gun to transform it into a high-end lina Arts Center to document them. Jost, a head-to-head bracket races and residential complex. Now, three years native of Newton, walked and photographed perhaps dirt-bike barrel racing. For later, their work has been filmed by rural areas of Saline County—to capture the the winter season, he and other raca television crew contracted for the storms and explore their effect on soil erosion, HGTV program: You Live in What? ers from the area will be heading agriculture and life. He presented his work in The planned segment highlights the to indoor events across Kansas and 1995 at a special exhibit in the Salina Art work done by the Marrs family in to Southern states. Heavy snows Center and through a massive one-copy book these three years, including the addicould effectively close down runs whose pages (which include photography, soil at Prairie Harbor for a spell, but tion of a parking garage, geo-thermal samples and other materials) are literally the cold weather doesn’t seem to be a heating and cooling, and common width of a layer of topsoil lost each year. After barrier. Hammond, along with Anareas, and the construction of 25 being displayed in Salina, the work, A Book of units, eight of which are now owned drew Burns—also featured in our Nine Februarys, is now held in the permanent by private residents. For Dahx dirt-bike cover story from the fall collection of the University of Kansas’ SpenMarrs, who grew up in the building edition—recently competed at the cer Museum of Art. Jost, who has gone on to and now lives there with his family as Jeeps Cycle Club race in Wichita produce other photo projects concentrating he oversees the project, the transforon a freezing day in November. “I on the land and its features, such as waterpulled off my mask at the end of mation of his old home has been the ways on the East Coast and apple orchards, the race and it was covered in ice,” realization of years of planning. “It’s says the dust storms and their consequences says Hammond. Nonetheless, he exciting. It’s been really great to have for the land set the tone for how he would and Burns finished first and second, other people there and see things examine specific aspects of local land use, respectively. come together.” agriculture and history. In recognition of the project’s 20th anniversary, Sunflower Living is adapting its regular photo-feature contest If you have something to share about this edition of Sunflower Living, please send an to the theme of land and email to sunflowerliving@sunflowerpub.com or write to us at stewardship raised in Jost’s Sunflower Living / PO Box 740 / Salina, KS 67402. book. See more details on We are always eager to hear from you. page 46.
YOUR TURN
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behind the
scenes
For the Record
We owe a debt of gratitude to the churches, archives and historians who assisted us in tracking down names of artists and companies responsible for the stainedglass art. Some sources provide conflicting information on names and dates, and we have tried to reconcile these as much as possible.
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Legacy in Light Stained glass preserves a religious and artistic heritage from the past century
SPACES 2 St. John’s
Evangelical Lutheran 302 S. Seventh St. Window viewings open to visitors each week day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dedicated in May of 1917, this church features seven primary stained-glass windows, plus additional windows in the chapel. The windows were crafted in the traditional style by the Frank Hopcroft Art Glass Company of Kansas City, Missouri. East-facing windows include a 13-by-13-foot panel entitled God’s Invitation flanked by two 8-by-9-foot panels of The Nativity and Christ Blessing the Little Children. On the west side, a 13-by-13-foot panel titled Christ Knocking at Heart’s Door is flanked by two 8-by-9-foot panels of The Resurrection and Christ in Gethsemane. One 16-by-10-foot window in the chancel depicts The Ascension. In 1974, windows from the Zion Lutheran Church in Linn, Kansas, were installed in the church’s chapel (after being stored for many years in a chicken coop).
Birger Sandzen Paintings at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church Prominently displayed above the altar of Salina’s Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church is a largescale reproduction of Christ in Gethsemane that was painted by Birger Sandzen in 1925. On either side of Sandzen’s replica are two original side panels he painted depicting Biblical scenes. Sandzen traveled from Sweden in 1894 to begin his 60-year career of teaching and painting at Bethany College in Lindsborg. In 1930, the 60th anniversary of Immanuel Church was observed with a Swedish Anniversary Service. And up until 1936, Swedishlanguage services were offered at the church on the first Sunday of each month. The original painting of Christ in Gethsemane was created by German artist Heinrich Hoffman in 1890 and is currently housed in New York’s Riverside Church. Sunflower living winter 2014
Photography by Larry Harwood
paintings
Story by Patricia E. Ackerman
1 Christ Cathedral 138 S. Eighth St. Window viewings open to visitors by appointment. Call (785) 827-4440 on MondayThursday mornings. The cornerstone for Christ Cathedral was laid in 1906, directly across the street from the original frame church, built in 1870. This early Gothic-style Episcopal cathedral, with walls made entirely of stone, was consecrated by Bishop Sheldon M. Griswold on Ascension Day, May 28, 1908. The church features 28 stained-glass windows: nine in the chancel (front), five in the transepts, five in the nave, four in the narthex, and five in the chapel. The windows illustrate the life and teachings of Jesus. Windows installed between 1909 and 1958 were obtained from Black, Starr and Gorham, Inc. of New York. Windows in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel were purchased from Len Howard Studios in Kent, Connecticut between 1957 and 1960. Additional windows were ordered from J. and R. Lamb Studios, New Jersey, between 1961 and 1973. Most of the windows were given as memorials by members of the congregation, though a few were funded collectively by the congregation.
Legacy in Light
S
alina’s spirit was strong during the first half of the 20th century. Despite two world wars and an economic depression, investment in the city’s infrastructure grew. This development extended beyond government and commercial ventures and into the heart of the town’s religious communities. A collection of spectacular stained-glass windows in downtown Salina churches stands as a brilliant reminder that regardless of life’s challenges, people have remained strong in their faith. Diverse artists and designers constructed these legacies, working with glass colored through metallic salts. In some cases, painted or stained details were applied before the glass was fired in kilns. Most windows were assembled by joining individual cuts of glass together between channeled pieces of lead came. Fully constructed windows were then held together by rigid hardwood frames, which have withstood a century of Kansas wind and weather. During the 1980s, the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce developed Stained-Glass Tours of Salina Churches for visiting groups. As Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Sylvia Rice points out, “Salina is blessed to boast two cathedrals and an abundance of churches, which house beautiful stainedglass windows. We need to appreciate these works of art.”
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3 First Christian Church/Blue Heaven Studios 201 S. Eighth St. Window viewings open to visitors by appointment. Call (785) 825-8609 and ask for Marc Sheforgen. Members of this congregation occupied the church basement for nearly two years before the sanctuary was dedicated on Sunday, January 30, 1927. Stained-glass windows were a dominant feature in Salina architect Charles Shaver’s Gothic-style design. Shaver contracted with Hopcroft-Pringle Glass Works of Kansas City, Missouri, to design and construct a total of 50 stained-glass windows of varying sizes and detail. Six panels in the north tower measure four feet wide and 18 feet high; they were donated by the Builders class to honor pastors who served the church. Gently arched tops feature opalescent green, gold, amber, and white leaded glass. The dominant window, a triptych, is 13 1/2 feet wide at the base and rises to 24 feet at the point of its Gothic arch. Symbols of Christian significance are also featured, such as the St. Andrew’s cross, a shield, a rose and a fleur-de-lis. The central panel, Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, was moved to a newly constructed church building on East Crawford in 1996. The old building, with all remaining windows, now houses Blue Heaven Studios.
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4 First Presbyterian Church 308 S. Eighth St. Window viewings open to visitors by appointment. Call (785) 825-0226 during weekday working hours. The original window of this stainedglass display was donated by Neva and Virginia Weisgerber in 1892 and transferred when parishioners moved from 118 S. Eighth St. to their current location in 1922. The chancel was remodeled in 1951 to include a large, east-facing stainedglass window illustrating the resurrection story, constructed by the Jacoby Art Glass Company of St. Louis. Glass artist Oliver Oppliger designed the window, which was donated by Vera Lash Merrill in memory of her husband, Burr Merrill. Symbols in the side windows lining the sanctuary tie in with the main panel as symbols of the church’s strength to overcome problems in this world. When the educational wing and chapel were added to the building, new windows were designed to exemplify these themes. The south-entry doors, however, introduce new elements by featuring large shocks of wheat; they were donated in memory of Salinan Jerry Knowles.
Legacy in Light
SPACES 7 First United Methodist Church
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1
Iron Ave
Santa Fe
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7th Street
Salina Stained Glass Window Walking Tour 8th Street
Walnut St.
5
4
Mulberry St.
2
South St.
Santa Fe
3
7th Street
118 N. Ninth St. (church entrance from Iron Avenue). Window viewings open to visitors on all days during working hours. Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral was formally dedicated in 1953. Its 23 stained-glass windows were designed in Aachen, Germany, and assembled in Milwaukee. All of the glass was imported from Germany and England. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the east side of the sanctuary depict Saints Michael, Concordia, Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Isidore, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas More, Margaret Mary of Alacoque, Boniface, Patrick, John the Baptist, Ruth, Sebastian, Cosmas and Damian. Windows on the west side memorialize Joan of Arc, Mary Magdalene, the Blessed Mother, and Saints Teresa, James the Apostle, Peter, Michael, Anne and Joseph.
8th Street
255 S. Seventh St. Window viewings open to visitors by appointment. Call (785) 825-4750 during weekday working hours. On October 4, 1925, choir members led their congregation south on Seventh Street from a small, white frame church building (built in 1870) into a new church home on the northeast corner of Seventh and Mulberry. This new brick building featured 20 stainedglass windows created by the Kansas City Stained Glass Works. Individual members of the congregation funded the windows as memorials to loved ones. Most of the windows, which feature traditional construction and design, are located in the church sanctuary. Major panels depict events from the life of Christ, including Jesus and the Children, the Sermon on the Mount, and Walking on Water. Smaller panels display symbolic icons like the Dove in Flight, the Rose of Sharon, and the Cross and Crown.
Catholic Cathedral
122 N. Eighth St. Window viewings open to visitors by appointment. Call (785) 825-0228 during weekday working hours. The Jacoby Art Glass Company of St. Louis created this church’s five stained-glass windows in 1913 with donations from the congregation. To complement the church’s architecture, Jacoby’s Dolores Veth would later design five large windows, using symbolic liturgical colors. Four of the windows contain a red cross and a “Winged Creature” representing an author of the Gospels: Matthew (Winged Man), Mark (Winged Lion), Luke (Winged Calf ) and John (Winged Eagle). The fifth window depicts an open Bible under the symbolic United Methodist flame. The Bible contains four tabs, marking the four chapters of the Gospel.
9th Street
Evangelical Lutheran Church
6 Sacred Heart
9th Street
5 Immanuel
Sunflower living winter 2014
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behind the
scenes
Immigration Trend
Swedish immigration continues to this day, but only a trickle. U.S. government records indicate 979 Swedes took U.S. residency in 2011, a far cry from the 1880s when more than 401,000 Swedes arrived in the United States in one decade.
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Souvenirs, research material and researchers were gathered at a recent seminar on Swedish genealogical research organized by the Old Mill Museum and civic groups in Lindsborg.
A group of Swedish immigrants, top, gathers outside of Lars Ellertson’s residence in Logan County, Kansas, circa 1902-1904. The North Star Drug Store, below, was also known as the “Svensk Apotek” or “Swedish Pharmacy,” circa 1900-1909. Photographs courtesy Kansas Historical Society.
T
his past September, Virginia Sandstedt boarded a Greyhound bus in Tempe, Arizona and rode for 34 hours to arrive in Lindsborg. As far as journeys go, it was long, but nothing compared to the 19th-century cross-Atlantic migration of her Swedish ancestors—the historical voyage that prompted Sandstedt to make her own, shorter cross-country trip. Sandstedt was one of approximately 175 amateur and professional genealogists to attend a Swedish Genealogy Workshop organized by the Old Mill Museum in Lindsborg, with a grant from the Swedish Council of America, on September 2829, 2013. Participants represented 18 different states, including Washington, California, Texas, Florida, Minnesota, and Oregon. Genealogy enthusiasts from Lindsborg and surrounding communities spent over a year planning the workshop. Sessions were offered for all levels of genealogy research and experience, from “Where Do I Start?” to “Swedish Probate Records and Estate Inventories.” This workshop, says Old Mill Museum director Lorna Nelson, was the first in what are planned to be twice-yearly sessions focusing on genealogy and Swedish ancestry. In the American melting pot, Swedish isn’t the most prevalent ethnic group— only 1.5 percent of the U.S population identified as “Swedish” in the 2009 U.S. census. But that is still a large number. More than 1 million Swedes left Sweden between 1821 and 1930. In all, Sweden lost one in five citizens to emigration. So, in the world of genealogical research, it’s not uncommon to find a Swedish ancestor somewhere in an extended family tree. Conference organizers estimate that Sunflower living winter 2014
cash Hollistah swedish genealogy
PROFILE Photography by Larry Harwood
For genealogical researchers, tracing a Swedish ancestor can be an easy and enjoyable start through a family tree
Story by Patricia E. Ackerman
Swede Me!
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Clockwise from top: A group poses for a picture outside the “Swedish Baptist Church,” location unknown but photographed in 1919. Dancers celebrate Swedish Day in Lindsborg, circa 1908-1910. A portrait of Carl A. Swensson, leader of the Swedish Lutheran Church and founder of Bethany College in Lindsborg, circa 1889-1890.
approximately 14 million Americans have Swedish ancestry. In terms of tracking down records, it’s good to be a Swede (or an ancestor of one). “Sweden has some of the most detailed records in the world,” says Nelson. “If you can make the connection as to where they came from in Sweden, then you can start into the Swedish records. They are very detailed, they are very thorough and they generally go back at least to the 1600s.”
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While the Swedish Lutheran Church kept extensive records in the homeland, Swedes tended to migrate under organized groups and continued to keep fairly detailed records in the New World. Experts in Swedish genealogy at the Lindsborg conference recommend working backwards, from immediate family documents to more distant Swedish records. Genealogy researchers are first encouraged to scour family Bibles, correspondence, documents, photographs, and obituaries. They should then move beyond family records to other American records such as Census records, court documents, and passenger arrival records. SwedishAmerican church records are also recommended, specifically Lutheran and Covenant records, which are known to be very detailed. That is roughly what conference participant Bruce Johnson did. A resident of the Swedish community of La Porte, Indiana, Johnson traced his family’s Swedish ancestry back to the 1500s. He is now culling through old ship records. The next step would be looking through Swedish records—
something now made easier by companies and organizations represented at the workshop, such as ArkivDigital and the Computer Genealogy Society of Sweden. Unlike some countries, Sweden does not provide its genealogical records for free. But a subscription service fee of approximately $15 a month can enable a researcher to access most parish and county records—and from there, says Nelson, the opportunities open up relatively easily, even for amateur genealogists. “If you’re beginning in genealogy and have Swedish ancestors, you shouldn’t hesitate at all; you should jump right in,” says Nelson. “Those that have Swedish heritage are really lucky; the records are good and so accessible. With the Swedish records, you can find things quickly and you are on to the next generation. It’s really enjoyable.”
The Salina Public Library’s Genealogy Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the library’s Technology Center Training Lab, 301 W. Elm St. Each meeting features a guest speaker or genealogist. The club meets informally to share knowledge of genealogy research and resources. Beginning and experienced genealogists are welcome. Desktop computers are available for use during club sessions, or members can bring laptops. Wi-Fi access and electricity are available. The Club has access to books, databases and printing. For more information, contact Barbara Mulvihill, information services librarian, at bmulvihill@salinapubliclibrary.org, (785) 825-4624. Salina Kansas Family History Center is a research facility organized by the Church of the Latter Day Saints. The office at 845 S. Ohio St. offers free access
The Smoky Valley Genealogical Society meets at the Smoky Hill Museum, 211 W. Iron Ave., on the second Saturday of each month. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping members improve their research skills and learn more about their family trees. Call (785) 825-7573 or email researchsmokyval@ sbcglobal.net.
swedish genealogy
to their website, www.familysearch.org, as well as to other search sites at their center. The church has been active in genealogical research since the late 1890s and has accumulated a wealth of vital records. Hours are Wednesday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Contact site director Sandy Farrell at (785) 825-0729 or by email at ks_salina@ldsmail.net.
PROFILE
Local resources for general genealogical research
The Kansas Historical Society has an agreement with the commercial website www.ancestry.com to provide free access to state documents for all Kansas citizens. Residents will need to register with a driver’s license or state-issued identity card. For more information and for a listing of documents available, go online at http://www.kshs.org/ancestry. Old Mill Museum of McPherson County, 120 Mill St., Lindsborg, has staff available for free consultations on genealogical research, particularly for Swedish ancestors. Make an appointment in advance by calling (785) 227-3595 or sending an email to oldmillmuseum@hotmail.com
Sunflower living winter 2014
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behind the
scenes
Kitchen Friends
When you’re a chef, it helps to have foodie friends with wellstocked kitchens. Thanks to Max Holthaus, Karen Keehner’s friend and colleague, for opening his kitchen to host our photo shoot.
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Karen Keehner, above, prepares to dip a spice bundle into her Kentucky burgoo, above right.
Karen Keehner’s Kentucky Burgoo
“M
y parents grew up in the Great Depression, but there was always plenty of food,” says Karen Keehner. Despite the hard times and food shortages of that era, Keehner’s parents—both of whom came from farm families outside of Ellsworth—managed to supplement meals with a bounty of homegrown fruits and vegetables. At holidays, Keehner explains, food was the celebration and eating was the event. That emphasis on food was passed along as Keehner learned recipes from her mother, who cooked for the Salina school district for 20 years. And it continues to the present. “Even today, when we all get together for a family meal, it’s a big deal. Everyone brings something. There are always lots of new recipes, and my mother’s counter is covered in food.” True, there was a time when Keehner, who now works as the executive chef for Salina Regional Health Center, wanted nothing to do with cooking—that was after a two-week spell in the fast-food industry during high school. But her interest was rekindled when she signed on as a bartender and waitress at Carousel, a former upscale steak house in Salina, and met sous chef Sam Sanders. “Sam’s food was so beautiful. I’d never seen anything like it,” says Keehner. Soon afterwards, she took jobs inside the kitchens of various restaurants, including the Holidome under Bill Fekas, before making the leap of enrolling at The Culinary Institute of America in October 1989. “I’d only been out of state once before, and all of a sudden I’m boarding the 3 a.m. train in Newton,
chef’s table
Chef Karen Keehner practiced her culinary talents across the country before returning home to Salina
Photography by Lisa Eastman
Odyssey
Story by Meta Newell West
a taste
Sunflower living fall 2013
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Green Beans Yellow Onion Okra
produce
&
trimmings for
Kentucky Burgoo
Corn
Red Pepper
Green Cabbage
Celery
Carrots
Keehner’s classical French training comes into play as she practices mise en place—organizing and arranging the ingredients so they are ready to add to the burgoo pot. She adds the densest vegetables to the pot first, then in go the semi-hard ones, followed by the softer vegetables.
Dicing vegetables for burgoo: Holding her sharp chef’s knife in the proper cutting mode, Keehner dices vegetables into chunky but uniform pieces.
tips from the chef
Browning meat: Searing meat at a relatively high temperature creates desirable flavors and results in a nicely browned exterior.
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Thyme
Assembling spice bundle: Keehner creates a classic bouquet garni as she ties fresh herbs into a bundle to add to the burgoo pot. Excess butcher’s twine is tied to the pot handle so the “used” herbs can easily be extracted.
Sunflower living winter 2014
margaret vinson’s pasta salad chef’s table Keehner’s Kentucky Burgoo chef’s tableKaren
Yukon Gold potatoes
heading for Hyde Park, New York. I was 26, had just $800, a credit line of $5,000, and no idea of what to expect.” What she discovered was a group of people from all over the country with a strong regard for food, an appetite for learning and an abundance of ideas and thoughts. The experience offered a world of opportunity and a few surprises. Approximately three months after Keehner’s arrival at the institute, Julia Child dropped by for a visit. “When Julia entered our classroom, my jaw dropped. I had no idea she was so tall. Our group leader was making hollandaise sauce and she watched and talked with him about it. She was very gracious, very loquacious, with a larger-than-life personality. The room was full of laughter and lots of talking,” recalls Keehner. But an even greater thrill for Keehner was when she was asked to serve the VIP table, where Child and the school president were dining. “I hope I did OK,” laughs Keehner, “I was one of the few students there who had experience as a waitress and knew how to serve.” After earning her associate of science degree in culinary arts, Keehner accepted a job at the Salina Country Club under Larry Carroll, who had been her head chef when she had worked at the Carousel. From there, she took positions as executive chef at Stephens College in Missouri, Wabash College in Indiana, and at a large food-service management group in Philadelphia, before returning to Salina in 2011. Although classically trained, Keehner embraces the healthy trends in food and eating. “I sometimes joke that olive oil seems to have become a fountain of youth,” she says. But on a serious note, she’s been a long-time proponent of hormone- and antibiotic-free foods, and prefers to rely on seasonal ingredients. “Here’s the thing: It’s always cheaper to buy what’s in season,” says Keehner. “It saves on your budget and it’s much healthier.” In Keehner’s kitchen, seasonal food is prepared in a variety of ways. When it comes to pumpkins, for example, she thinks beyond pies and decorating; she will peel them, cut them into chunks and drizzle them with olive oil and sea salt—perhaps adding a little curry as well. With just about 25 minutes in the oven roasting at 400 degrees, the pumpkin emerges as a light, tender, nutritious side dish. Or, Keehner might take kale and use it in soups or salads, or braise it with onions and bacon as a side dish. She also adds seasonal root vegetables, such as turnips, rutabagas or carrots, as well as fresh citrus, to her winter menus. Keehner constantly experiments in the kitchen and expands her repertoire with new recipes such as burgoo. Midway between a soup and a stew, this is a spicy combination of at least three meats, lots of vegetables and herbs. Traditionally, it was a hearty winter dish made with whatever was on hand, including squirrel, opossum or game birds. Karen, an adventurous eater, appreciates the flexibility of a recipe that allows for her own creative touches, but prefers to stick to today’s more familiar meats when handing off the recipe.
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recipe
Kentucky Burgoo preparation Cooking Time: 31/2 hours
to
Feeds 12-15
ABOUT THIS RECIPE: Karen Keehner tasted her first burgoo while living in Indiana, where it had become a popular dish as Kentuckians moved across the state line. “It also has a very colorful history, dating back to the Civil War, as well as being a traditional dish they serve at the Kentucky Derby.” There’s lots of speculation as to the origin of burgoo. Keehner notes two possibilities: Was it first prepared by a French chef whose pronunciation of “bird stew” was misunderstood? Or, was it Kentucky’s spin-off of Brunswick stew, another version of “critter stew?”
ingredients 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 ½ pounds pork stew meat, or pork shoulder cut into 1-inch dice 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs Seasoning salt (Keehner uses Lawry’s) and ground black pepper 1 ½ quarts chicken stock 1 ½ quarts beef stock
2 tablespoons minced garlic Fresh herbs: 1 sprig rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs marjoram (tied together with butcher’s twine) 1 pound carrots, peeled and large dice 2 large yellow onions, large dice 1 pound celery, cleaned and large dice 1 red pepper, large dice 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half 1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut in quarters 1 small head green cabbage, outer leaves and core removed, large dice 2 (14 ½-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen sliced okra 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn 1 (16-ounce) can butter beans, drained 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper as needed for seasoning
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Cooking Instructions 1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Season meats with seasoning salt and black pepper. 2. When oil is shimmering hot, brown all the meats, working in batches. Do not crowd the pan, or meat will not brown properly. Sear each side of the meat—allowing sides to brown first before moving. 3. Remove the browned meat to your soup pot. Deglaze the skillet with some of the chicken stock. Be sure to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Add deglazed stock to the soup pot. 4. Add the rest of the stock, the garlic and fresh herbs to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. 5. Add the carrots, onions, celery and red pepper, and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. 6. Add the green beans, potatoes, cabbage and tomatoes, and continue to simmer for 45 minutes. 7. Add the corn, okra, and butter beans; continue to cook for another 20 minutes. 8. Add the Worcestershire sauce and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Cheddar Corn Muffins extra RECIPE: Cornbread or muffins are traditionally served with burgoo. Keehner prefers muffins, as they are quick to mix, dip and bake; her recipe calls for creamed corn, which adds moistness.
margaret vinson’s pasta salad chef’s table Karen Keehner’s Kentucky Burgoo chef’s chef’s tabletable Kamila Kostolna Dandu
recipe
ingredients 2 cups yellow corn meal 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 (14.75-ounce) can of creamed corn 1 cup buttermilk 2 large eggs 8 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cooking Instructions 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners. 2. Sift together dry ingredients. 3. Whisk wet ingredients together and add to dry. Mix just until thoroughly combined. 4. Fold in cheddar cheese. 5. Divide batter evenly among paper-lined cups. 6. Bake in center of preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes; test doneness with toothpick. 7. Serve warm.
Sunflower living winter 2014
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Second-Floor
history
behind the
scenes
From secret societies to speakeasies, the buildings of downtown Salina have a story to tell
In Real Life
The historical vignettes introducing each section are based on original-source documents researched by writer Judy Lilly.
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S
ince Salina’s beginning in 1858, the city has boasted an active downtown. In the past, the downtown was a two-story business section with second floors providing space for dentists, dressmakers, milliners, shoemakers, tailors, beer joints and more. These second-floor occupants and activities were varied and sometimes short-lived, but if floorboards could speak, the stories would be intriguing.
1
2
Dr. Howard Soliss moved the last of his dental equipment into his new upstairs offices at 127 N. Santa Fe. The smell of smoke was gone, and the nightmare of the previous December was only a memory. He hoped never to go through such an experience again. The fire that swept the heart of Salina’s retail district on the cold afternoon of December 4, 1928, destroyed several principal businesses and put 82 people temporarily out of work. The fire began in a building north of the Soliss dental office. Window trimmers in the basement of the Rorabaugh department store (129/131 N. Santa Fe) were attempting to color strings of lights for a holiday display. When they dipped electrified bulbs into paint mixtures, they caused a short circuit in the string, igniting the alcohol in the paint. The small workroom containing tinsel and other flammables immediately filled with smoke and flame that spread to the floors above. Employees and Christmas shoppers fled the premises, but when a gas explosion occurred, the fire spread into two buildings to the south at 125/127 N. Santa Fe, igniting them from the roofs downward. The fire occurred late in the afternoon when no patients of Dr. Soliss were in the chair or waiting room. No one was fatally injured in the catastrophe, although the damage to his offices and the Wiegner dress shop below, as well as numerous other businesses, was complete and costly. The business block of 125 and 127 N. Santa Fe was rebuilt as one unit with the striking terra-cotta design we enjoy today. Currently, the buildings house Atlas Optical and The Arena, respectively.
Sunflower living winter 2014
second-floor history
landmarks Illustrations by Darin M. White
2 Soliss Dentist Office, 127 N. Santa Fe Ave.
Photography by Larry Harwood
Lillian Leighton surveyed her new surroundings with pride. The architect who designed the building that housed the flower shop below and their apartment above had done a grand job. She wished her father could have seen how his florist business had grown in the past 50 years. He would have been pleased. In 1928, Canadian-born Walter Leighton and his wife, Lillian, hired Charles Shaver to design this English Revival building at 405 E. Iron for their thriving floral business. With a showroom and workshop below, the couple made the second story their home. The apartment had a sizable living room across the front, plus a library, two bedrooms, kitchen, breakfast nook, dining room, and bath. A roof garden (later a screened porch) covered the attached flat-topped garage behind the shop. The upstairs living space accommodated the couple and Lillian’s mother, Babette Buchi, who,
with her husband, John, both born in Switzerland, launched the flower business in Salina as early as 1878. Leighton had bought the Buchi flower shop about the time he married Lillian, and the two operated their business until their deaths in the 1960s, when the ownership passed to a longtime employee. In 1981, the flower business, started by the Buchis, closed after 113 years. The charming building with the Old World look sold to an insurance company. Later, the building was gifted to Saint Francis Community Services. They use the lower floor for office and counseling space and hold the upper floor as an apartment for staff traveling to Salina.
Story by Judy Lilly
1 The Flower Shop, 405 E. Iron Ave.
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3
3 The Blind Tiger, 120 N. Santa Fe Ave. On a warm Saturday night in September 1907, Cornelius Hinkle sat in the kitchen of Eagles Restaurant at 120 N. Santa Fe, going over his books. Above him he could hear laughter and constant footsteps up and down the alley stairs. He knew what that meant. The “blind tiger” was open for business. During the “Gay Nineties” and well into the 20th century, smoky, back-alley joints sold beer and other spirits from the second stories of some buildings along Santa Fe and Iron Avenues. These drinking establishments, sometimes called “blind tigers,” sprang from attempts by saloon owners to circumvent the stiff liquor laws of Kansas. A sign on a barroom wall might advertise a rare and
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wondrous viewing of a blind tiger (or a blind pig) for a certain price, which also included a “free” glass of alcoholic refreshment. Prohibition in Kansas began as early as 1880 when lawmakers made the manufacturing and selling or gifting of intoxicating liquors illegal. This law remained in effect until 1948, when the Kansas legislature established a system to regulate liquor sales. On that Saturday night long ago, Cornelius Hinkle didn’t realize how busy his back stairs would be. The joint over Hinkle’s restaurant was raided, not once, but twice by police, who confiscated the owner’s supply of “booze.” According to the September 9, 1907, edition of the Salina Journal, lawmen carried away a “case of beer, a little whiskey and tubs of other stuff ” on their initial visit. For some reason, the officers returned that same night and snagged an additional two cases of beer.
4 The UKT Hall, 219 N. Santa Fe Ave.. Twenty-two-year-old Vina Dow hurried up the stairway of 219 N. Santa Fe on an evening in 1914. She could hear excited voices above her. There was nothing like a new building to lift a person’s spirits. She guessed the saying was true: Good can come from bad. After the fire, the new UKT meeting hall was just what folks needed. The mysterious letters “UKT” cut into the smooth stone of this handsome building identifies an African-American society called the Uniform Knights of Tabor. Focusing on benevolent and financial programs, the UKT sprang from a group called The Order of Twelve, founded by the Rev. Moses Dickson in 1872. By 1891, the group had lodges in Lawrence, Topeka, Fort Scott, Independence and Kansas City, Kansas. The Salina order, which appears to have formed about 1907, met in different buildings in the 200 block of North Santa Fe until their wood-frame meeting hall suffered severe fire damage in January 1913. The membership decided to erect a two-story brick hall, which was completed in 1914. While the first floor was rented out to an auto and tire accessory shop, the second story became a popular center for the African-American community. A main room with a raised stage area along the west wall accommodated meetings and social events. Smaller rooms along the east wall housed offices or meeting areas. The Salina UKT’s temple and tabernacles—the Silver Leaf Temple, Star of the West and Daughters of Tabor—appear in the Salina City directories through 1929. Over the years, other African-American groups like the Masons, Odd Fellows lodges and political clubs climbed the steps to this upstairs meeting place. Today the building houses the Paramount Bar, with the upper floor used for storage.
Sunflower living winter 2014
second-floor history
In 1908, young Charles Kastner may have peered from the second-story window of his father’s building at 110-112 E. Iron Ave. to see lines of people weaving past the alley and stretching to Santa Fe Avenue. Men in three-piece suits, ladies with enormous hats and excited children were waiting to buy tickets and take their seats at the Palms, his father’s moving-picture house. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, the country was abuzz with a new craze called “motion pictures,” and Charlie Kastner, a tin and plumbing contractor in Salina, was about to take that trend to its next step. In 1908, Kastner gave up his roofing and cornice work and turned his building on East Iron into a motion picture theater. He hired a manager and technician and installed costly equipment, including a chronophone—a highly complicated machine featuring, among other things, a pair of telephones and a double phonograph. This apparatus made the first attempts to synchronize pictures and accompanying sound. No other theater in Salina had this technology, and talking pictures would not hit the entertainment world for 20 more years. For the next two or three years, these picture-shows drew crowds of moviegoers, and little Charles Kastner made a profit at his popcorn-andpeanuts stand. But by 1910, competition increased, with three movingpicture theaters in Salina. And by 1911, Kastner had returned to his sheet metal business and the building now housed a grocery store and notions shop on the first floor, while the Order of Owls, a fraternal group dedicated to camaraderie and recreation, used the second-floor rooms for their Nest.
landmarks
5 The Palms, 110-112 E. Iron Ave.
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hutch takes you
CH I
both ways Heading east or west, our quiet little neighbor to the south can be your gateway to two great winter railroad destinations
They are bound for Chicago. (Look out, Windy City, here they come!)
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Sunflower living winter 2014
Hutch and beyond
out & about Photography by Deborah Walker
saf They are set for a romantic weekend in Santa Fe (or maybe an extended weekend— these things happen when you are in love).
behind the
scenes
Looks the Part
He is fine where he is, thank you, very much.
We tapped David Reynolds, a retired corrections officer and naval chief petty officer, to stand in as our conductor. He turned out to be an ideal model with his own costuming. His conductor’s hat is a 44-year-old family heirloom worn by his grandfather,
and his railroad-esque overalls are vintage Reynolds couture—his go-to outfit for most days and all gardening. “If they were good enough for my grandfather and Sam Walton, I figure they are good enough for me,” explains Reynolds.
Sunflower living winter 2014
Story by Amy Conkling, Cathy Hamilton and Kim Gronniger
HUT
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Train Travel Tips Book well in advance. Amtrak will fill up on its routes that run on weekends and near holidays. Don’t stay in your seat. This is the big benefit of train travel! Enjoy a red wine at the dining car as you watch the sun set over the Mississippi River. Play a hand of cards in the lounge. Get up and stretch. Consider a room. Particularly if you are on the longer route to Santa Fe, this is an attractive option. The difference will be about $180 for two people, but that’s worth it for the romance (or, even more importantly, the chance to be particularly wellrested).
We all know Hutchinson—that pleasant, almostsisterly city to the south. We’ve been there for family events and maybe even the state fair or the Underground Salt Museum. But here’s something about Hutch that maybe we sometimes overlook: It holds a launching point for big journeys. Not the Cosmosphere, but the Amtrak station. Railroad trips are a delightfully pleasant, though perhaps neglected, way to travel from the Heartland. They are a great option for winter; nobody has to worry about driving over icy roads, and nobody will be somehow rerouted and overnighted at Kalamazoo due to turbulence or closed runways. These journeys are more about enjoying time with your fellow traveler or group rather than getting somewhere fast. These trips are about opportunities for dining with a pleasant view and chats in comfy chairs as you rack up the miles. Here are our picks for some regional getaways with a long reach: a romantic trip for two to Santa Fe, and a weekend with friends to Chicago.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
The quotes in Points of Contact were chosen by the pastor of Salina First Presbyterian Church.
Hutch and beyond
Your trip is booked. Your bags are packed. Your train is heading to the Hutchinson station— and so are you. Amtrak suggests passengers arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to departure. And be ready: Locals say when the train pulls into this station it barely comes to a full stop prior to boarding. Considering you have a late-night connection (either 2:19 a.m. for the Chicago-bound train or 3:20 a.m. for the SantaFe-bound train), this leg of the journey provides enough drama without a rushed leap onto a running train. Choose one of these options to arrive on-time and without incident.
out & about
And it all begins in Hutch.
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Hutch option #1: Park-and-go You can simply arrive at the Hutchinson Amtrak station with time to spare and leave your vehicle in one of the 30 adjacent, unmetered parking stalls. Judith O’Hara of the Hutchinson Convention/ Visitors Bureau says people regularly leave their cars without incident when traveling by train. You should know, however, that Hutch’s station has no restrooms, no lounge, no ticket office and no kiosk. Hutch option #2: Pre-trip nightlife By arriving a few hours early say, midnight you can catch your train along with late dinner and drinks. Carl’s Bar and Delicatessen (less than two blocks south from Amtrak) serves a fantastic Reuben that pairs well with any beer on tap. Depending on when your train leaves, you can close Carl’s down or head out to a 24/7 venue such as the mega Dillons Marketplace (near 30th and Waldron) for some gourmet cheese and natural foods.
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Hutch option #3: Dinner and room For a more extravagant option, consider arriving earlier and booking a room. Several hotels are within walking distance, and some offer special “station rates” that include monitored parking. This allows you to enjoy a night out, perhaps a concert by the Hutchinson Symphony, followed by a dinner at the restaurant of your choice. There’s still time to head back to the hotel for a nice nap (or cocktails at your room!) before a courtesy wake-up call and a rendezvous with your train.
Sunflower living winter 2014
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Mail this form to: Salina Journal Circulation Department c/o Christy Kohler 333 S. 4th, Salina, Kansas 67401
Or call us at (785) 822-1467 / (800) 827-6363 ext. 347 Or e-mail at ckohler@salina.com
Take a warm, romantic getaway to Santa Fe Lovers of art, world-class cuisine and old-world romance will find plenty to savor in Santa Fe, where El Sol shines 320 days a year and piñon smoke wafts from adobe chimneys at night. A weekend in “The City Different” will add spice to your life, beyond New Mexico’s ubiquitous red chile powder. The Amtrak trip to Santa Fe takes slightly over 12 hours, including the short bus ride from Lamy (where the station is) to Santa Fe proper. But if you rest well, you’ll be set for a full first evening as you arrive in town before 4 p.m. From the moment you set boots in the historic Plaza, sights, sounds and savory scents that are uniquely Santa Fe drench the senses. Shop the authentic Indian jewelry under the Palace of the Governors portal, then hoof it across the square to the renovated La Fonda Hotel (lafondasantafe.com). If weather permits, sample a signature margarita in the Bell Tower Bar for an unbeatable rooftop view at sunset. Grab a seat for two on a guided tram tour for an overview of the oldest capital city in the United States (santafe.org). Or, book a private spa suite at Zensational Ten Thousand Waves spa (tenthousandwaves. com). Make tracks on the Santa Fe Pick-Up (free shuttle bus) to the Santa Fe Railyard (railyardsantafe.com) for the Farmers’ Market and Artists Market, held every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Beer lovers may imbibe at the Second Street Brewery (secondstreetbrewery.com) with pub grub and nightly entertainment. If your heart wants more art, hike up legendary Canyon Road to browse galleries—elegant and quirky—along the crooked lane. The world’s largest museum of international folk art is a jaw-dropper on Museum Hill (internationalfolkart.org), and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, just off the Plaza, draws visitors from all over the world (okeeffemuseum.org). Intimate dining options abound. You can’t go wrong at La Plazuela at La Fonda, Coyote Café on the Plaza (coyotecafe. com) or Canyon Road’s El Farol, the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe, where small plates deliver enormous flavors accompanied by live, Latin-inspired music (elfarolsf.com). For Sunday brunch, head to Café Pasqual’s, just off the Plaza (pasquals.com). Better yet, enjoy blue corn pancakes in bed before catching the train home.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
Hutch and beyond
When you’re traveling with a group, you will want to keep these two things in mind: 1) Everyone wants to be together, and 2) everyone needs time alone. Winter in the Windy City is perfect for both of these. Your train will arrive to the station in late afternoon, placing you right on the Chicago River in the heart of the city. Take that as a housing hint and book rooms in a downtown hotel or a nearby private apartment. Yes, the location will cost a bit more, but you will save on cab fares and enjoy the views as well as the seasonal attractions such as ice skating at Millennium Park or downtown holiday window displays. Plus, by being downtown, your group can easily split up and rejoin one another at central locations. Not everyone’s going to agree on what to see—and that’s perfectly fine. But with all the winter theater, cabarets, comedy shows and music venues, the group can easily choose one big-ticket event that will please everyone. Make that decision in advance of your trip and set it as the centerpiece to your weekend, either on Friday or Saturday night. Then, let everyone go at their own pace and choose your own. Even if the weather is super-blustery, you can easily walk to shopping destinations on the Magnificent Mile, including renowned retailers like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, as well as a five-story, Chicagofounded flagship Crate and Barrel store. Anchored by Bloomingdale’s, the 900 North Michigan Shops complex features about 70 stores. Water Tower Place, anchored by Macy’s, offers additional options for apparel, handbags, cosmetics and scrumptious cupcakes available in the food court. Fortify culturally with a few hours at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum or the Shedd Aquarium—all within easy walking distance of one another. And if the weather is chilly, you’ll probably encounter far fewer crowds than you would at the summer peak. You can savor gastronomical delights at The Purple Pig, a Bon Appetit magazine top-10 selection whose slogan is “cheese, swine and wine.” For dessert, sample a forkful of the Pig’s signature Sicilian Iris, a delectable fried brioche confection filled with chocolate chips. If you’re heading out in the late evening, top off the night at Lavazza Espression in the John Hancock Observatory, which features Espesso, their trademarked mousse-like coffee dessert. Don’t rush; the observatory is famed for its sky-high views of the city, even from the women’s restroom. Having enjoyed individual downtime, make one additional group outing for a luxurious and long Sunday brunch (go over recommendations through Chicago Reader or other local publications to select and reserve your spot in advance). Don’t worry, there’s time to savor dessert and another coffee before you board your train and begin sharing impressions of the city, ideally while passing around Garrett’s gourmet popcorn and Frango mints, quintessential Chi-town treats.
out & about
Photography by/courtesy: (opposite page, from top) Richard Khanlian (Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau), Deborah Walker and Chris Corrie (Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau); this page, from top, by/courtesy: Choose Chicago, Deborah Walker and Choose Chicago.
Chill with friends in Chicago
Sunflower living winter 2014
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features 34.
Count ’Em, 5 Winter Comfort Foods!
40.
Vinyl from the Heartland Sunflower living winter 2014
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Count ’Em ,
5
Winter Comfort Foods! Story by Karilea Rilling Jungel / Photography by Larry Harwood
The temperature is dropping, and the old, favorite dishes are calling Frigid temperatures conjure thoughts of warm comfort dishes: something wonderful that will lift your day, clear the gray skies (if only mentally) and get you back on track for all of the things you want to accomplish. Here is a sampling of five comfort-food dishes—with two full recipes—from Salina-area restaurants. They will certainly console you during the winter months, or add that little bit of luxury as you relish each bite.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
The Dish: Caldo de Siete Mares The Place: Cotija Mexican Restaurant, 1115 W. Crawford St., Salina The Story: Co-owner Luis Mendez has been cooking since age 17, starting with relatives in California and then working in several other states and in Mexico before settling at Salina in 2008. His broad education is reflected in his favorite comfort-food dish, the seven-seas soup (caldo de siete mares), a fusion of vegetables, peppers (there is the guajillo as well as the very-hot chile de arbol) and seafood. Prepared with several techniques from sautĂŠing, blending, sieving, straining and boiling, the soup comes in two variations: a straight shrimp or the seafood variety which includes crab, shrimp, oyster, mussel, octopus, calamari and surimi.
Sunflower living winter 2014
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The Dish: Buffalo Chili The Place: Kanza Yansa, 145 S. Santa Fe, Salina The Story: Co-owner Susan Cramer learned to cook in a large family, with seven kids, that has operated restaurants since she was 14. Many of her current recipes tap her grandmother’s recipe box, and a recent favorite also channels Kansas heritage. “We started using buffalo meat for its health benefits, as it is much leaner than chicken and some fish, so we thought it would be good to incorporate into our menus as something different. Plus it is native to Kansas.” Cramer says her patrons, even skeptical ones, have welcomed the return of a Kansas classic. “Sometimes people expect bison to taste gamy, but it isn’t.” The restaurant plans to incorporate bison into new comfort-food dishes such as bison bourguignon and bison stroganoff.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
recipe tom’s Pancakes (when you need to feed a small army) Makes 2 gallons of batter (or approximately 256 pancakes).
ingredients 15 eggs 1 gallon milk 3 cups melted butter or margarine ¼ cup vanilla ¾ cups baking powder 3 cups sugar 20 cups flour
Cooking Instructions Mix till smooth. Served with sides of eggs, bacon or sausage.
The Dish: Tom’s Pancakes The Place: Tom’s Appletree, 2450 S. Ninth, Salina The Story: Tom Dick, who has been in the restaurant business for more than 34 years, says he likes to keep his recipes “warm and cuddly” as well as simple, even when cooking bulk orders. He pulls out a worn index card from a flat, gray-metal recipe box to share his favorite pancake recipe that he adjusted, batch after batch, until he felt it was just right. Sunflower living winter 2014
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The Dish: Bob’s French Toast The Place: Russell’s Restaurant, 649 Westport Blvd., Salina The Story: Owner Bob Berthelson says he got into the restaurant business “by stupidity, mostly,” nearly 35 years ago. Nonetheless, he’s preserved a Salina staple—and its following of loyal patrons—that has been around for more than four decades, and in his hands since 1999. Berthelson, who commutes every day from his home in Lincoln, says his entire meal is comfort food. From waffles to chicken fried steak, he whips up everything except macaroni and cheese. One favorite is Bob’s French Toast, which is made from scratch, with fresh, on-site thick-cut bread, dipped in an egg wash that includes eggs, milk, cream and vanilla. Fresh from the grill, the toast is then covered with powdered sugar and served with a choice of strawberries, blueberries or bananas.
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recipe The Old Grind’s Broccoli cheese Soup Makes approximately 15 cups
ingredients ½ cup oil (or enough to cover the bottom of a large pot) 1 large to medium onion, chopped 6 cups water 12-16 ounces kluski noodles 20 ounces frozen broccoli, chopped 1 rounded teaspoon garlic powder 6 cups whole milk 1 pound sharp Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks Salt and pepper to taste
The Dish: Broccoli Cheese Soup The Place: The Old Grind, 113 N. Main, Lindsborg The Story: Skippy and John Rathlef told each other they would try to keep their restaurant open for at least six months when they bought The Old Grind seven years ago. Inheriting a Lindsborg institution and its reputation for gourmet coffee and old-world pastries, the couple have added their own traditions and favorite standard comfort foods such as broccoli cheese soup.
Cooking Instructions Heat oil in large pot, sauté onion until translucent. Add water, bring to boil and add noodles. Turn down heat to medium, cook 4 minutes. Add frozen broccoli and cook another 4 minutes. Add garlic powder and stir to blend. Pour in milk. When mixture is heated well, add cheese and continue to heat on simmer only until cheese is completely melted, stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
Vinyl from the
Heartland No longer just a retro-trend, the vinyl records from one Salina factory are spinning around the globe Story by Chelsey Crawford / Photography by Larry Harwood
Sunflower living fall 2013
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Stan Bishop, a plating technician at Quality Record Pressing, examines an aluminum disc that will be used in the process of producing vinyl records.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
“Why Salina, Kansas?” This is the one of the most common questions that Chad Kassem, owner and CEO of Acoustic Sounds and Quality Record Pressings, is asked. “Why not Salina, Kansas?” Kassem says, laughing. “I mean we have to be somewhere, right?” Starting his business in the mid-1980s with a record collection in a small Salina apartment, Kassem transformed it in to an internationally known online music company and also one of the best vinyl-record pressing plants in the world, with 64 employees. As you walk into Acoustic Sounds, you pass hallway walls lined by album covers leading into Kassem’s “museum,” a collection of record players from all ages, and then into a soundproof room where all sorts of music is played for work and for the enjoyment of employees or customers. Across the street, you will find Quality Record Pressings, also known as QRP, sitting unnoticed by many along the railroad tracks in north Salina. The original operation selling vinyl LPs, Super Audio CDs, turntables, amps, speakers, and stereo accessories branched out in 2011 with the launch of QRP, a vinyl-record pressing plant. “I was really tired of waiting a month to get the records that I needed, so why not just make them myself ?” Kassem shrugs. Not only does he make them for himself, but he ships many to others. In just two years, QRP has emerged as an international merchandiser based in the center of America (not a bad arrangement when considering global shipping routes). “We are right in the middle of everything. Everything is just a couple days away,” says Gary Salstrom, head of operations at QRP. The plant, located in an old refrigerated food warehouse, produces more than 3,000 vinyl records a day. The company then sends the records to its core customers: audiophiles who enjoy listening to the high-quality sounds of vinyl , as opposed to the “noise” that a compact disc creates. Though compact discs still dominate the music market, they are being edged out on two fronts—the growth of digital music files (think iTunes) and the resurgence of vinyl recordings. And that’s not just a trend noted by hardcore music fans. Even the buttondown accounting/analytical firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers has recently declared the compact disc market to be “in terminal decline.” Don’t expect much mourning for the CD at QRP. “The vinyl album market is really rebounding,” Salstrom says. And he would know. Kassem handpicked Gary Salstrom from a pressing plant in California, where Salstrom had earned a reputation as one of the most respected plating technicians in the world, and convinced him and his family to move to Salina to oversee the QRP operations. “Gary is Quality Record Pressings; QRP is Gary. Without him it would be just another pressing plant, but with him we have been able to become one of the best there is.” Kassem says. There are approximately 15 pressing plants in the nation and 30 worldwide, but competition is fierce and QRP proudly points out its triumphs, such as landing exclusive rights to re-release Jimi Hendrix’s musical archive on vinyl. From Hendrix to Norah Jones, the assorted titles line the pages of the catalog and also the company’s ordering website. QRP will press any album that is ordered by a label, and it also sells reissued records. These records are picked by Kassem based on his taste in music and also by what is popular in the industry, and they are produced in his plant, most often by remastering the original analog tape recordings. “The records we make are not flimsy like the normal records that you think of,” says Salstrom. “Ours are a lot thicker; you can’t really bend it like that. That’s one way you can tell the quality of our product. Some companies just want to make a buck, but we are more interested in making sure our records have the best sound possible.”
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THE NEXT STEP
So with Quality Record Press increasing its share of a growing market, life is good and the mission is accomplished at Acoustic Sounds, the company’s headquarters across the street. Right? Of course not. “One day I will maybe just learn to sit back and smell the roses,” says Acoustic Sounds CEO Chad Kassem. “But I just can’t stop getting these ideas in my head, and I just feel like I need to act on them.” His latest idea is the creation of a new generation of digital recording—a line he calls Super HiRez DSD. These recordings are variations of the DSD (Direct-Stream Digital) approach with an emphasis on using more production tools during the remastering—and ideally on the recording end—of music. Ultimately, any recording—whether it is made on vinyl, CD or DSD—will be dependent on the quality of the original studio production. But if Kassem can catch a piece of music from the moment it is played to the moment it is on the shelf, then he thinks he can offer an unparalleled sound. And at least a few experts agree, such as Stephen Mejias of Stereophile magazine, who wrote: “So far, the quality is outstanding. The potential is awesome.”
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The actual process of making a vinyl record starts with an acetate— a blank aluminum plate coated with lacquer. This lacquer disc is taken into a mastering studio where prerecorded music is inscribed onto the lacquer using a record-cutting lathe. The groove formed onto the acetate is one continuous segment from the beginning of the album to the end. Usually, these are created in pairs, one for each side of the record. And most often they are created at a studio outside of Quality Record Pressings and rushed to Salina while the lacquer is fresh. Once the lacquer discs arrive at QRP, they are put through a chemical electroplating process in an area resembling a high-tech laboratory (1). Here, silver, nickel and electric currents are used to form master discs—an A side and a B side of each record (2). The masters are duplicated with the grooves in reverse texture (sticking out instead of etched in) to form “stampers,” whose grooves are scanned and verified on a monitor (3). Once verified, the stamper discs are loaded into the press (4). Parallel to this, technicians at QRP are taking small vinyl pellets and melting them into hockey-puck sized “biscuits” (5). These biscuits are fed into one of the 10 restored presses owned by QRP. Once in the press, the biscuits will be squeezed from each side by the stampers, pressing the grooves into both sides of them and forming the actual vinyl records. Paper labels are attached and excess vinyl around the edges is trimmed as the finished records are stacked outside of the machine (6). As long as things run smoothly, a new record is produced every 28 seconds. The records are examined (7), placed into the covers and sent to the company’s distribution area (8) to await shipping.
Sunflower living winter 2014
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winter 2014
photo contest
chosen by
Shelly Bryant Art director, Sunflower Publishing www.sunflowerpub.com
lisa eastman Photographer, Sunflower Living www.prophotoks.com
jason dailey Chief photographer, Sunflower Publishing www.daileyimages.com
Larry Harwood Photographer, Sunflower Living www.larryharwoodphoto.photoshelter.com
Runner Up
Randy Wendt Harley
chosen by
First Place
Theme: Best Friend
Danton McDiffett Best Friends Don’t Mind Mud For this issue’s contest, we invited readers to submit their photographic take on the theme “Best Friend.” Our panel of five judges awarded first prize to Danton McDiffett’s photograph of two young friends playing with mud outside one of their homes.
next round We want to feature your photograph in Sunflower Living magazine. We accept photograph submissions from readers with a permanent address within the greater Salina region. Our panel will judge the submitted photographs and select a winning image, which will run on this page in the following edition. The winning photographer will receive a prize of $50.
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Sunflower living winter 2014
Jenni Leiste Designer, Sunflower Living www.sunflowerpub.com
sunflower’s choice
Randy Wendt Harley chosen by
Submission Guidelines:
A) Email the image to sunflowerliving@sunflowerpub.com with a heading of “Photo Contest.” Please include contact information and the name of the theme you have chosen. B) Submission must be made before February 15, 2014. C) Only submit the image if you are the photographer and the copyright holder of the image and if you live in the distribution area of Sunflower Living or Salina Journal. Photographs showing the image of a person must have that individual’s consent. D) Files should be in digital form, either JPEG or TIFF, that can be printed up to 8X10 at 300 dpi.
E) By submitting an image, you
consent to having the image published in the magazine and posted online in connection with the magazine. Our theme for the upcoming spring edition is inspired by the 20th anniversary of Scott Jost’s photo project A Book of Nine Februarys. We’re looking for landscapes taken in Saline County that emphasize the land’s role in providing food and water and the effect—good or bad—that people have on its ecological health. It’s a contest about themes of sustenance and stewardship, with local beauty all around.
our online poll at www.facebook.com/ sunflowerliving
Theme for the 2014 spring Edition:
the land Submission must be made before february 15, 2014