SW OH | Jan./Feb. 2015 | Issue 24

Piano factory strikes a chord Cookin’ in camo: Local leads Forest to Fork movement What DO you do with your napkin?

Hunt like a girl

2 | Salt | January/February 2015

40694912

Salt | January/February 2015 | 3

Salt Flavor for Everyday Life www.thesaltmagazine.com January/Febraury 2015

Find the shaker in this issue. Email editor@ thesaltmagazine.com and be entered to win a $10 grocery card. All entries must be received by Feb. 16.

Pamela Stricker Lora Abernathy Andrea Chaffin Tina Murdock

In the November/December 2014 issue, the shaker was hidden on page 18 in the bottom right corner of the picture at the bottom of the page.

Sales Adams County (937) 544-2391

Billy Maxfield trigdon@civitasmedia.com

congratulations to our most recent winner, carey Tolle of West Union.

Brown County (937) 378-6161

Billy Maxfield bmaxfield@civitasmedia.com

Clinton County (937) 382-2574

Pam Stricker sthome@civitasmedia.com

Fayette County (740) 335-3611

Sherri Sattler ssattler@civitasmedia.com

Greene County (937) 372-4444

Barb VandeVenter bvandeventer@civitasmedia.com

Publisher Editor Food Editor Layout Design

Highland County (937) 393-3456

Sharon Hughes shughes@civitasmedia.com

Madison County (740) 852-1616

Stephanie Collins scollins@civitasmedia.com

contact SALT: editor@thesaltmagazine.com 761 S. nelson Ave. Wilmington, OH 45177 (937) 382-2574

4 | Salt | January/February 2015

Hide & Shake

SALT is published six times a year by Civitas Media, LLC and is available through the Georgetown News-Democrat, Hillsboro Times-Gazette, Ripley Bee, Washington CH Record-Herald, West Union People’s Defender, Wilmington News Journal, Xenia Gazette, Fairborn Herald, Beavercreek News-Current, Sugarcreek Bellbrook Times, and The Madison Press.

All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is prohibited. SALT is free to our subscribers and is also available at each of the newspaper offices.

YOU could be our next winner!

Shaker time!

In each issue of Salt, we try to feature creative photos of salt and pepper shakers from our readers’ collections. Please submit photos and descriptions to editor@thesaltmagazine.com by Feb. 16, 2015 for consideration. Entries will also be considered for printing in a future issue of Salt.

Congratulations to our most recent winner: The winner is Judith L. Gray of Ripley

On the Cover This photo was taken in Blanchester.

Please Buy Locally and Recycle.

Follow us on Facebook (The Salt Magazine) and Twitter (TheSaltMagazine).

MAGGIe WRIGHt Maggie is a travel-loving photographer who spends most of her time taking photos, reading and doing algebra.

She currently attends Southern State Community College.

Salt CONteNtS

features

12 14 16 20 26 40 44

13

A thicker italian wedding soup fit for company

By Andrea McKinney

The yearning for learning

By Kay Frances

Hunt like a girl

By Jane Beathard

Why we dine the way we do

By Monica M. Schultz

17

cookin’ in camo

By David Wright

The Olde Piano Factory

By Meghann MacMillan

Jack of all clays

By Anna Dembowski

columns Publisher’s note

By Pamela Stricker

Salt notes

By Lora Abernathy

discovering ‘Who do you Think you Are”

By Kathleen L. Norman

Out & About

Compiled by David Wright

26

Xxxx

| January/February 2015 | november/december Salt Salt 2014 | 5

8 9 38 42

20

Recipe Index

Porcini Dusted Catfish with a Cayenne-Sweet Corn Puree’........... 29 Ranger Cookies .................................. 10 Bacon Wrapped Backstrap with Charred Seriously The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies ................... 9 Serrano-Scallion Chimichurri ......... 32 Barbecued Venison Meatballs ........... 18 Southwestern Cabrito Burger with Griddled Onions, Avocado Bison Heart Anticucho ........................ 29 and Smoky Goat Bacon ................... 28 Blue Cheese Venison Loaf .................. 18 Cran-Hill Dressing .............................. 10 Sweet Potato Cassrole ........................ 10 Trout Tacos with Avocado-Yogurt Duck, Duck, Bruschetta with Sauce and Pickled Red Onions ....... 33 Balsamic-Orange Vinaigrette .......... 27 Fayette County Deer Jerky ................. 18 Venison Pot Roast ................................ 18 Hunter-Style Rabbit: Coniglio alla Cacciatora ......................................... 30 Italian Wedding Soup.......................... 13 Pasta Salad ........................................... 10 Pecan Crusted Sockeye with a Bourbon-Citrus Reduction .............. 28

6 | Salt | January/February 2015

Salt Shakers Judith L. Gray, of Ripley, believes these turkey salt and pepper shakers are from the 1940s.

in each issue of Salt, we try to feature creative photos of Salt and/or salt and pepper shakers from our readers’ collections. Please submit photos and descriptions to editor@thesaltmagazine.com by Feb. 16, 2015 for consideration.

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Salt | January/February 2015 | 7

Treatment Plant 14080 U.S. Rt. 50, Hillsboro, OH 1-800-536-6839 • 937-365-1141

8 | Salt | January/February 2015

Forever learning, forever young I have a dear friend, Dr. Willard Lane, from Wilmington, who continually challenges me by the way he tackles life.

Willard is 91 years old but lives his life like he’s still 40. Actually, he’s more active than many 40 year olds I know.

In the last four years, he has taken up painting again, taken a wood whittling class, preached two sermons, and created a book, complete with text and photos, for his grandchildren.

You can find Willard most mornings bright and early at Kroger. It’s there that he encounters the friends he’s made on the staff there and gives him a chance to see friends that come in to shop… all this while he exercises by walking the perimeter of the store.

I accompanied Willard to the hospital’s auxiliary ball in December. We wore twin tuxedos.

Man, can he dance!

At the time of this writing, he is with friends in Belize where he plans to zip line and snorkel.

I am challenged by his life and his passion and spirit. I hope if I live to be his age that I will go after life with a passion even half as great as his. I don’t think age should keep us from increasing knowledge, growing our creative outlets, adding new and different experiences to our lives.

My 88-year-old mother and I talk most every day. She checks in with me on her cell phone and she is a regular on Facebook.

Last week I got my first text from her. It took me by surprise and I responded, “You text now?” So

proud of her to try new things.

Our lives are easily caught up in the mundane, the routine, even complacency. We have to be intentional about putting ourselves in the midst of events, situations, the unfamiliar… places that provoke our creativity, our imagination, our love for beauty.

I visited Ronald Keith in his Blanchester home for the photo we feature on this cover of Salt.

Ron is a self-taught artist, a Blanchester High School grad who has painted more than 250 paintings. He is also responsible for the murals on several of the buildings you see as you drive through Blanchester.

A sign painter by trade, Ron

spent his non-working hours honing his skill in fine art. And what a harvest of such lovely paintings he has produced.

We trust this issue of Salt provokes you to try something new. Stretch your imagination.

Increase creativity. Never lose your sense of wonder.

Henry Ford put it like this: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty.

Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”

Let’s stay young together and keep learning!

In the meantime, please pass the salt…

Salt Scoop Send us your favorite recipes.

We may feature them in the next issue.

congratulations to Becky Fiscus of Mt. Orab who won for her ranger cookies recipe submitted for this edition of Salt. check it out on page 10

Chip, chip hooray Today, I’m going to share something that I never thought I would. I thought I would take this secret to my grave.

But recently, I had a change of heart. I decided I was being stingy. I determined that something this good, this special, could not be selfishly withheld from the rest of the world.

It’s my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

One of my favorite things to do is to watch my husband’s face when he tastes one of the chocolate chip cookies I just pulled from the oven.

No one shows a more satisfied and happy face than him at that particular moment.

I love to cook and bake. Well, now I do.

The year 2015 marks my 10-year anniversary as a culinary adventurer.

I might have been able to boil water prior to this time, but that was about it.

If you like a chocolate chip cookie that’s gooey on the inside, crisp on the outside, bursting with flavor and impossible to stop devouring with just one, this is the cookie recipe for you.

I started making this cookie several years ago, and folks have been begging me for the recipe ever since. I haven’t wanted to share it because, frankly, I wanted to be the only person lauded for such a spectacular culinary feat.

But now I think about all the cheer that could be brought into the world by people making this recipe, and the world simply needs more of that.

Plus, ask Gary, I just don’t bake that often anymore, so somebody needs to be making these cookies.

So, without further ado, here’s the secret recipe I have been jealously guarding for so long.

Lora Abernathy

Lora is the editor of the Wilmington News Journal and Salt magazine. She competes in triathlons and just loves life.

Seriously The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

(Adapted from foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon fine salt 1/2 teaspoon, approximately, freshly grated nutmeg 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips Directions: Position rack near the bottom of the oven and preheat to 375. (I set mine to 350 and just bake a minute or two longer.) I highly recommend using stoneware. If not using stoneware, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets.

If you have only 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.)

Put the butter in a microwavesafe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted. I prefer using a glass bowl. (Alternately melt in a small saucepan.) Cool slightly.

With a whisk, combine the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and freshly grated nutmeg in another bowl.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon, taking care not to over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chips.

With a melonballer, scoop the dough, leveling it at the top, and space the dough about 2 inches apart. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, 10-14 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool.

Serve.

Salt | January/February 2015 | 9

We want your recipes! Please send them by Feb. 16, 2015 to editor@thesaltmagazine.com, and please include your name and address (we only publish the town). Email us photos of your dish as well. Every submitted recipe will be entered in a drawing for a $25 Kroger gift card.

SaltNotes

10 | Salt | January/February 2015

Warm snow January is bitter and bland to many.

When Pop and Mame venture outside their cozy abode during this month to care for us critters, they are bundled up like Arctic explorers. They waddle across the snow like penguins because their warm get-ups restrict their movements.

I, as a miniature horse, grow my own get-up, an immensely thick, luxurious coat that would keep me warm in a North Pole blizzard. When the skies turn dark and the cold damp air promises a snowstorm, I watch for the first flake with eagerness.

Did you know there are 180 billion molecules of water in each snowflake? Every snowflake has six sides. Snowflakes fall at an average 3.1 miles per hour, exactly the average walking speed.

Snowflakes are completely colorless but, because of their structure, they absorb the sunlight and moonlight equally over their surface and that makes them appear white.

No two are alike. Never have been, never will be.

Most snowstorms have a life of two to five days and amble across several states. A snowstorm becomes a blizzard when you can only see one fourth a mile or less and the wind has a sustained speed of 35 miles or more that lasts for three or more hours.

When a blizzard is in the forecast, grocery stores sell more cakes, cookies and candies than any other food. I have never seen a blizzard, and only about half of those living in southern Ohio have.

I am hoping for snow like we had last winter. Last winter the weather was so cold that Mame and Pop did not venture outside much except to care for us; but if the temperature will be a bit kinder to them this year and the snow piles deep, Mame will bring out the sled runners for the carts we pull.

She will bundle in her warmest and we will travel down our back roads and deliver cook-

ies or maybe eggs donated

by Pop and Mames’ generous hens, just for the fun of it.

My favorite memory of a snow storm happened four years ago. It was not a bitter night, even though the snow fell heavily. The air stood still, as not to disturb the sleepy flakes as they descended.

Pop and Mame had just finished feeding us. Mame, a fellow lover of snow, grabbed a blanket from the house. Pop and she drove the golf cart out to the field then turned around to face the house.

There in the dark, they cuddled together under the blanket and watched the snow.

Their conversation carried across the white ground and we horses could hear them reminisce about how they fell in love, how they loved each other in the times the world had been unkind, and how they had enjoyed their lives together.

Then we observed as they at last sat in silence, content to just be in love, in each others’ arms, and wonder at the snow.

Several of my herd had hard, unhappy lives before coming to live at Pop and Mames’.

While I looked on at Pop and Mame with a thought of funny old folk, Fancy, one of those that had seen a sadder side of life, began to sigh.

“Are you really that sappy” I asked.

“No,” she said, “I just happened to think that as long as they are that much in love, we can feel safe and happy, too.”

Fancy was right and I suddenly felt that this snow was delightfully warm.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Huck can’t really write, but his mame, Carmen Newman, pens his thoughts on his behalf.

HUCk

Huckleberry “Huck” dwells in Berrysville with fellow critters and his people, Pop and Mame. He is a 29-inch tall miniature horse that is big on personality and loved by many. He delights in observing the human condition, and sharing his thoughts on mankind and the Lord.

ReaderRecipes Delores Strother of Xenia

Pasta Salad Ingredients: 1 package pasta twists Cooked and cooled green grapes, as many as you like Celery, sliced fine, as much you like 1 small package slivered almonds 1 can tidbit pineapple, well drained 2 cups cubed chicken (canned works fine) Dressing: 2 cups mayo 1/2 cup sugar 4 tsp. white vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Pour dressing over all ingredients and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Becky Fiscus of Mt. Orab “This recipe came from my grandma, Mrs. Foster Auliff. It is a favorite of mine.”

Ranger Cookies Ingredients: 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup Crisco 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cup flour 1 tsp. baking soda 2 cup oatmeal 2 cup Rice Krispies ½ tsp salt 1 cup nuts, raisins or chocolate chips (I’ve used M&Ms before, too) Directions: Beat margarine and Crisco with sugars. Add 2 eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheets. Flatten with the back of a spoon and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy with a glass of milk.

Sweet Potato Casserole

“A family favorite that is a must-have at every holiday.”

Ingredients: 3 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs beaten 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and pecans Directions: Mix all ingredients, top with topping mixture and bake at 350 for 25-plus minutes.

Cran-Hill Salad Dressing “This recipe came from a church camp in Rodney, Mich. I grew up going to camp there in middle school and high school, attended retreats there and spent a couple summers during college working in the kitchen.

This was a favorite of mine for sure.”

Ingredients: 1/3 cup catsup 1 cup sugar 1 cup oil 1 tsp. salt 1/3 cup vinegar 1 medium onion 1 tsp. celery seed 1 tsp. mustard seed Directions: Blend catsup, oil, salt, vinegar and onion in blender.

Stir in sugar, celery and mustard seed.

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Salt | January/February 2015 | 11

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12 | Salt | January/February 2015

A thicker italian wedding soup fit for company

Story and Photos

by Andrea McKinney Food Editor

Italian Wedding Soup Meatballs:

Ingredients: 1 pound ground turkey 2 eggs 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 white onion, finely diced 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Directions: Combine all ingredients and shape into 3/4-inch balls.

Andrea McKinney is the food editor of Salt magazine and the editor of The Madison Press in London, Ohio. An Ohio State graduate, she enjoys photography and making too much food than two people ever need. She lives in Madison County with her husband and their two fur children.

Soup:

Ingredients: 2 whole carrots, sliced 1/2 onion, diced 4 cups fresh spinach 3/4 pound Barilla Orecchiette pasta 3 quarts water 2 tubs Knorr’s concentrated lowsodium chicken stock Shredded Parmesan cheese Directions: Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. In two batches, brown meatballs in pot.

Place cooked meatballs aside.

Add carrots and onion to pot, stirring to brown for a few minutes.

Then add water and chicken stock concentrate. Scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up the brown bits (those mean flavor!) and dissolve the stock concentrate.

After the mixture has returned to a simmer, add in the meatballs to allow them to finish cooking.

Pour the uncooked pasta into the pot. Stir and cook as directed.

Immediately prior to serving, add in the spinach. It takes a few minutes to wilt.

Serve with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on the sop, along with crusty bread and real butter.

Salt | January/February 2015 | 13

As a teenager, I remember hearing people talk about Italian wedding soup, but I had no interest with actually eating such things.

It had spinach. It had turkey meatballs. There was no bacon involved.

Not interested.

But it’s funny how your tastes change in adulthood. I now love to eat all kinds of gross things like Brussels sprouts, mustard and sauerkraut.

It’s also funny how, as an adult, your body doesn’t miraculously stay in shape eating pizza, ice cream and red meat.

For both of those reasons, I now eat spinach and ground turkey regularly. My 12-year-old self would have trouble believing that I actually like eating those things now, too.

And so, with my new palette, Italian wedding soup began to sound increasingly appetizing.

This one is simple enough for a weeknight dinner for two, but robust enough to serve to company.

I make a lot of soup for dinner during winter, much to my husband’s dismay. With the exception of chili, he protests that soup is for lunch and not for supper. So, I set out to make my own thick, chili-like Italian wedding soup which would trick him into thinking soup is an acceptable choice for meals after 5 p.m.

Especially if I give him lots of bread with real butter. That’ll always get ya.

I’m not sure just how Italian my version of this dish actually is, but I expect it’s just as true to its roots as Taco Bell is to Mexican food.

Instead of orzo — a short-cut, rice-shaped pasta traditionally included in the soup — I elected for a pasta I could really bite into.

I found exactly what I was looking for with Barilla’s new Orecchiette pasta. It has a unique domed shape: Smooth on the inside and grooved on the outside, making it perfect for scooping up broth.

Barilla did not pay me in money or pasta to state that, but I will accept both in the future.

As with all of my soup and braised meat recipes, instead of cartons or cans of pre-made chicken stock, I use Knorr’s low sodium chicken stock concentrate tubs. If you haven’t given these a try, I suggest you do. They’re cheaper than pre-made stock, take up less room in the pantry and, in my opinion, result in a more legitimate chicken taste. Plus, it seems I can almost always find a coupon in the newspaper for 50 cents or $1 off.

Knorr’s also did not pay me, but the same goes for them as Barilla.

The first time I made the soup I used 2 quarts of water, but found that it was too thick even for us. I suggest starting with three quarts water, but adding more if you think necessary.

This lower-fat soup may become one of your favorites, too. Especially if you cover it with a generous spoonful of shredded — not grated — Parmesan cheese.

It won’t be quite as low fat then, but I won’t tell. We’ll keep your little secret between us spinach-lovers.

Enjoy!

Everybody got to go jump off a cliff but me.

Relearning to ride a bike in my 50s was just like riding a bike!

The yearning for learning Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.

— Henry Ford

14 | Salt | January/February 2015

One thing that has been a constant throughout my life is an insatiable sense of curiosity.

I was always that annoying kid asking my parents “Why? Why? Why?” I still ask “why?” but now I ask Google. I hope no one checks my Google search history because I’m a tad embarrassed by the things that keep me up at night: “Is that Kim Kardashian’s real back side?”

I’ve always enjoyed learning new things.

Or should I say “attempting” to learn new things. If you are trying to relearn something you once knew how to do, people say, “It’s just like riding a bike!” The only thing that I’ve found that is like riding a bike is riding a bike.

No matter how one may think himself accomplished, when he sets out to learn a new language, science, or the bicycle, he has entered a new realm as truly as if he were a child newly born into the world.

— Frances Willard, “How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle” Yes, I love to learn new things, whether it’s an activity, a “factoid” or a lesson. I’m not exactly a try-anything-once kind of person, but in my younger days, I was adventurous enough to try a few quasi-dangerous things.

I tried to snow ski. Once. I never made it

off the bunny slope. The reason it’s called the “bunny” slope is because it leaves you hopping mad with frustration.

I wanted to learn to hang glide when I was in college. I told my mother, “I want to go hang gliding.”

“You’re NOT going hang gliding.”

“But, Mom! Everybody’s doing it!”

“I suppose if everybody jumped off a cliff, you’d want to do that, too!”

I didn’t have the nerve to tell her that’s exactly what hang gliding is.

I had a brief bout with golf. I DID figure out what “golf” stands for: “Game Of Limitless Frustration.”

My golfing buddies made up a rule that said I was only allowed 10 whacks per hole before giving up and moving on to the next one. This ensured that we would finish 18 holes before midnight AND I would never score worse than 180. Win for everybody.

Experience is the best teacher. Over the years, I’ve learned that: • Mudding and sanding drywall is best left to the professionals.

• Baking soda is NOT an acceptable substitute for baking powder.

• Ice skating is not as easy as it looks.

• Picking your own strawberries is better in theory than in practice.

• The only thing that really tastes just like chicken is chicken.

• Speed limits are not just “suggestions.”

• There is a direct correlation between food intake and weight gain.

• I didn’t look nearly as bad 30 years ago as I thought I did at the time.

• It’s not rude to hang up on a telemarketer; it’s our civic duty.

• Icy sidewalks are slick.

• The best way to save money on Black Friday is to stay home.

• Knives are often sharper than they appear.

• “Dry clean only” is more than just a suggestion.

• Signs that say “Wet Paint” are rarely joking.

• WebMD is not a good substitute for a real doctor.

• Anyone who really reads the “Terms and Conditions” is in need of a hobby.

The main thing I’ve learned is that life is a precious gift, not an ominous burden that we have to muddle through.

Curiosity and learning make life worth living and keeps us forever young at heart. But, of all the things I’ve learned in my life, I’ve learned that the older I get, the less I know.

I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.

— Eartha Kitt

Kay Frances is a motivational humorist who encourages people to “laugh more, stress less and take care of yourself!” She gives humorous keynote presentations and stress management workshops all over the United States.

She is the author of “The Funny Thing about Stress; A Seriously Humorous Guide to a Happier Life.” To order the book or find out more about Kay, visit her website at www.KayFrances.com.

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Salt | January/February 2015 | 15

Now featuring

16 | Salt | January/February 2015

Madison County’s Eric Semler stands with his daughters Baylee, 16, Reagyn, 14, and Avery, 7. The four are avid hunters.

Hunt like a

Baylee Semler, then 8, poses with the wild turkey she hunted with the help of her father, Eric.

Girl

By Jane Beathard

Reagyn Semler, 14, harvested five gators in a single day with a .22 rifle during a recent hunting trip in Louisiana. She shared the experience with her father, Eric.

Reagyn Semler, 14, shows off the tooth of a gator she harvested in Louisiana.

memories.

At age 16, Baylee is a veteran outdoorswoman. Her first fatherdaughter hunt came at age 8 when the pair went to Hocking County for wild turkey. She’s hunted a variety of critters since, including dove, duck and deer.

“I like to hunt deer best,” Baylee said. “I’m not patient enough for turkey hunting.”

She’s harvested several whitetails over the years, generally with her favorite hunting instrument, a muzzleloader.

Fourteen-year-old Reagyn, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at age 5, was less interested in hunting until cable TV’s “Swamp People” piqued her curiosity in tracking alligators.

A Louisiana hunter learned of Reagyn’s medical problem and offered to take the girl and her dad out for ‘gators in 2013.

“They were great hosts,” Eric

Salt | January/February 2015 | 17

Hunting is a tradition in Eric Semler’s Madison County family.

And he is passing it on to the next generation without gender bias.

Eric is tutoring daughters Baylee, Reagyn and Avery, as well as stepsons Codey and Dylan, on shooting and archery skills needed for success in the woods.

“I like to take the kids outdoors,” Semler said. “I want them to like the outdoors.”

Carol Semler supports her husband’s efforts. As a child, she hunted with her father.

These days, she gets a “little private time” when the kids are afield with Eric.

As a result, Carol’s pantry is packed with fresh venison this winter.

Baylee harvested a doe on Oct. 12 with a muzzleloader.

Reagyn arrowed a doe with a crossbow on Oct. 19. Avery killed her first whitetail – an eight-point buck — with a .410 shotgun on Nov. 22.

Eric, who is a lieutenant with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, began hunting with his father and grandfather at age 6. They tramped the fields and forests of Clark County in search of rabbit, pheasant and deer.

A North Dakota duck hunt with his grandfather, who was 82 at the time, is one of Eric’s fondest

said. “We stayed in a cabin right on the water.”

Reagyn harvested five gators in a single day with a .22 rifle.

“It’s not like on TV,” she said. “It was easy. Alligators really don’t fight much.”

Reagyn now has her sights set on a moose hunt in Alaska – but only if her medical issues and fundraising activities don’t get in the way.

Reagyn participates in the Kick-It Campaign at The Ohio State University. The organization raises money for childhood cancer research.

Avery, now 7, began badgering her dad for a deer hunt two years ago. But Eric worried a shotgun would provide too much “kick” for the tot to handle.

He allowed her to practice with a .22 rifle before moving up to a .410 shotgun with specially modified shells. Eric gradually

Blue Cheese Venison Loaf

18 | Salt | January/February 2015

Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs. ground venison 1 egg 1/4 to 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1/4 cup milk 1/2 tsp. mustard, dry 1/4 tsp. sage 1/4 to 1/2 cup steak sauce 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste 1 pkg. instant mashed potatoes Bacon, crisp and crumbled Directions: Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix half of the cheese and all the ingredients together. Spread the venison mixture into an ungreased loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3, or shape into a loaf in an ungreased baking pan.

Bake, uncovered, for 60 to 75 minutes or until done. Drain off the excess fat.

Prepare the potatoes as directed on the package, except stir in the remaining cheese.

Spread the potatoes on the sides and top of the meat loaf.

Avery Semler, 7, poses with a buck she shot on the first day of the 2014 youth deer-gun season in the southern part of Madison County.

increased the shell load until Avery became accustomed to the gun’s recoil.

Eric now admits his youngest is already a “pretty good” shot.

Equipped with an apprentice hunting license and tag, Avery headed out with her dad before dawn on the first day of Ohio’s 2014 youth deer-gun season.

They had scouted a friend’s cornfield south of London in

advance. They knew some big bucks frequented the area.

About 4:30 p.m., the eightpointer wandered close to their ground-blind. Eight shots and a brief pursuit later, the deer was Avery’s.

In the ensuing excitement and picture-taking, Eric neglected to “check” the deer until 2 p.m. the next day. He self-reported the error to the Ohio Division of

Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned. Serve hot.

until all jelly is melted, stirring constantly. Pour heated sauce over drained meatballs. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked noodles. Make smaller meatballs for an appetizer.

Barbecued Venison Meatballs Ingredients for Meatballs: 1 lb. lean ground venison, crumbled 1/2 cup instant white rice 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 tsp. pepper 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Shape into 16 meatballs, about 1½” in diameter. Arrange meatballs in an 8-inch square baking dish and bake for 15 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Drain.

Ingredients for Sauce: 12 oz. bottle of chili sauce 2/3 cup grape jelly 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper Directions: Combine all ingredients in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 3-4 minutes

Fayette County Deer Jerky Ingredients for Marinade: 1/2 bottle of liquid smoke (2 ounces) 3/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce 3/4 cup of soy sauce 1 tsp. seasoning salt 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. pepper 1/2 bottle of Tabasco sauce (to taste) Directions: Mix liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, seasoning salt, garlic and onion powder, pepper and Tabasco sauce in large bowl. Cut deer meat into ¼-inch thick slices and marinate in bowl overnight.

Place meat in dehydrator or oven at 125-140 degrees for 10 to 12 hours. Cook until meat snaps. Makes 5 pounds.

Wildlife to avoid a citation.

Avery’s buck will eventually join Reagyn’s ‘gator and all other trophy heads mounted in the Semlers’ London home. In the meantime, there’s venison aplenty for the family table.

“I butcher my own deer,” Eric said. “That way I know it’s clean and free of hair.”

He favors grilling most venison, cooking the steaks in a mixture of Italian dressing and brown sugar. Carol likes to slow-cook venison roasts in a combination of Coke and chili sauce.

“We all mainly eat game,” Carol said. “The freezer is full.”

JANe BeAtHARD Jane recently retired as a staff writer for The Madison Press in London, and is the retired media relations manager of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Venison Pot Roast Ingredients: 1/3 cup flour 1/2 tsp. marjoram leaves 1/2 tsp. thyme 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 2½ to 3-pound venison roast 1 can French onion soup 1/2 cup coffee 3 tbsp. cooking oil 1 rutabaga, peeled and cut in bite-size chunks 4 small turnips, cut up 2 parsnips, peeled and cut up carrots, cut up, as many as you like 2 or 3 stalks of celery, cut up 2 medium onions, quartered Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine first five ingredients in a large plastic bag and mix.

Add the roast and shake to coat.

Brown the roast on all sides in cooking oil in a Dutch oven. Add the rest of the flour mixture, the soup and the coffee, and stir until smooth and bubbly. Cover and bake for 1 to 1½ hours. Add the vegetables and return to oven.

Bake for another 1 to 1½ hours, until meat and vegetables are tender.

Recipes courtesy of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Wild Ohio Cookbook

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Why we dine the way we do

20 | Salt | January/February 2015

By Monica M. Schultz

seems, is one of the two primary reasons dining etiquette started and has continued.

Those ancient rules probably didn’t include silverware, but they likely did include seating and portioning by rank with the strongest, most prolific hunters at the center of the inner ring and children standing behind their parents at the outer ring.1 Today, formal seating arrangements continue this practice of rank and position through a rigid set of rules called protocol, though they have been altered at the Congress of Vienna of 1815 to focus more on alphabetical or chronological order “so that conflict would become pointless.”1 Less formally, seating arrangements are used to place people to the best advantage for pleasant conversation within the group. This means rivals of any kind are separated to reduce the chance of discord, and couples are separated to reduce the chance of private whisperings.

So, the next time crazy Uncle Harry comes for dinner, think about using place cards to keep him from conservative Aunt Millie.

Position and rank are also responsible for the advent of chairs. (Think thrones.)

According to Visser, as chairs became more common, the cultures that used them decided it made more sense to bring the food off the floor and up to where they sat.

Thus dining tables were born from chairs, not the other way around, and sitting in a chair at mealtime enhanced the “civility” of dining.

“Rigidity — sitting bolt upright on a chair and very still — is traditionally … a sign of decorum. Never is this more so than at the table where the need to show signs, which conventionally demonstrate good will and self-control is … absolutely vital.” 1 The first tables were probably not the permanent solid structures of today, but temporary boards laid across trestles.

These tables were rough and not very pleasing to look at, so

they were covered with leather or carpeting, then often with expensive cloth to showcase a person’s wealth.

Over time, tablecloths evolved from just hiding ugly tables to also protecting expensive clothing from the mess of a meal as guests regularly tucked them into their collars like bibs or wiped their hands on them while eating.

Hosts, wishing to preserve the beauty and cleanliness of their tablecloths, would remove them between courses, and began offering a separate towel on which guests could wipe their messy fingers.3 Cleanliness is the second primary reason from which dining etiquette evolved.

According to Suzanne von Drachenfels, author of “The Art of the Table,” the first individual napkins made their appearance in Sparta as lumps of rolled dough, and later as bread, which later still became the first type of plate widely used.

Called a trencher, the bread was usually dense, stale and hollowed out to hold stews or porridge.4 While pottery, porcelain and china were around long before formal dining, in Western cultures it wasn’t until the Renaissance that they began to replace the trencher as vessel for serving food to individuals.

Then, the plates, rather than the tablecloths, were removed and replaced between courses accounting for their size and popularity.3 Plates weren’t the only thing to change during the Renaissance. As people became more interested in promoting art and culture, the violence, boisterous living and rough humor of rapidly growing cities created a revolution in manners, including table manners, according to Will Durant in “The Renaissance.”

Forks (which had existed around the time of Charlemagne but fell out of favor due to religious backlash3) were reintroduced to keep fingers clean while eating.

Also introduced were the notion of washing hands before meals and individual napkins,

Salt | January/February 2015 | 21

It’s happened to everyone at one time or another.

Perhaps it was at a business luncheon when you found yourself momentarily confused about which fork — of the many at your table setting — you should use, or what to do with your cell phone because there wasn’t enough space on the table.

Perhaps it was at a friend’s wedding when you hesitated before pouring a wine, not knowing which glass was for the red, or what to do with your napkin when you got up to dance.

Perhaps it was at your grandparents’ house when you discovered name cards at each seat one Thanksgiving.

And you wondered, “Why do we dine the way we do? Why do we have all these rules?”

“Table manners are as old as human society itself, the reason being that no human society can exist without them,” writes Margaret Visser in “The Rituals of Dinner” — with the stress on society.

The word society is derived from the Latin socius, which means companion; and interestingly, the Latin word companion literally means “a person with whom we share bread.” 1 Sharing bread — or any food, it turns out — is actually very rare.

“In other species, fire is not the only element … that would spell threat and danger. Direct eye contact is more typically hostile, as is the opening of the mouths and the exposure of teeth. Combine these with the placing of food midway between a group of individuals other than parent and child, and we have a clear recipe for conflict and violence,” writes archaeologist Martin Jones in his book “Feast: Why Humans Share Food.”

It was the need for consistent and diverse food supply that led our hunter-gatherer ancestors to begin working with others and sharing food. In doing so, they developed rules to assure cooperation, coordination and fair distribution of food without additional violence.2 Preventing violence, it

22 | Salt | January/February 2015

which even today should be placed on the lap to protect clothes and provide a discreet location for wiping dirty fingers.

When it’s time to dance or otherwise leave the table during the meal, the napkin should be laid discreetly on the seat of the chair to avoid contaminating the cleanliness of the table or fellow guests’ appetites.

Published material during the Renaissance also began issuing rules against things such as the double dip, farting at the table, and sneezing or breathing on another’s food — rules still highly regarded today.5 Forks didn’t catch on right away, but when they did, they were embraced heartily and were soon adjusted for purposes ranging from dinner to dessert, and fish to oyster.

Though there are many different types of forks, it’s likely that three will accompany a business luncheon or wedding reception or Thanksgiving dinner — the dinner fork, the salad fork and the dessert fork. Regardless of how many appear, forks are easy to master because they are placed to the left of a plate in the order they will be used.

The exceptions may be the dessert fork, which is often placed at the top of the plate horizontally, and the oyster fork, which is placed to the far right of the knives and spoons on the right side of the plate.

Therefore, the correct fork can usually be selected by starting on the left and working your way inward, according to the number of courses. Fortunately, the same holds true for multiple knives and spoons, but working inward from the right.

Also working from left to right is the food.

“Food is passed around the table in a counterclockwise direction, or to the right,” experts at the Emily Post Institute advise.

The reason? To provide order when multiple dishes at each course are being passed.

Courses consist of different types of foods served in a set succession, typically in small portions at a slow pace for optimal digestion and enjoyment.

While the most formal meals today include seven or more

courses, American families typically eat three at a sit-down meal: salad or soup, entrée and dessert.

In more formal meals, the salad may follow the entrée as a means of aiding digestion and ensuring that the dressing (usually with oils and flavored vinegars) doesn’t interfere with the wine during the meal.

Which brings us to all those glasses on the table.

There are typically four glasses placed at the head or the top right of a place setting.

These glasses include a water goblet, a white wine glass, a red wine glass, and a dessert wine or champagne glass. These glasses are also placed in order of use with the water goblet — the most used glass throughout a meal — just above the tip of the dinner knife.

Most formal meals include wine service, meaning you won’t have to decide which

wine goes with which glass.

However, you may be required to pour your own water so it’s good to know which glass is which.

Because water is enjoyed throughout a meal, the water goblet will be the largest glass on the table, though usually it will also be on a stem like the wine glasses.

The red wine glass is usually squat and wide with plenty of space for the wine to “breathe.”

The rules around wine pairings is ever-changing, but typically a red wine will accompany a meat or hearty entrée.

The white wine glass is slightly smaller in diameter with straighter sides than the red wine glass. White wines are most commonly paired with fish, chicken or a spicy entrée, or with salad.

Champagne glasses come in seven shapes,3 but the flute is the most common at meals

served in America today. This long, narrow bowl allows the bubbles to rise slowly and keeps the champagne cold longer. The shape also directs the champagne directly to the tip and top of the tongue where sweet flavors are best tasted.

Other dessert wines, such as a prosecco or a moscato, may be served in a champagne glass.

With all these glasses, plates and forks on the table, there likely is no room left for anything else. So what do you do with your cell phone?

“It is never OK to leave your cellphone on the dinner table,” writes Charles MacPherson, a trained butler who runs a school for butlers in Canada.6 It’s perhaps the newest of the dining etiquette rules, but perhaps the one closest to the reason dining etiquette is still so important today.

“The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you.” And though it was Leo Tolstoy who said it, pick up any etiquette book today or talk to any etiquette expert and you will likely find this very idea sprinkled generously throughout.

1 The Rituals of Dinner: the origins, evolution, eccentricities, and meaning of table manners.

M Visser. Grove Weidenfeld, New York. 1991 2 The evolutionary and ecological roots of human social organization. HS Kaplan, et al.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 364(1533) 3289-3299.

2009.

3 The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners and Tableware. S von Drachenfels. Simon & Schuster, New York. 2000.

4 A history of how food is plated, from Medieval bread bowls to Noma. MY Park. Bon Appetit. February 2013.

5 Renaissance Table Etiquette and the Origins of Manners. J Rhodes. Smithsonian. March 2011 6 The Butler Speaks: A Guide to Proper Etiquette, Stylish Entertaining and the Art of Good Housekeeping. C MacPherson.

2013.

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How to fold a pleated pouch napkin Folding napkins into elaborate shapes used to be an integral part of the table setting. As a more dimension component of the table service, it allowed the place setting to stand out when viewed from afar — not to mention delight the guests for whom each napkin had been folded.

24 | Salt | January/February 2015

To fold your napkin in a pleated pouch:

Monica M. Schultz Monica lives in Dayton.

She owns and operates the marketing communications agency Windblown Communications LLC. She is also a certified protocol officer with an advanced certification in international protocol. In her free time, she researches the many ways to incorporate savoir vivre and joie de vivre into everyday life.

• Start with a large square napkin. If it has hems on one side, place that side down against the table.

• Fold in half, left to right, so that the hem is showing, and crease the fold.

• Fold the corresponding rectangle in half, bottom to top, and crease the fold.

• Starting at the top right, take the first layer of the folded napkin and roll diagonally toward the bottom left, stopping halfway where the layer is connected to the folds (at the top left and bottom right). Crease the roll.

• Repeat with the next layer of the folded napkin, this time stopping when it reaches the first roll. Crease.

• Repeat with the third layer of the folded napkin stopping when it reaches the two previous rolls. Crease.

• Place your hand on top of the rolled sections and turn the entire napkin over without losing any of the folds or creases.

• From the right, fold one-third of the napkin toward the left making sure to crease the rolls, which should be in the top right-hand corner once folded.

• From the left, fold one-third of the napkin toward the right to cover the previous fold.

Crease.

• Flip the napkin over gently and tuck your silverware into the pocket above the three rolls.

Unfortunately, napkin folding is a dying art with few people still dedicated to the craft.

Having folded napkins for formal events in Italy and at sea and royal events in England (including the wedding reception for Prince William and Kate Middleton, now Duchess of Cambridge), Luigi Spotorno is a master. Visit www.luigisnapkins.com to learn more napkin folding designs for your next dinner.

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If you’re American, you probably hold and use it differently than everywhere else in the world. As forks gained popularity in Europe, people learned to use their fork to spear meat as it was cut and the knife to help scoop items onto the fork so that they could remain in your left and right hands, respectively. This is called Continental style.

Americans didn’t have access to forks and so continued to use spoons and knives at mealtime. The knife both cut and speared while the spoon was used to scoop.1 This necessitated that the silverware be shifted between hands between cutting and eating so that both could be used from the right hand to bring the food to the mouth.

When forks finally caught on in America, the practice of one-handed eating stuck. This is called American style.

TissoT’s Home CenTer

By David Wright

26 | Salt | January/February 2015

‘MasterChef’ star makes impact on fresh, local cuisine through ‘Forest to Fork’ movement Tyler Viars said one of his most favorite meals is a simple hamburger.

Some might argue that a mere hamburger is too bland for their tastes, but for Viars, the flavor doesn’t stop there.

“I don’t know where I went astray,” he said. “My parents were always very Midwestern – meat and potatoes, no altering of any kind. I don’t know what happened to me.”

During his time at Auburn University, Viars worked for hunting equipment provider Realtree, and traveled the world filming hunts.

Viars said the meals he ate were just as diverse as the places he saw.

“When dinner is layed out, it might be something you’ve never had,” he said. “If you’re hungry, you’d better eat it; I think that was kind of where I went awry.”

From northern Alberta to Kenya, Viars said he’s seen things that have changed the way he looks at food.

“I’ve seen a guy in Kenya chop open a goat with a hatchet, and then it was on our plate,” he said. “I enjoy taking foods that people might not think are normal, and presenting them in a way that’s normal … To have somebody bite into something and smile, that’s my reward.”

Viars said some of the best foods are the ones that take you back in time.

“Baking cookies with my mom is great,” he said. “It might not be a filet mignon, but your favorite dishes don’t have to be the most tasty ones, but the ones that bring back the most memories.”

Viars grew up in a big family. With both his mother and father having

large families, Viars said there was lots of food involved on any occasion.

“My siblings are my best friends, and my parents are my best friends,” he said. “We have our spots at the table. It didn’t matter where I was, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, I’d better be sitting at the table ready for dinner.”

He said his upbringing played a large part in what happened in spring of 2014 – his debut on the Fox TV show “MasterChef.”

When asked what his favorite moment of the show was, Viars replied without hesitation.

“Hands down, the military challenge,” he said. “It was the largest challenge ever on ‘MasterChef,’ and my team won. I liked it because we were cooking for someone else other than the judges. I love Chef Ramsey, Joe and Gram, but when you’re cooking for soldiers that eat the same things every day, to present something to them and hoping they love it is an honor. I was glad to contribute to that.”

Viars said he made the rub for a barbecue pork meal as part of the challenge.

He said he was happy to represent his home town of Wilmington on the show with the Forest to Fork movement.

“Everyone’s heard of Farm to Table.

I’m very much about that – I’m local. I love supporting local. We’re in a town that’s down, and we need that local support… The Forest to Fork movement is the exact same thing. It’s knowing where your food is coming from.

For me, I took its life, and now it’s on my dinner table.”

Viars said he always wore camo

clothing on the show – more specifically, Realtree camo.

“It’s kind of like Nike or Reebok; I knew that if I wore Realtree camo, people would know that it’s Realtree camo,” he said. “With the blessing of Duck Dynasty, camo is now a fashion statement. It means rustic, it means me.

You don’t have to be a hunter to wear camouflage.”

Viars calls it “Cookin’ in Camo;” a concept that has become both a trending hashtag on social media and a food movement across the country.

While Viars now works at Whitetail Properties Land Realty, a company that sells hunting and farming land, he still keeps himself busy hunting and cooking.

“The way I see it, there’s 15 million types of cheese in the world,” Viars said. “Just because you don’t like one doesn’t mean you won’t like the other… I want to taste my way around the globe.”

DAVID WRIGHt David is the editorial assistant for the Wilmington News Journal and a contributing writer for Salt magazine. He likes to focus on adventure, creativity and optimism.

Duck, Duck, Bruschetta with Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette Duck is one my favorite proteins to work with. It is so versatile. Whether used to confit, sear or cure into prosciutto, it all tantalizes my palate.

This dish has it all: Fattiness from the duck fat, acid from the vinegar and tomatoes, with a splash of citrus from the orange.

Did I mention it is topped with fresh mozzarella and grated ParmigianoReggiano?

It may be flooded, but it is still “Forest to Fork!” Quack, quack!

Prep Time: 4 hours Cook Time: 20 minutes, plus rest Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes Servings: 4 Marinade ingredients: Juice and zest of one large orange 1/2 cup quality balsamic vinegar 2 cloves finely chopped garlic 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper (buy whole peppercorns and crack fresh. Burn the extra calories using a peppermill.

Remember, hunters are not lazy!)

1 tbsp. quality extra-virgin olive oil Balsamic orange vinaigrette ingredients: Juice and zest of large orange 1/4 cup quality balsamic vinegar 3/4 cup quality extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Bruschetta topping ingredients: 2 heirloom tomatoes, finely diced and locally grown if possible (Roma tomatoes work as well) 1/2 cup finely diced red onion 4 leaves fresh chopped basil

Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle Directions: Score the duck breast by making long “x” or cross-hatch incisions on the fatty side of the duck. Pierce only the fat and not the meat.* Place duck breasts and all marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag or non-reactive container. Let marinate for a minimum of four hours, with overnight being better.

Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by zesting and juicing the orange into a medium bowl. Next, add the balsamic vinegar then slowly drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil, constantly whisking to emulsify (fancy word, meaning blend thoroughly).* Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the finely diced tomato, red onion, fresh chopped basil, salt and pepper. Brush the garlic clove directly on both sides of the bread slices. Trust me, this adds awesome flavor.

On one side of the bread, drizzle with olive oil and place slices directly on the oven rack for two minutes. Remove. The bread should have little to no color but have a crustier texture. Set aside.

Place a cast-iron or heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Take duck breasts out of marinade, pat dry and season with kosher salt and pepper. While the pan is heating, allow the duck to come to room temperature. Add the duck fat to the pan, followed by the duck breasts skin

side down.

Allow the fat on the breasts to render roughly 5-7 minutes, or until skin is deep golden brown and crispy. Crank the heat to medium-high, flip the breasts and cook for another 2 minutes. At this point, the duck is rare, but remember, it is going back in the oven to finish.

Hit the breasts with a touch more salt and pepper and let rest for 10 minutes.

Slice against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces.

Lay two pieces on each slice of bread. Top each with a slices of fresh “mozz” and a dollop the bruschetta topping. Do not overtop your duck – remember, the goal is to enhance the flavor, not overpower. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and on a baking sheet to bake in the oven. Bake for roughly 5-8 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness and if the cheese is fully melted.

Remove from the oven and top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a light drizzle of the balsamic-orange vinaigrette.

Let cool slightly, plate and devour. *Scoring the fat allows it to render more efficiently. We have all heard duck people say duck is greasy. This is from improper preparation. This process alleviates the problem. *For goodness sake folks, save your rendered duck fat! This is liquid duckadence! Let it cool, put in a container, and freeze until the next use.

Salt | January/February 2015 | 27

Duck ingredients: 2-8 oz. skin-on duck breast (If like mine, beware of bird shot) 1 tbsp. duck fat (cook duck with duck fat – ha ha! Who would have thought?)

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to season 4 3/4-inch slices fresh Italian loaf 1 clove fresh garlic 1 ball freshly-sliced mozzarella cheese (find a local cheese farmer or make your own if possible. You will not regret it.)

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (known as the undisputed “King of Cheeses”)

Duck Bruschetta

Chipotle Mayo ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I often substitute Greek yogurt, which adds a nice tang) 1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp. minced chipotle in adobo (found in the Mexican aisle of most grocery stores) Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Cabrito Burger

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Southwestern Cabrito Burger with Griddled Onions, Avocado and Smoky Goat Bacon My first experience with goat was while filming an upland with Sub7 in Kenya, Africa. In these parts of the world, living on availability and sustenance rather than choice is a way of life.

I remember the local singeing the hair off over an open flame and quartering the animal with a homemade hatchet later for it to be on our plates. Even I was at first hesitant, but it was surprisingly enjoyable and, most of all, a true eye-opener.

Remember, one common bond among us all is food. The foods we sometimes find odd or intimidating are quite normal and everyday to other cultures.

Did I torch the hair or fortify my own hatchet to prepare my goat? No. However, I did grind my own meat, create my own smoky spice blend and sear these burgers perfectly on a white hot cast iron skillet.

Topped with griddled onions, sliced avocado, goat bacon and a dollop of refreshing chipotle mayo, this seriously becomes the GOAT, as in the Greatest Of All Time!

If you are unable to find goat or were unsuccessful on your pronghorn, this recipe works great with a variety of meats. I have used venison, beef, and even fresh ground piggy!

Ingredients: Spice Blend – makes roughly 2/3 of a cup. It will keep in your spice cabinet for up to six months.

3 tbsp. ancho chile powder 2 tsp. ground chile de arbol 2 tsp. chipotle powder 2 tsp. dried oregano 2 tsp. onion salt 2 tsp. toasted ground cumin 1 tsp. garlic powder

Burger ingredients: 12 slices goat bacon (my local butcher makes it, but thick-cut pork bacon works perfectly) 2 pounds goat leg (my local butcher informed me their goat meat is close to 95 percent lean, so I ground a half pound of beef suet to create a 75/25 meat-to-fat percentage. If you do not have a grinder, tell your butcher your desired meat-to-fat ratio and they will happily achieve it!)* 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4 thick rounds, each stuck with wooden pick to keep it together 2 firm and ripe avocados, fruit removed and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices Canola olive oil for brushing on onion and avocado 6 fresh, soft hamburger buns, toasted (visit a local bakery. You will not be disappointed!)

Cilantro sprigs to top Kosher salt Other equipment: Instant-read thermometer Directions: By now, everyone should know step one is always the same: Music on and drink poured.

Combine all the ingredients for the spice blend into a small container or mason jar.

Shake to blend.

In a food processor or blender, purée the mayonnaise, Dijon and the chipotle until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and reserve for use.

Place the cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the bacon slices while the pan is still cold. Adding the bacon to a cold skillet allows the fat to render more efficiently because it cooks slower. Roughly 5 minutes after you hear it sizzle and the bacon is golden brown, flip the slices and render the other side until crisp. Transfer the slices to a paper towel to rest. Leave the rendered fat in the pan and remove from heat.

Gently mix the beef and form into 6 evenly sized patties. Make sure the patties are larger than the bun. I hate biting into just bread! TIP ALERT: To prevent the burgers from becoming bulged up “flying

saucers,” press a thumb indention in the center of each patty. As the meat cooks, the thumbprint will disappear and the burgers will have a perfectly level shape. Season both sides liberally with the spice rub. Follow that up with a generous pinch of kosher salt to each patty. Let rest until ready to cook.

With a griddle over medium high heat, brush both sides of onion rounds and avocado slices with the canola oil and add tablespoon of oil to the griddle. Season the onions and avocado liberally with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Griddle the onions until softened and beginning to char.

This takes roughly 3-4 minutes per side. Add the avocado and griddle until beautifully golden brown or 1-2 minutes per side.

Crank up the cast iron skillet up to a medium-high heat. Once heated, sear the patties for roughly 3-4 minutes per side or until a deep crust forms on the burger.

Flip and allow the crust to develop on the other side. Again, this takes approximately 3 minutes. For me, this is a perfect mediumrare to medium depending on thickness.

For a more done burger, move the pan to the cooler side of the grill or into a preheated 350 degree oven until an instant-read thermometer reads the desired temperature with 160 being well done.* Remove from heat and allow the burgers to rest for a minimum 5 minutes but I prefer 10.

Place the burger on the bottom of a toasted bun, top with the chipotle-mayo, two slices of bacon, the avocado, and griddled onions. Add a few leaves of picked cilantro and place on the top bun. Stop drooling and get ready. Hunt, cook, share, enjoy. *I have said it before, don’t be a hero. Get a quality meat thermometer. It takes out the guesswork.

Pecan-Crusted Sockeye

Pecan Crusted Sockeye with a Bourbon-Citrus Reduction This dish is inspired by an incredible dining experience I had at Rue Dumaine in Centerville, Ohio. Pecans add an awesome contrast in texture, while the bourbon brings sweetness and the orange contributes to its

brightness.

Did I mention I get to cook with bourbon?

As any cook knows, tasting each and every element often is a necessity.

If wading the Alaskan streams is not an option, get to your local fishmonger and make this tonight! Fast, easy and, most importantly, tasty.

Ingredients: 1 lb. sockeye Salmon 1/4 cup bourbon (more if you’re like me) 3/4 cup pecan halves 3 tbsp. brown sugar 2 tbsp. soy sauce 2 tbsp. local honey 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice Juice and zest of one large orange 1/2 tsp. dried ginger 2 crushed garlic cloves 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper 1 tbsp. butter

Porcini-Dusted Catfish

Bison Heart Anticucho Heart is one of my favorite cuts on the animal. It’s highly underestimated and overlooked. However, it’s rich, deep, meaty flavor, in my opinion, stands up to any steak.

Along with that, have I mentioned my obsession with peanut butter? It would make my boot edible. In this preparation, I combine peanut butter with the spicy red curry and the sweet hoisin to create the perfect “heart topper.” If you are hesitant, make this. From the first bite, it will be everything your heart desires!

Bison Heart Anticucho

Sauce ingredients: 2 minced garlic cloves 2 tsp. Thai red curry paste 2 tbsp. tomato paste 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 tbsp. peanut butter 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar 1 fresh red Thai chili, seeded and thinly sliced Directions: Step one – I think it’s only fitting to pour a drink and turn on Ted Nugent’s “Great White Buffalo.” Refrain from firing flaming arrows.

Trim away any connective tissue, aortic and ventricle tissue. Slice into triangles a

Sauce directions: Heat the oil in a small pan and add the garlic, curry paste and tomato paste. Fry until the garlic turns light brown. Add the broth, peanut butter, hoisin, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Simmer for roughly 3 minutes. Cool and add the peanuts and chiles. *Traditionally, anticuchos are skewered pieces of grilled meat. However, I love the sear cast iron gives.

Porcini Dusted Catfish with a Cayenne-Sweet Corn Puree Adapted from Chef John Currence’s Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey. Preferably selfcaught!

Ingredients: 4 (6 oz.) catfish fillets 2-3 tsp. Kosher salt 3 tsp. fresh ground black pepper 4 tbsp. pure olive oil or canola oil 2 tbsp. butter 6 tsp. Porcini powder (found at specialty grocers or made by pulsing dried porcinis

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Directions: Combine bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, orange juice, half the orange zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, black pepper and salmon in a large zip-top bag. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick.

Pulse the pecan halves in a food processor until similar to bread crumb consistency.

Pour the crumbs onto a large plate.

Remove the sockeye from the marinade, season the fish with kosher salt and black pepper, and dredge the flesh side of the fish in the pecan crumbs. Place the fish on the sheet tray and bake for 15-17 minutes or when the fish flakes with a fork. Reserve the marinade.

As the fish cooks, heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the reserved marinade and bring to boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and reduce by half.

Once the fish is finished, hit it with a little more kosher salt, top it with the bourbon reduction and the remaining orange zest.

Now to my favorite part, eating. Catch, cook, share, enjoy.

Ox Heart ingredients: 2 lbs. very fresh bison heart 1 cup fresh minced cilantro 1/4 cup red onion 2 minced garlic cloves Fresh cracked black pepper 1/4 cup roasted ground peanuts 3 tbsp. Peanut Oil Kosher salt

1/4-inch thick with 2-inch long sides.

Marinate the sliced heart for a minimum two hours, with overnight being best, in the minced cilantro, red onion, peanut oil, garlic and ground pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until screaming hot.

Season the heart liberally with kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper.

Add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and sear the heart slices two minutes per side or until medium-rare.* Let rest for five minutes and serve with the sauce below.

in a food processor) 1 tbsp. fresh herbs, such as parsley or taragon Directions: Step 1: Pour a bourbon, glass of wine, or drink of choice. (This is always step one.

Remember, cooking is fun.)

Step 2: Put on your favorite music playlist.

The mood has to be perfect. Mine is a complete array. You will find anything from Hank Williams Jr. to Michael Bolton, Elton John and Adele.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.

Drizzle the fish with tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and porcini powder.

Add the remaining oil and butter to the pan. Add the fish fillets (should hear a sizzle). Deeply brown on the first side. This usually takes 3-5 minutes. Flip the fillets and tilt the pan so the butter and oil is on the side of the pan close to you. With a spoon, baste the top of the fillet with the butter-oil mixture. After a minute or so, the fish should be finished cooking.

30 | Salt | January/February 2015

Puree ingredients: 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. minced shallot 2 tbsp. minced garlic 2 tbsp. roasted corn kernels (Roast in oil over medium-high heat until fragrant) 1/2 tsp. cayenne (Be careful. Add too much and your head will erupt like Mount St. Helens!)

2 tbsp. heavy cream 3 saffron threads – a little goes a long way (This is optional.

This is the most expensive spice known. It brings a nice smokey yet sweet flavor. I have champagne taste with a beer budget!)

2 tsp. Kosher salt 2 tsp. fresh black pepper 3 tbsp. cream cheese 1 tbsp. butter Puree directions: Heat a medium saute pan or stock pot over medium heat. Add the oil and sweat the garlic and shallot until transparent. This takes roughly two minutes. Add the corn kernels, cayenne and cream and bring to a simmer. Add the saffron, cream cheese, salt and pepper.

Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until nearly creamy. I like a little texture to mine. I want the guests to know what they are eating. (If you do not have an immersion blender, a stand blender works perfectly). Finish with the tablespoon of butter. Taste and adjust.

Spoon the puree onto serving plates or a shallow bowl and top with a fish fillet some fresh herbs.

Hunter-Style Rabbit

Hunter-Style Rabbit – Coniglio alla Cacciatora Rabbit hunting is pretty emotional for me. Like many, small game hunting was where I cut my teeth. Barely 4 years old, my first memories are trudging through chinhigh brush with my dad carrying only my American Flag pocket knife as Dad toted the gun.

Now a grown man, I still love hitting the fence rows and brush piles in search of those “wacky wabbits.”

The difference between then and now, I get to carry the gun.

Once again, join me as we go Forest to Fork with this hearty and comforting HunterStyle Rabbit. Ironic?

After a cold, snowy, December morning in the field, nothing screams warm and cozy more than this.

Braising is one of my favorite winter techniques. It allows the flavors to meld and deepen while the rabbit becomes succulently rich and tender.

Pour a drink, turn on the music, and get cookin’ in camo! I promise this recipe will not disappoint.

Servings: 4-6 Prep time: 2 hours and 30 minutes Total time: 4 hours and 30 minutes Ingredients: 2 large wild rabbits, roughly 3 lbs. each (If using farm-raised, they will be larger) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 branch fresh rosemary, leaves removed and minced 1 sage leaf, minced Salt and pepper Extra-virgin olive oil

2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped 1 lb. Portobello mushrooms, cut into 1-inch cubes 4 oz. pancetta, finely diced 1 cup white wine 1 lb. tomato puree 1 cup chicken stock, recipe follows Pinch sugar Pinch red chili flakes Homemade chicken or rabbit stock preferred, quality store-bought is OK 2 tbsp. tomato paste Fresh Italian bread (My local bakery makes a whole garlic clove bread! Wowza!)

Directions: Cut rabbit into 8 pieces. If buck shot is found, please remove unless you enjoy the “crunch” and are looking to visit your dentist.

Combine the garlic, rosemary, kosher salt and pepper along with enough olive oil to make a somewhat dry paste. Divide the paste evenly among the 8 pieces and let sit, covered and refrigerated, for 2 hours.

In a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until nearly smoking. Brush the excess rub from the rabbit pieces and sear each piece on all sides until deep golden brown.

Remove the seared meat to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the onions, the mushrooms and the pancetta and cook over high heat until onions are golden brown and fat has been rendered from pancetta. Drain the excess oil, then add the wine and stir the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned bits.* Brown bits equal loads of flavor!

Add the tomato puree, chicken stock, sugar and chili flakes. Bring to a boil.

Return the rabbit to the pan.

Cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the

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2 tbsp. finely-minced fresh chives 2 tbsp. finely-minced fresh parsley 2 tbsp. finely-minced shallots 1 tsp. finely-minced garlic Venison marinade ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup soy sauce 4 scallions, washed and cut in half 2 large cloves garlic 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 3/4 tsp. whole toasted cumin seed, ground 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar Venison ingredients: 2 lbs. whole venison backstrap (loin) 1 lb. homemade or locally-made bacon, sliced thin 2 tbsp. bacon fat (Bacon fat when cooking bacon – duh! Who would have thought?)

32 | Salt | January/February 2015

Venison Chimichurri

heat to medium and cook for an hour. Be sure to stir occasionally so the sauce does not burn on the bottom. This is no bueno, also known as “not good,” if it does.

Uncover and increase heat to medium high and cook 15 to 20 minutes more or until sauce has reduced and the rabbit is fall-off-the-bone tender.

Remove from heat and divide meat evenly among 4-6 warmed dinner plates.

Top with plenty of sauce, some freshly chopped parsley and serve with the buttered and toasted garlic bread.* Hunt, cook, eat, share, enjoy! *Brown bits from the bottom of the pan are also known as “fond”. * Let’s get serious. Who does not like having leftover sauce to swoop the bread into? Seeing how my baseball days are over, this is my version of “batting clean-up.” The garlic bread plays the role of a Louisville Slugger. Home run every time!

Bacon Wrapped Backstrap with Charred Serrano-Scallion Chimichurri Servings: 6-8 Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Cook Time: 20-25 minutes Chimichurri ingredients: 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly-cracked black pepper 2 bunches or roughly 8-10 fresh scallions 1 serrano, seeded (use half if you like less heat) 1/4 to 1/2 cup sherry or red wine vinegar 3/4 tsp. whole toasted ground cumin (toast whole seeds and grind them)

Directions: Put on your camo apron.

Set up a two-tone grill, one side hot and the other medium low. Alternately, heat stovetop to medium heat and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet or griddle over the heat.

In a blender or food processor, add the oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, red pepper, cumin and brown sugar and puree. In a large, heavy duty, zip top bag, put pieces of skirt steak and pour in marinade. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Allow the backstrap to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, drizzle the scallions and serrano with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.

Over medium high heat, grill until charred and wilted, flipping as needed. Chop the scallions really well and add to a bowl with the remaining olive oil. Finely mince the serrano. Fold in the sherry vinegar, chives, parsley, shallots and garlic. Set aside.

A food processor may be used as well.

However, I like a more rustic and broken chimichurri. Personal preference.

Remove meat and marinade from the refrigerator. On a sheet tray or cutting board, lay the bacon, slightly overlapping, and pointed away. Remove the venison from the marinade and place the meat on the bacon closest to you, leaving approximately 2 inches of bacon overhanging. Wrap the overhanging bacon around the venison and continue rolling the meat away from you as if you were creating a bacon-backstrap burrito. Yum. If necessary, use toothpicks to keep held together.

Put 2 tablespoons bacon fat in heated cast iron. Place the wrapped venison, seam side down, on the medium heated

skillet. Highly important: Do not touch the venison. Let the bacon render and build a crust, roughly 3-4 minutes each side. Brown the bacon on all sides until deep golden.

Place the venison on the cooler side of the grill (lid closed) or in the oven, and bake 6-8 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 120-125 for medium rare.

Pull the meat and allow to rest under tented foil for no less than 10 minutes.

Slice the meat into 3/4 inch and top with chimichurri.

Now engulf.

Notes: Do not be a hero! Get yourself a meat thermometer.

Toast and grind your whole spices. The flavor is much more in-depth. Some storebought ground spices might have been bottled during the Reagan administration.

If using dry herbs, use half the amount.

Letting the meat rest allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat. Slice too soon and the juice runs onto the cutting board. Dry meat is not good.

Trout Tacos with AvocadoYogurt Sauce and Pickled Red Onions Having lived a portion of my life in North Carolina, fishing the streams for rainbow trout is something I love. Eating them in the form of a taco is also something I love.

These trout tacos come with kick, as they are marinated in cumin and chipotle powder, but quickly cool off from the fresh avocado and cool yogurt.

Accompany that with the acidic pop of perfectly pickled red onions and we are rockin’!

Prep time: 30-35 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Serves: 4

Avocado-Yogurt Sauce ingredients: 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and roughly chopped 1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tsp. Mexican crema 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground toasted cumin 1/4 cup water Pickled Red Onion ingredients: 2 medium onions halved and sliced thin 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup distilled vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt 2 tbsp. black peppercorns 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar 1 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 2 garlic cloves smashed 2 bay leaves Garnishes: 12 small corn tortillas Shredded cabbage (optional) Cilantro sprigs Lime wedges Directions: Place the sliced onions in a mason jar.

Add the remaining ingredients to a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil for roughly two minutes. Pour hot pickling liquid into the mason jar, 1/2 inch from the rim until the onions are submerged. Screw on the lid and reserve until ready to use.* In a gallon freezer bag, combine the trout, lime juice, olive oil, chipotle powder, toasted cumin, paprika and salt. Squeeze the air from the bag and seal. Shake the bag to mix the marinade and fish. Allow to marinate for roughly 20 minutes, but not longer than an hour.

While the trout marinates, prepare the avocado yogurt sauce. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the avocado, yogurt,

lime juice, toasted cumin, cilantro, salt and water and process until smooth and creamy.

Store in a squeeze bottle or glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium-high heat, saute the fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of lard skin side down until golden and crispy, about 4-5.** Flip and cook for another 15-30 seconds and remove from pan. Cover with aluminum foil until ready to assemble.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium heat, warm the tortillas until they start to bubble and develop a golden brown appearance. This takes roughly 45 seconds to one minute per side. If working in batches, wrap the finished tortillas in paper towels, then wrap those in a dish towel to keep warm.

To assemble, cut the trout into small portions and place in the center of an opened tortilla. Drizzle with the avocadoyogurt and top with some pickled onions and picked cilantro. *Pickled onions can be stored in the refrigerator for a month. **Other white flaky fish work as well.

Salt | January/February 2015 | 33

Spicy Lime-Chipotle Fish ingredients: 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp. chipotle powder (or chili powder, if you prefer) 1 tsp. fresh ground toasted cumin 1 tsp. sweet paprika 1/2 tsp. salt 1 lb. fresh haddock fillets (or any other firm white fish)

Trout Tacos

34 | Salt | January/February 2015

Keep on rockin’ in the free world When I called about the drum lessons, the instructor was very clear.

“Yes, lessons are available, yes, there is an evening opening, yes, drums are provided.”

We agreed on a time.

But, when I appeared in the music store at the appointed time, he was confused.

Surrounded by a throng of scrubbed, skinny teens and tousled older fellows in colorless jeans, everyone in need of a haircut, he couldn’t quite get his head around the situation.

Doubtfully, he said, “The lessons are for … you?” Twice.

Then he asked what kind of music I liked.

Rock and roll, I said.

“But what kind of drums do you want to play?” Rock and roll, I said.

And so we began, the 50-year-old woman who sold insurance and the drummer who gave lessons between gigs.

The first night, I learned how to hold the sticks, use the foot pedals and do a drum roll. It was wonderful.

He said real drummers have to know the drummer jokes.

“What do you call a drummer who just broke up with his girlfriend? Homeless!” and “What do you call a drummer with perfect timing? Fantasy! There’s no such thing as a drummer with perfect timing!”

He was surprised when I came back the next week and seemed slightly startled when every Wednesday I took my 7 p.m. place in the stream of 13-year-old boys entering the tiny room for 30 minutes of rat-tat-tats and paradiddles. I never missed a lesson.

I bought my first drum kit, a five-piece set of red Ludwigs, for $75 from a pretty young woman living way out in the country, in a rusted trailer on a dirt lot fenced with barbed wire and guarded by two ugly dogs.

She and her mother helped me load the set with unspoken urgency and suggested, glancing down the road, that I move along quickly. I was pretty sure another drummer had just become homeless.

The drums were far better than I deserved, but I practiced every day, and worked on the lessons in the paperback book bought from the music store.

After about four months, I noticed that the boys before and after me were learning to use the double bass pedal, an attachment that gave an extra kick.

He was embarrassed when I asked about it.

“I kept thinking you couldn’t be serious. I never thought you’d keep coming,” he said.

So my lessons hadn’t been quite the

same as the boys, but they were wonderful nevertheless.

I’d bring in an artist’s CD and pick the songs I wanted to learn. He showed me how to play them, then mark the drum part out on a score sheet for practice later. Just listening to him play in person was worth far more than the lesson cost. Sometimes, that took up the whole time.

At home, upstairs in the drum room, I played hard — and loud. My neighbor asked if I had to play at quite that volume.

Yes, I said. When you aren’t very good, you have to play extra loud. Playing drums is more than just fun. On a bad day, it’s cathartic and on a good day, it’s a celebration.

I wasn’t looking for a new love, but I melted like ice cream at the chance sighting of a mahogany Tama drum kit. Gleaming like fine silver, it called my name. The red Ludwigs found a good home immediately, purchased by — surprise! — a 13-year-old boy.

Alas, even the most beautiful drums don’t make a better drummer. I love a hard-driving beat, and in my youth, my boyfriend was a DJ so I met Jimi Hendrix, exchanged pleasantries with Jim Morrison and was even invited to party with the guitarist from Steppenwolf.

With those credentials, music should just flow through my fingers. And yet, despite the desire, many sets of drumsticks, splashy Zildjian cymbals and the most elegant cowbell ever made, I seem to have not a stroke of actual talent.

So, I have given up drum lessons, but not

the drums. They still reside, still beautiful, still cherished, on the second floor of our 1875 home.

I’ve forgotten much of what I learned, but not the music. Even at 64, I still play, when no one’s home and the neighbors aren’t likely to be out. Accompanying Roy Orbison on “Mean Woman Blues” is a recurring highlight of my life, and nothing lifts the spirit like banging out “Heartbreaker” with Pat Benatar.

Even a woman who has traded her leather jacket for fleece and wears sneakers instead of stilettos retains the right to rock.

PAt LAWReNCe Pat is a professional journalist, congenital gardener and incorribible collector of hostas for her historic Hillsboro home.

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The tale of Circle Tail

36 | Salt | January/February 2015

Marlys Staley, founder and executive director of Circle Tail, with two dogs.

Most people only dream of the perfect job — a job in which career and passion converge and create fun-filled days.

Marlys Staley dreamed of such a job during what she calls a “mid-life crisis of sorts.”

She was a physical therapist, providing leadership and help at Shriner’s Hospital in Cincinnati. She had even written a book, “Burn Care and Rehabilitation Principles and Practice.”

Yet, she dreamed of owning a coffee shop where people could bring their dogs, drink, relax and read books. She also dreamed of a wine bar with the same amenities.

She loved helping people and she loved dogs. Then, during Christmas in 1996, she was visiting relatives in Florida.

She decided to attend a guide dog open house and “a light bulb went off” within her. She returned to Ohio in January, and by Feb. 6 she had incorporated her new venture. Her passion for helping people with disabilities and her love of dogs had just converged as Circle Tail Inc. Today, Marlys lives on site in Pleasant Plain and works in the main office building with Aztec and Rango by her side. The dogs have worked at Circle Tail, and have even assisted training of other dogs off site.

Aztec has been working for 11 years.

Marlys and Tina, the longtime kennel manager and groomer, have been extremely busy with events and the opening of a new building on the

property. In November 2014, they opened the Center for Service & Hearing Dogs, which contains a puppy night room, a playroom, a whelping room and a kitchen with slow feed bowls.

The “quiet room” even has a rocking chair where volunteers can rock puppies. Quite an atmosphere compared to the rustic kennel that housed Circle Tail dogs for the first 12 years of the organization. This new center will require many new volunteers in 2015.

Circle Tail has been accredited by Assistance Dogs International since 2008. Dogs can be trained to provide assistance in the home or in public.

The nonprofit organization’s mission is to provide service and hearing dogs for people with disabilities at no cost to the individual.

Circle Tail receives dogs from humane societies, rescue organizations and individuals. The unique quality of this organization is that the dogs are currently trained at two prisons in Ohio: Ohio Reformatory for Women and Dayton Correctional Institute. Both are facilities for women who have full responsibility for the puppies and dogs.

Grooming, feeding and training are part of the daily routines. Crates in the inmates’ quarters provide aroundthe-clock companionship.

The women regularly attend training classes with Circle Tail trainers and correctional facility program coordinators.

Training a dog can take two

years, and some of the inmates have been “handlers” for 10 years. This program is entirely supported by public contributions, and a full sponsorship, including everything from a crate to veterinary services, can cost $2,000.

After much training, some dogs are not totally reliable for service, but they are wonderfully trained pets that Circle Tail places in its dog adoption program. These dogs do not always stay on site in Pleasant Plain. The dogs fare best staying with their handlers in prisons, learning commands and manners until adopted by their “forever” owners.

Not only are dogs spayed, neutered and vaccinated, but they come with forms completed by the inmate handlers who give very complete information. If a dog loves to “play growl” and “loves cats,” according to the form, new owners can depend on that behavior.

Some inmates have written about their experience with Circle Tail dogs. Victor E. Addis Jr., in prison for felonious assault, wrote in 1999 about his changed life.

“My best memory was when Circle Tail brought me a pregnant dog named Lena that I agreed to take and care for.

Lena had 12 pups in my cell.

It was the first time pups were born in that prison!” he stated.

“It was a hot summer in the cell and I missed chow a lot, but I wouldn’t change the experience for anything! … Circle Tail helped change my life and I haven’t been back to prison…

Please support programs like Circle Tail because each time Ms. Staley goes into the prison she’s saving two lives.”

Victor went on to become a professional obedience trainer, certified canine trainer, 4,000 hours-apprenticed animal behavior therapist and former American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test evaluator.

“Yes, I am assisting.”

Coda tackles laundry.

One night, Chanel rolled over in her sleep and kinked the oxygen line. Hadley heard the beep, stood at Chanel’s face and heard a whisper: “Help, Hadley.”

Hadley had never been trained to push the button, but he had probably seen Chanel push it and get a personal response. So, Hadley wasted no time and pushed the button — several times.

EMTs arrived, Chanel was unconscious, and stayed in the

hospital for days, but her life was saved. The remarkable and touching sight of numerous nose prints around the button on Chanel’s wall is proof of Circle Tail’s mission.

The mission is to change even more lives in 2015. Circle Tail needs more good dogs to train and more volunteers who want to make a difference. For individuals who do not want to adopt a dog, there are foster families needed by Circle Tail.

Beverly Drapalik Beverly lives in Wilmington with her husband, Jeff. They also live with a dog, a cat, a parrot, chickens and bees.

Salt | January/February 2015 | 37

Many success stories about dogs and owners are found on Circle Tail’s website.

Circle Tail has touched hundreds of individuals and families since 1997. Almost 170 service dogs have been placed, and an average of 250 dogs are adopted each year.

These dogs are performing service in a variety of places.

A chocolate lab provides comfort in a funeral home in northern Kentucky. A fortunate hotel in Columbus houses a dog that greets guests and sometimes provides a calm, homelike atmosphere for conference attendees. South Lebanon school children are allowed to read with a Circle Tail dog by their sides, and nursing homes allow dog visits.

High-level pet assistance also comes in the form of saving lives. One recent incident reinforces Marlys’ “jump” from physical therapy to Circle Tail.

Hadley, a yellow lab, was placed with Chanel, who needed oxygen at all times. Haley performed household tasks, but had never been trained to hit a red life-line button behind Chanel’s dresser in the bedroom.

38 | Salt | January/February 2015

Discovering ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ The TV show “Who Do You Think You Are” returns Feb. 24 at 10 p.m. on TLC. The show takes viewers on an emotional journey with celebrities as they research their family histories.

Or, rather, it appears that the celebrities are researching their family histories. In reality they are following a well-laid trail of bread crumbs strewn across hundreds of hours of research conducted by professional genealogists around the world.

According to Megan Smolenyak, a professional genealogist and author of “Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History,” companion guide to the TV series, many people get interested in genealogy after seeing a show like “Who Do You Think You Are.” “The misconception people get from TV shows like that one,” says Smolenyak, “is that it’s easy.

The show has to keep it light and entertaining and get to the point.

So it ends up looking super easy.”

For example, supermodel Cindy Crawford discovered she was a descendant of Charlemagne (768-814 A.D.), the great Frankish emperor of the Middle Ages who united Western Europe and created the first great empire since the fall of Rome. In less than 60 minutes (including commercial breaks), she scaled roughly 48 generations of her family tree.

(According to Ancestry.com, it actually took 1,000 hours of research to get to her distinguished ancestor.)

After seeing those results, it’s only natural that viewers want to jump from the couch to the computer, ready to quickly find their own place in history.

“People’s first inclination is to go online, go to Google or Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org,” says Smolenyak.

“Online tools are great – they serve up hints and clues. The problem is that people accept all the clues as facts. (Search engine) algorithms can still mess up. They are smart and getting smarter, but you still have to think and see if the clues makes sense,” she says.

So where does this former chief family historian and spokesperson for Ancestry.com suggest you start?

“It may sound counter-intuitive,

but start offline,” she says. Do a scavenger hunt. Look through closets and drawers, talk to parents and grandparents and look for family history clues. Military discharge papers, medals, yearbooks, diplomas, birth certificates. Pick up the phone and talk to relatives.”

She adds, “Play detective.

Go through documents. Older relatives love to chat – they are living libraries. Off the top of their heads they can give you dates and addresses. But everything you find, whether it’s document or family story, must be proved or disproved.”

Clinton County genealogist Elizabeth Mitchell agrees.

“Too many people start with an (unsubstantiated) family story,” she says. “If you don’t have proof, you don’t have anything,” she says.

Mitchell, a retired history teacher who has been researching her own family genealogy for more than 30 years, teaches a course in genealogy for Wilmington College’s Institute for Lifelong Learning.

Her advice? “Start with yourself. Work out each generation and then move to the next one,” she says. Document your research, she stresses. “You have nothing if it’s not proven.”

Classes such as the one Mitchell teaches at WILL provide students with methods, tools and techniques for tackling genealogy, particularly related to local resources, such as the county genealogical society.

For her class, Mitchell provides forms covering the different types of available research records, such as census, deeds, wills, birth, marriage and death records, and she teaches where to go to find them. The class meets at the Clinton County History Center, which houses the Clinton County Genealogical Society’s library.

The class also spends a day at the Clinton County Records Center on South Nelson Avenue.

“They learn how records are stored and what the limitations are,” she says. “They get kind of a thumbnail sketch about what they can find in Clinton County. The methods are relevant anywhere you search, although the terminology might change from place

to place.”

County genealogical societies For more information on state and local county genealogical societies, contact the typically have resources beyond following organizations: their county boundaries, covering many other states, regions Ohio Genealogical Society and countries. Mitchell says one 611 State Route 97 West Bellville, OH 44813-8813 of her students researched Pennwww.ogs.org sylvania ancestors at the Clinton County Genealogical Society’s Adams County Genealogical Society library.

507 N. Cherry St. West Union, OH 45693 “She pulled a book off the www.adamsctyohgen.org shelf about Pennsylvania and Meeting information not available. ended up getting five or six marriage records,” Mitchell says.

Brown County Chapter, OGS Smolenyak loves local reP.O. Box 83 Georgetown, OH 45121-0083 sources.

Meetings held on the third Thursday of “I’m all about the story and the month at 8 p.m. at the Old County Jail, stories are mostly found offline Apple and Cherry streets, Georgetown. in the newspaper archives, court Clinton County Genealogical Society records and other local reClinton County Chapter, OGS sources,” Smolenyak says. “Local 149 E. Locust St. (P.O. Box 529) libraries are often overlooked by Wilmington, OH 45177 people new to genealogy.” www.clintoncountyhistory.org Local genealogical societies Meetings held on the fourth Monday of the are also a great place to meet month at 7:30 p.m. at the Clinton County History Center, 149 E. Locust St., Wilminglike-minded people, or as Smoton, unless otherwise noted. lenyak calls them, “genealogical playmates.” Other researchers Fayette County Genealogical Society help provide a fresh set of eyes Fayette County Chapter, OGS P.O. Box 342 for your research, act as a soundWashington Court House, OH 43160-0342 ing board for your theories and Meetings held on the third Monday of the help you brainstorm new sources month at 7 p.m. at the Carnegie Public to search.

Library, 127 South North St., Washington Many genealogical societies Court House, unless otherwise noted. also provide speakers, county, https://sites.google.com/site/fayettecoohgensociety state and even national experts on various family-tree-related Greene County Chapter, OGS knowledge. Some societies also P.O. Box 706 host conferences, such as the Xenia, OH 45385 www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohgccogs Ohio Genealogical Society, which Meetings held on the first Saturday of the will hold its 54th annual confermonth at 1:30 p.m. at the Greene County ence in Columbus April 9-11.

Library, 76 East Market St., Xenia, unless Mitchell says it’s important to otherwise noted. know that records may not always Southern Ohio Genealogical Society be where you expect them to be.

(Highland County) For example, you may need to P.O. Box 414 know when a particular county Hillsboro, OH 45133 was formed and what county or www.sogs.info counties preceded it.

Meetings held on the second Thursday “Clinton County was formed of the month at 7 p.m. at the North High Center, 1487 N. High St., Hillsboro, unless in 1810,” says Mitchell. “If you are otherwise noted. researching someone from 1808, you won’t find them in Clinton Madison County Chapter, OGS County. It didn’t exist.”

P.O. Box 102 London, OH 43140-0102 So there’s a lot more involved www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohmadiso with genealogical research than we see on the TV shows. But how Kathleen L. long does it take?

Norman “As much time as you want,” Kathleen is the founder says Smolenyak. “There’s always of Pursuit Communicaanother ancestor for you to chase tions, which provides if you feel like it. Some people writing, editing and don’t want there to be a finish consulting services for line. Genealogy is a hobby you companies in southwest Ohio. She is can turn to whenever you want. a 2007 winner of the Erma Bombeck It’s always there waiting for you.” Writing Competition and received an honorable mention in 2010.

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The front of the Olde Piano Factory Shoppes today.

The Olde Piano Factory

strikes a chord in heart of Ripley 40 | Salt | January/February 2015

By Meghann MacMillan

For almost 40 years, The Olde Piano Factory has housed some of the most unique antiques found this side of the Ohio River, but the rich history surrounding the famous antiques mall hasn’t always been so assured.

In 1869, M.J. Chase began building pianos in Ripley. With trade booming along the Ohio River, Chase had hopes of making Ripley the capital of piano production.

His factory, then known as the Ohio Valley Piano Company, made square grand pianos meant for entertainment in the front parlor. Every part of piano

construction was done in the Ripley factory, a rarity in the growing age of industrialism.

The Ohio Valley Piano Company’s most popular model was the Ohio Valley Gem and was designed specifically for the music of the period. The pianos sold down the river and have since been located as far as California; but sadly, at the turn of the century, the business of making pianos turned sour for Chase.

Records regarding the absorption of the Ohio Valley Piano Company into the Baldwin Piano Company, located in

Cincinnati, offer varying stories as to the downfall of pianos in Ripley. What is certain is that this period of history caused the piano factory to undergo many changes.

Older generations still living in Ripley remember the factory making shoes and plastics, housing furniture for sale and even packing parachutes for World War II. Even today, previous workers in the factory remember exactly where packed parachutes were dropped down through a hole in the ceiling.

The factory passed through many hands and, over the years, declined into a building in dire need of repair. It wasn’t until 1977 that the building would be given new life.

Ruth Bloyer, current owner of The Olde Piano Factory, remembers fondly the time that she and five other business partners decided to purchase the old building.

While still structurally sound, the building was in need of a new roof and most in Ripley considered it a lost cause. After wading through the many lay-

ers of red tape, Ruth and her partners began the difficult task of getting the old factory ready for business.

Ruth’s vision for the old factory was inspired by the famous Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco — a thriving indoor marketplace filled with specialty shops. It took Ruth and her partners from February until the following Labor Day to make her vision a reality.

Her daughter Marsha, at that time a new college graduate, recalls those early days of cleanup as the biggest mess she has ever seen, but slowly and surely The Olde Piano Factory came into the first stage of new life.

By the time The Olde Piano Factory opened, the separate booths contained all manner of shops, including an ice cream parlor, a photography studio, a dress boutique and a jewelry store. For just about two years, The Olde Piano Factory enjoyed success under Ruth’s vision, even supporting a restaurant called The Bird Cage in the front of the building.

The Valley Gem Piano originally made in 1870.

The year-round Christmas tree on display in the lobby.

Workers from the Ohio Valley Piano Company.

out, each to a different vendor at a cost that hasn’t increased in nearly 40 years. Old clocks, jewelry, fur coats, keys and metal toy tractors are just a few of the many things for sale. Each booth is attractively arranged to offer shoppers something different to look at every time they browse.

Much attention goes to the giant Christmas tree located in the front lobby. It remains

throughout the year, but is redecorated each month with a new theme that only magnifies the elegance of the traditional, old-world style.

Sitting beside it is one of the few remaining Valley Gem pianos made in the factory.

Beautifully cared for, the Gem of The Olde Piano Factory is a respectful nod to the ages of the past.

As for the future of The Olde

Piano Factory, Ruth and Marsha hope to make strides in attracting a younger, tech-savvy crowd by adding a website that features new photos of interesting antiques on a regular basis.

At 94 years old, Ruth is proud of everything The Olde Piano Factory has done for the community of Ripley. Community is important to her and she hopes that her business can continue to be a big part of future growth.

She remembers fondly the age when Ripley was a thriving town filled with culture and she longs, like many others, for all that it could be again.

Until then, for those who desire to take a step back in time The Olde Piano Factory is open and waiting.

Meghann MacMillan

Meghann has lived in the country all her life and loves it more every day.

She raises chickens, rabbits and two adorable children with her husband in Brown County.

Salt | January/February 2015 | 41

Changes in hours, practices and the differing opinions of the separate shops caused the shift toward specialty antiques in The Olde Piano Factory. Eventually, Ruth was able to buy out her partners to become sole owner of The Olde Piano Factory. It seemed, in this function, the old factory had finally found its purpose.

Now The Olde Piano Factory enjoys the success of Brown County tourism. Their guest book records names of visitors from Chicago, San Francisco, and even some from as far as Australia. Ruth credits this attraction to peoples’ growing need to “take the scenic route” that avoids the congestion and stress of the highway.

It is true that time seems to slow down inside The Olde Piano Factory. Just inside the decorated front windows sits an old, golden cash register still used by the store. The floors are worn and polished by many a traveling shoe and remnants of the old factory can still be found in small details everywhere you look. The booths are rented

ut & Abou

Out & About

compiled by david Wright

Adams County

Feb. 28 Exile will perform at the Red Barn Convention Center. Dinner at 5:30 p.m. For more information, please call 1-800-823-9197 ext. 121.

March 7 Twelfth Annual Adams County Amish Bird Symposium, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Join the Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau and the Adams County Amish community for a day-long celebration of birds that features speakers, vendors, live raptors from Raptor Incorporated and other activities. Registration is required. For more information, please call 937-544-5639.

Clinton County

Jan. 17-18 Wilmington Gun Show at Roberts Centre. Hosted by Showmasters. Admission $9. For more information, please call 540-951-1344.

Jan. 23, 25, 30, Feb. 6, 27, March 20, 27 Country Heir Winter Series Horse Show from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Roberts Arena. For more information, please call 937382-0985.

42 | Salt | January/February 2015

Jan. 24 Phil Dirt & The Dozers, 7:30 p.m., at The Murphy Theatre in Wilmington. For more information, please call 877-274-3848.

Feb. 14 Renfro Valley Barn Show, 7:30 p.m., at The Murphy Theatre in Wilmington. Admission $17. For more information, please call 877-274-3848.

Feb. 27 Ohio Taxidermist Association State Championship Show at the Roberts Centre. For more information, please visit www. ohiotaxidermists.com or call 800-654-7038.

The Cabin Fever Arts Festival is March 14 in Hillsboro.

March 7 Wilmington Gun Show at Roberts Centre. Hosted by Showmasters. Admission $9. For more information, please call 540-951-1344.

March 12 Dervish will perform at The Murphy Theatre in Wilmington at 7:30 p.m. Admission $17-$27.

For more information, please call 877-274-3848.

Fayette County Jan. 31 Groundhog Day Forecast Breakfast at the Mahan Building on the Fayette County Fairgrounds, Washington Court House. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. For more information, please call 740-335-0761.

Feb. 22 United Way Spring Dance, 8 p.m., at the Mahan Building on the Fayette County Fairgrounds, Washington Court House.

Greene County Jan. 16 Florida Georgia Line with Thomas Rhett and Frankie Ballard, 7:30 p.m. at Wright State’s Nutter Center. For more information, please call 937775-3498.

Jan. 30-31 Monster Jam at Wright State’s Nutter Center. For more information, please call 937-7753498.

Feb. 7 Science Olympiad Invitational 2015 at Wright State University in Fairborn. For more information, please call Lee Ann Bradfield at 937-775-5511.

Highland County Jan. 16 Ag is Everyone’s Business at The Patriot Center, Southern State Community College, 100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro.

Breakfast begins at 8 a.m. with a speaker at 9 a.m.

March 6 Coffee & Commerce, 7:30 a.m., at Southern State Community College, 100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro, Room 106.

March 14 Cabin Fever Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Patriot Center of Southern State College, 100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro. Displays the art and crafts of 60-plus juried artists. Free admission. For more information, call 937-587-2394.

Madison County Feb. 28 Plain City Community Breakfast, 8 to 10:30 p.m. at the Daily Needs Assistance Community Center, 340 W. Main St., Plain City. Free of charge, but donations are accepted. Proceeds benefit the Daily Needs Assistance programs.

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Cedarville University employee creates pottery, other mediums of art

Jack of all clays

44 | Salt | January/February 2015

By Anna Dembowski

Chuck Clevenger, senior professor of music at Cedarville University, identifies himself as a potter.

Cooley Turner, 68, of Springfield, has driven 22 miles to Cedarville every workday for the past 28 years. He works on the custodial staff, and has cleaned Clevenger’s office more than a few times while also discussing their common love for art.

Clevenger’s love for art lies in watercolor and music, he said.

Turner has never obtained a college degree. But he’s climbed from poverty in the hills of Kentucky, spent time in the Peace Corps, earned a plaque on the wall of Cedarville’s Dixon Ministry Center and dabbled in the arts — from painting to pottery to poetry — for most of his life.

“You don’t have to have an art degree to have that be a part of your life or to enrich other people’s lives,” said Turner’s daughter, Jeananne Turner Smith, a kindergarten teacher in Yellow Springs.

And enriching lives, including his own, is exactly for what Turner has used his artistic talents. But, as it enriches, each piece also tells a story.

“I like to give a story behind everything,” said Turner, as he pulled a note from his photoalbum portfolio of art pieces.

Clevenger said Turner’s work comes out of his own experience.

“Maybe it comes out of struggle, maybe it comes out of an expression of his faith, maybe it comes out of just whatever theme is going on in his life,” Clevenger said. “I just notice that whatever — it just kind of bubbles up.”

Turner has dabbled in writing music, singing and playing the autoharp. However, Clevenger said Turner’s experience in the craft of pottery runs deeper.

“He’s an amateur in music; he is a past master in ceramic art,” Clevenger said. “What he doesn’t know about it isn’t worth knowing.”

Turner’s artistic abilities first came as he took an interest in drawing, courtesy of his older sister. But Turner soon discovered a greater artistic love.

“I wanted to make things,” Turner said, “and so clay was my big love even when I was little, and (my sister would) bring me home colored clay to play (with).”

Turner was given the opportunity to work more substantially with clay while at Berea Foundation Academy, a school in Kentucky for kids from broken homes in the impoverished Appalachian region. When he was 15, Turner and his three siblings became orphans.

Turner attended high school at Berea, and, at age 16, made his first pieces of pottery.

He said he would visit the “pot shop” to learn about how to pull the clay to make bowls and other pieces of Greek- and Roman-design pottery.

Turner’s teacher was a 24-year-old ex-convict employed by the school, but lacking a high school education.

Turner put some of his pottery up for sale in a shop in the mountain area, and the money he received from the sales went toward his tuition at Berea.

Though he didn’t finish high school until later in life, Turner did a two-and-a-half year stint with the U.S. Peace Corps upon

dropping out of Berea his senior year.

“It was a means of being able to take care of myself, because I had no place to go when school was out,” he said.

Turner did pottery demonstrations as the group traveled.

He said the Corps worked with the Appalachian people and the mountaineers to learn industry, as at the time, the only hope this group had was to work in the coal mines or become a drunk.

“I’d do pottery demonstrations on the wheel and show they could start an industry, and there was a lot of clay in the hills,” Turner said.

He said today Berea is considered one of the largest craft towns in Kentucky.

“And that’s kind of neat,” Turner said. “Some of those mountaineers came down and started making stuff, and I don’t know if I influenced them or not.”

After the Peace Corps, Turner came to Ohio to be nearer to his sister. At age 25, he married his wife of now more than 42 years.

Smith said Turner enrolled in local pottery classes so that he could keep learning the different techniques of the craft.

But after experimenting more with pottery, Turner moved on to sculpture, photography, music and poetry and songwriting.

“I graduated a bit from pottery because I got bored, and I decided to start doing different things,” he said.

He’s challenged himself to paint on leaves and feathers.

“I took my granddaughter for a walk and she was 5 years old I think,” Turner said. “And she started collecting leaves in the park and she brought them to me and she said, ‘See, Poppy,

God paints on leaves.’ And I said, ‘Sure he does, doesn’t he?’ because they were all different colors. So when I got home, I kept thinking, ‘Well, I can paint on leaves. I can’t make a leaf as good as God, but I can use what God gave me and paint on leaves.’ So I started painting on leaves.”

What’s more, Turner gives away nearly all of his pieces of art, keeping just photos of them for his portfolio.

Clevenger said, “Cooley will give his art as gifts. He really, really, really considers this a part of himself, so he is giving you a part of himself.”

Smith said this speaks to how generous her father is.

“Most of everything he makes he gives away, so there’s that kind of generous spirit that he has, that like all of his friends or family have something in the house that he’s made,” she said, “so that’s kind of special.”

But while Turner’s art experience is extensive, he said he has plans to keep working with pottery, specifically that of an Asian design, which he loves exploring.

“I’m not done yet,” Turner said. “I have some ideas. I just haven’t been over to the pot shop because I haven’t had time.”

And he said he’s thankful for the opportunities, artistic and other, he’s had in life.

“It’s been an enriched life that I’ve had,” Turner said.

Anna Dembowski Anna is a Cedarville University student intern for the Greene County Newspapers.

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And one more thought...

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.�

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- John Steinbeck

Photo by Dean Shipley Sub-zero temperatures of a January morning caused a flap among a few of the multitude of Canada geese on a pond in Madison County.

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Salt | January/February 2015 | 47

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