Life & Style - Summer 2016

IN

SOUTHERN

SUMMER 2016

ILLINOIS

COMING FULL CIRCLE:

Chef Sara Bradley and Freight House restaurant return to her roots

DISCOVER THE REAL ALLURE OF NOVA SCOTIA: Picturesque charm surrounded by maritime wonders

local Eat and grow

Southern Illinois is the perfect place to eat fresh foods year-round

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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Big Muddy Brewing

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1430 N 7th St Murphysboro, IL 62966 618-684-8833

Little Egypt Beer Bldg 2, 140 Buttermilk Hill Rd Ava, IL 62907 618-763-4343

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Abbey Ridge Brewery & Tap Room 24 Valley Road Pomona, IL 62975 618-893-1111

4 Von Jakob Winery & Brewery 230 Highway 127 Alto Pass, IL 62905 618-893-4600

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Summer 2016 Publisher/Editor ..................... John Pfeifer Art Director/Editor ......... Rhonda M. May Design..................... Lacey Hoopengardner Contributors.................... Shawn Connelly Barb Eidlin K. Janis Esch Alee Quick Joe Szynkowski Les Winkeler Photography ........................ Byron Hetzler Rhonda M. May Richard Sitler

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PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPING IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS FOR 38 YEARS. 4 Life & Style : Summer 2016

Life & Style in Southern Illinois is a publication of The Southern Illinoisan. Contact us at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62902. Reach us on the Internet at www.Lifeand StyleSI.com. Life & Style in Southern Illinois is published four times per year and is distributed free of cost to a variety of businesses and hotels in Southern Illinois. © 2016 by The Southern Illinoisan. All rights reserved. For more information, call 618-529-5454. Visit us online at www.thesouthern.com.

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CONTENTS SUMMER 2016

EAT LOCAL, GROW LOCAL Taste your way through the seasons — A longer growing season and diverse variety make Southern Illinois the perfect place to eat fresh, seasonal foods year-round, page 52

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people Wolter’s Custom Cabinets looking to add flair to homes

10 25 15 questions 26 artist 46 scenic beauty cheers to beer 76

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social seen Check out who you know

in one of our most popular features

Get to know Southern Illinois native Karen Binder

Curiouser and Curiouser: Alice Art is a treasure trove of imaginative oddities Spend summer days in the park – Giant City State Park, that is

the flavor envelope

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Sour beers are pushing

good eats Chef Sara Bradley and Freight House restaurant return to her roots

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getaways Picturesque charm surrounded by maritime wonders

cover photo

While scouting for the cover photo, Francis Murphy, general manager at Neighborhood Co-Op Grocery in Carbondale, showed Life & Style a crop of tomatoes that were fresh from a local farm. The Beefsteak tomatoes came from Echo Valley Orchards, which is about seven miles from Neighborhood Co-Op Grocery. See the story on Page 52.

this issue gear gadgets self spirits

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Photo by BYRON HETZLER

how to where we live in our backyard parting shot

48 58 74 80

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contact us Life and Style in Southern Illinois 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901 618-529-5454

EDITORIAL John Pfeifer publisher/editor 618-351-5033 john.pfeifer @thesouthern.com

EDITORIAL Rhonda M. May special projects coordinator/editor 618-351-5077 rhonda.may @thesouthern.com

ADVERTISING Alicia Lorenz advertising director 618-351-5815 alicia.lorenz @thesouthern.com

TO SUBSCRIBE Subscription 8 issues for $17.95 rates: 4 issues for $9.95 618-351-5049

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Attending or hosting an event?

Post your pictures on our page and your event could be included in an upcoming edition of Life and Style in Southern Illinois. www.facebook.com/LifeandStyleSI

MAILBAG

Dear Editor, Thank you immensely for taking the time to include our Women for Health and Wellness Inc. in your Life and Style magazine.

Personally, I have always wanted our event to be featured as many others have been but I did not know exactly how to make that happen.

Lisa Mann, our Director, unraveled the mystery in saying that it was she who spoke to you in order to make that happen. We were all very flattered — as we think we do good things.

Thanks so much, Ann Knewitz

be heard Like something that you have seen in our magazine?

Let us know about it.

SEND LETTERS Life & Style in Southern Illinois Rhonda May 710 N. Illinois Ave. Carbondale IL 62901 EMAIL rhonda.may@thesouthern.com

be seen Have you been to a great event lately?

Did you take photos?

If you would like to have the photos considered for publication in our magazine, call for details and image specifications: Rhonda May, 618-351-5077

Visit www.LifeandStyleSI.com to find previous publications Life & Style : Summer 2016

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TASTE OF CHOCOLATE

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Chocolate took center stage Feb. 5 when the annual Taste of Chocolate returned to the Carbondale Civic Center. Attendees had a chance to sample unique culinary creations, each including chocolate among its ingredients, and take home special auction items. Proceeds benefit The Women’s Center.

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8 1 Heather Jumps of Makanda, Heather Cross of Royalton and Sarah Settles of Carbondale 2 Brandy Mellott of Mendota and Megan Stayton of Carlinville 3 Betsy Doughtery of Carbondale, JP Reed of Carbondale and Shelley Franklin of Makanda

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9 6 John and Karen Pfeifer of Marion 7 Alyssa Hendrix of Champaign and Gretchen Teyema of Fox Lake 8 Jeff Franklin and Darrell Bryant, both of Carbondale

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of Bloomington, Stephanie Wold of Joliet, Megan Witt of Jerseyville and Rose Knebel of Breese

16 Terri and Sarah Glasser of Carterville

12 Joe Pashea and Monica Summers, both of Carbondale

9 Terri and Mike Henry of Carbondale

13 Kelly Batchelder of LaGrande, Georgia and Brooke Oehme of Carbondale

4 Amy and Gary Cline of Murphysboro

10 Jason Sigler of Carbondale and Jason Shadowen of Energy

14 Gypsy McGowan of Marion and Savannah Jeralds of Goreville

5 Molly Edwards-Britton and Tom Britton, both of Makanda

11 Breanne Harrel

15 Larry Franklin and Jon Warshawsky, both of Makanda

Life & Style : Summer 2016

17 JoBeth Weber of Mount Vernon, Lynn Moore of Herrin and Liz Hunter of Carbondale 18 Kay Dosier and Christie Mitchell, both of Carbondale 19 Scott Weber of Mount Vernon and Bill Connors of Carbondale 20 Angie Kuehl of Murphysboro and Carole Kuehl of Alto Pass

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RED CARPET GALA To kick of its 35th anniversary, Hospice of Southern Illinois hosted it sixth annual Red Carpet Gala on Jan. 23 at The Pavilion of the City of Marion. The night included dinner, a silent auction, music, celebrity performances by community leaders and an after-party following the show.

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1 Jenna Hurst of Marion, Alyssa Reinhardt of Murphysboro, Johnna McSparin of Marion, Emily Stewart of Marion, Christin Ritter of Herrin and Jaci Jenkins of Elizabethtown

Emily Dihle, all of Carterville

Scheffer, both of Marion

5 Kevin and Lisa Hunsperger of Carterville

11 Dale Hutman, Shara Stilley, and Randy and Kim Stilley, all of Marion

16 Glen and Rebecca Wisdom (CEO of Hospice of Southern Illinois) of Shiloh with Jennifer Lee of Marion

12 Helen Porter and Frank Taylor, both of Carbondale

17 Michael and Allison Hasler, both of Marion

13 Nikki Litton and Maddi Rix, both of Marion

18 Lori Haake and Gina Moffett, both of Herrin

14 Alex Levels of Cary and Fanta Saidou of Carbondale 15 Heather and Kevin Fear, both of Goreville

19 Laurie Pugh and Janet Taylor, both of Marion

2 Kevin Pyle of Davern, Ralph and Janet Litton of Marion, Marie Pyle of Davern, Carolyn and J.C. Pool of Broughton 3 Shawna Daran and Tom Harness, both of Carbondale 4 Mark and Denise Prince with

6 Elizabeth Messervey of Marion and Suzanne Gaudette of Girard 7 Steve and Dee Guined of Anna 8 Ted Gutierrez of Carbondale, John Barwick and Rock Bradford, both of Marion 9 Brian Flath and Rich Davis, both of Carterville 10 Jennifer Roehm and Daniel

20 Rocky and Dana Hull of Eldorado and Marti and Pete Craig of Harrisburg Life & Style : Summer 2016

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CURTAIN CALL KICKS OFF MCLEOD SUMMER PLAYHOUSE 4

The McLeod Summer Playhouse announced its 2016 season at the “Curtain Call” on Jan. 31.

The event, including wine and refreshments, is a thank you for last season supporters and a kick-off for this season’s Friends fundraising campaign. The Friends of McLeod Summer Playhouse is a group of persons from the community that supports the Playhouse with ambassador efforts and contributions to its financial well-being. The evening also featured backstage tours of McLeod facilities and a performance by the Bachelor of Fine Arts Musical Theater students of selections from the 2016 MSP line-up. For information about the season and becoming a Friend of McLeod Summer Playhouse, go to playhouse.siu.edu.

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12 1. Brad Colwell of Murphysboro with Beth and Bob Arthur of Carbondale

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2 Carolyn Snyder of Carbondale, Brad Colwell of Murphysboro and Trish Welch of Carbondale

10 Jan Austin, Joe Power, Marilyn and John Annable, Gary Austin and Duane Cole, all of Carbondale

3 Vince Rhomberg of Carbondale and Rachel Fischoff of Murphysboro

11 Glen Poshard of Murphysboro with Jean and Rick McNeil of Herrin

4 Vince Rhomberg, Darrell Bryant and Jeff Franklin of Carbondale

12 Sherry and Alexis Jones, and Keagan Schlosser, all of Carbondale

5 Sam Goldman and Patsy Parker of Carbondale 6 Joyce Webb of Carbondale, Ed Dirks of Makanda, Neil Dillard of Carbondale and Carol Dirks of Makanda 7 Eric and Heidi Jung of Makanda

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8 Sherry Jones, Jeff Franklin of Carbondale, Milly Kaiser of Murphysboro and Tim Fink of Carbondale

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9 Big Daddy Cole and Duckie of Marion

13 Dana Barnett and Kathy Sime of Carbondale 14 Jeff Trout and Linda Burkitt of Christopher 15 Carolyn Donow, Jan Radtke of Makanda and Jo Poshard of Murphysboro 16 Mort and Barb Levine of Carbondale

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SCRATCH BREWING CO. CELEBRATES NO. 3 Scratch Brewing Co. celebrated three years in business with a bash on March 5 at the brewery in Ava. Kitchen Kulture prepared some incredible food! Admission included a snifter and 10 tickets to be redeemed for samples or full pours of amazing beer and unlimited soda; Kids and designated drivers, or soda lovers received a mason jar and unlimited soda.

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WANT MORE? Go to LifeandStyleSI. com for more social seen photos.

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You have Choices 106 South Bentley Marion, IL 62959 618-997-8989 16 Life & Style : Summer 2016

70% of us will need some form of long-term care in our later years.

Let’s talk about your options.

Photos by RHONDA M. MAY

Maria B. Hafford Attorney at Law

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13 photos by RHONDA M. MAY

1 Benjamin Boggs of Harrisburg, Daniel Presley of Carbondale, Kathryn Morgan of Crystal Lake, Alex Scales of Evansville, Indiana, 2 Alexander Ashby of Harrisburg and Caleb Motsinger of Carier Mills 3 Amanda Marshall of Murphysboro and Taylor Swanson and Shanna McClain, both of Carbondale 4 Timothy Alsip and Desiree Ceja-Tilley, both of De Soto 5 Alee Quick of Carbondale, James McCoy of Du Quoin, Nathan

Speagle of Carbondale, Jim Suruda of Nashville, Tennessee, John Michael Krahe of Carbondale and Lana Weiss of Carbondale (in front).

6 Debi Smith of Cookeville, Tennessee, Lisa Smith of Murphysboro and MaryJo Lane of Cookeville, Tennessee 7 Gary and Debra Rednour of Chester with Alyssa and Corey Phoenix of Ava 8 Ashley Suiter and Mike Sertle, both of Indianapolis, with Matt Dillon of Carterville and Erik

Berrey of Carbondale 9 Chase Grisham of Harrisburg and Kyla Jones of Marion 10 Wyatt J. Humrichous of Springfield and Mark Agne of Fairview Heights 11 Lana Weiss of Carbondale (front row, left to right), Zorro the dog of Du Quoin, Abby Ancell of Du Quoin, Katie Ancell of Carbondale, Gen Horan of Carbondale, Patricia Gross of Du Quoin, Brock Steele of Vergennes, Argo the dog of St. Louis; Nicholas Hirsch of Du Quoin,

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(back row), Sadie Horan of De Soto, Joel Willis of Carbondale, Zoe Gross of St. Louis, and Dirk Washburn of Edwardsville.

12 Daniel Presley, Brianna and Joshua Pay, all of Carbondale 13 Emily Jones (top), Emma Danley, Lana Weiss, Alee Quick and Kyle Groves, all of Carbondale; James McCoy of Du Quoin; Ely Lane and John Michael Krahe, both of Carbondale; Jim Suruda of Nashville, Tennessee; and Wyatt J. Humrichous of Springfield

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SIH GALA Over 500 donors and revelers joined Southern Illinois Healthcare at the SIU Student Center ballrooms on Friday, April 15, for an evening of dinner, dancing and fundraising.

Proceeds from the annual SIH Gala benefit the SIH Foundation, which earmarks the funds for the SIH Cancer Institute. The Carterville cancer center provided care to over 1,000 patients (totaling 3,000 patient encounters) during its first year of operations.

Photos provided by SIH, DEVIN MILLER

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SIH GALA Over 500 donors and revelers joined Southern Illinois Healthcare at the SIU Student Center ballrooms on Friday, April 15, for an evening of dinner, dancing and fundraising.

Proceeds from the annual SIH Gala benefit the SIH Foundation, which earmarks the funds for the SIH Cancer Institute. The Carterville cancer center provided care to over 1,000 patients (totaling 3,000 patient encounters) during its first year of operations.

Photos provided by SIH, DEVIN MILLER

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1 Rex Budde of Herrin, Brad Budde of Herrin, and Cathy Carney of Marion

of Makanda

9 Jessica and Shane Carsud of Carbondale

of Makanda

2 Mike Henry of Carbondale and Bart Millstead of Makanda

6 Dr. Reno Ahuja of Carbondale

10 Dr. Melissa Martinez and Dr. Carols Gonzalez of Carbondale

7 John and Marilyn Annable of Carbondale

11 Brandon and Katie Zanotti of Johnston City

8 Mona and Marty Kerns of Murphysboro

12 Dr. Mansoor and Amber Haq of Carbondale

3 Dr. Michael and Carina Parish of Herrin and Dr. Ukeme Umana and Christina of Carbondale 4 Rita and Woody Thorne

5 Carey Gill of Carterville and Angela Boyd of Anna

13 Eric and Heidi Jung

14 Dr. Marci-Moore Connelley and Tom Connelley of Carbondale 15 John Barnett and Carrie Pickel of Carbondale 16 Dr. Mohammed and Duha Al-Zoubaidi of Carterville; Dr. Bachir and Christine Farah of Carbondale

IN THE HEART OF CARBONDALE

THE CARBONDALE CIVIC CENTER 618.457.3209 200 South Illinois Avenue Carbondale www.explorecarbondale.com Life & Style : Summer 2016

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17 Sarah and Ben Kraft of Carterville 18 Kathy West and Royce Jackson of DuQuoin 19 Dr. Eugenio and Tanya Vargas of Carbondale 20 Dr. Andrew and Dana Yochum of Carterville 21 Drs. Satyadeep and Neisha Bhattacharya of Carbondale

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22 Katie and Ben Calcaterra of Herrin 23 Tommie and Toni Perkins of Harrisburg 24 Patty Warchol Barbachem of Shiloh, Bill Courtney of Carrier Mills, Tanna Morgan of Murphysboro

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618.549.6165 20 Life & Style : Summer 2016

ARTSTARTS BRING YOUR OWN BRUSH!

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A scholarship fundraiser for Artstarts was sponsored by Heartland Rotary of Williamson County. The event was held March 2 at Artstarts in Marion. All proceeds from the event went toward a scholarship for one Artstarts student.

Heartland Rotary of Williamson County and Artstarts collaborated for a casual evening of fun, friends and fabulous art!

1 Provided by ALISHA SHIPP

4 1 Charlene Harris, Julie Campbell and Linda Harris Warren 2 Amber Phillips and Megan Homoya Jones 3 Paintings in progress

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4 Paintings by the participants of the evening

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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ICE

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NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATION The annual Franklin Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship Dinner on April 5 raised more than $10,000 for health care scholarships for high school seniors in the Franklin Hospital District and for health care workers at Franklin Hospital who are taking classes to further their careers. This year’s event at Benton Civic Center featured a New Orleans-themed buffet including red beans and rice, shrimp skewers, Cajun chicken, crab cakes, and King Cake. Lively music was provided by the Big Muddy Stompers.

1 Gary Ehrhart of Wayne City and Judy Courter of Macedonia 2. Pam and Tom Appleton of Benton 3. Brenda and Bob Rea of Benton 4. Bob and Becky Lewis of Benton 5 Mary Ellen and John Aiken of Benton 6 Jessica Whitlow and Christine Richardson from Peoples National Bank in Benton 7 2015 Scholarship winners (4 of the 9 awarded) Danielle Weinhoffe of Benton, Holly Valetta of Mulkeytown, Samantha Earl of Mulkeytown and Jared Eastwood of West Frankfort

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10 Dr. Saeed Khan of Benton and Dr. Emilio Resaba of West Frankfort

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11 Garnette Resaba of West Frankfort, Rose Grunnert of West Frankfort and Rizwana Khan of Benton 12 Larry and Ruth Lewis of Benton 13 The Dinner Committee — Anna Marie Giacone, Ruth Ann Carter and Mary Ellen Aiken all of Benton 14 Chunk and Terri Rice of Benton 15 Lori and Mark Hall of Benton 16 Terry and Mary Lou Thomas of Benton

8 Ron and Anna Marie Giacone of Benton

17 Victoria Price and Jeremy Jackson of Benton

9 Derek and Selinda Johnson o f Macedonia

18 Dorothy Camden, Annette Shaw and Sue Willard of Benton

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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15 QUESTIONS

GETTING TO KNOW

KarenBinder A fifth-generation Southern Illinoisan, Karen grew up in a Scouting family on Giant City Blacktop, attending Giant City School and Carbondale Community High School. She was in Brownies through Girl Scouts on Campus and served as a Camp Cedar Point counselor. She also was a member of the first Girl Scout team at the Boy Scout National Canoe Base.

Karen grew up wanting to illustrate microbiology textbooks, but learned that she didn’t have an affinity for numbers and majored in journalism at Eastern Illinois University. She fell in love with newspapers and her husband, Steve, while on staff at The Daily Eastern News.

MARCEL PROUST While working in was a French writer Chicago, Champaign who believed that people and Carbondale, her must know and understand journalism focused on themselves before they could business, including know or understand others. He Illinois wine. That led developed a list of subjective to her work as Illinois questions he felt would help Grape and Wine reveal to people their true Resources Council selves. We fashioned our executive director questions after his. and her founding and current co-ownership of Grand River Spirits craft whiskey distillery in Carbondale.

The company was named Carbondale Chamber of Commerce business of the year in 2015. ornaments from my three brothers and Karen also is a field editor for AgriNews a glass unicorn.

Illinois, the state’s largest agriculture 5. When and where were you multimedia news company.

1. What is your current state of mind? Rapidly stabilizing chaos.

2. What is your favorite avocation/ hobby? Nearly all aspects of science fiction (no filking, no furries).

3. Which living person do you most admire? Ella Lacey, who is a rare citizen of this world living right here in Carbondale.

4. What is your most treasured possession? A stack of some favorite books (“The Magus” by John Fowles, “Galileo’s Daughter” by Dava Sobel and “An Exultation of Larks” by James Lipton) topped with five Oriental

happiest? Running through the woods on the fastest orienteering team at the Giant City School Outdoor Lab. 6. What is your most obvious characteristic? Curiosity.

7. What is the trait you most dislike in yourself? Doubt/distrust.

8. What is the trait you most dislike in others? Dishonesty. (Liars have obvious tells and they think they don’t.)

9. What is your greatest extravagance? Bourbon (WL Weller, Willet, Four Roses, Hudson Baby Bourbon to start) and books (too many).

10. What is your favorite journey?

Photo by BYRON HETZLER

Life, but I’m forever looking for silver absinthe, first editions, green chile and authentic anything.

11. Which words or phrases do you overuse most? “Let’s see what happens.”

12. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d love to draw and paint.

13. What do you value most in your friends? Their company.

14. If you were to die and come back as a person or animal, what do you think it would be? A Sisulak or Binder dog.

15. What is your personal motto?

“Not all who wander are lost,” —JRR Tolkien.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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ARTIST

alice art a treasure trove of imaginative oddities

STORY BY K. JANIS ESCH AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD SITLER

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

An elephant on a roller coaster, riding off into a rosy sunset. Blue-spotted giraffes craning over buildings in a strange city. A crowned whale swimming otherworldly depths. These are just a few of the works that have sprung from the distinctive imagination of Erin Alice Gray.

A Southern Illinois native who now lives in Marion, Gray crafts a wide range of one-of-akind decorative items, such as encasings, desk bling, pocket mirrors and tin containers.

Her primary focus, however, is her acrylic paintings, which typically incorporate other media — lace, paper, fabric and even metal objects sewn into the canvas.

Gray’s love for making mixed media art began at an early age when she and her father worked on pieces together.

“My dad’s really creative, and we would work with junk jewelry and resin and make paperweights and stuff when I was kid,” she said. “I went to a couple of craft fairs when I was 11 or 12 and sold some things, and so that’s where I came back to with my mixed media stuff. I have several artists in my family, so it just always came very natural. We always had art supplies around the house when I was growing up, and it was just always like a standard thing — like you could go paint if you wanted to, that’s how our house was.”

Later, Gray attended SIU Carbondale for graphic design and worked as a graphic designer for 17 years, but she ultimately felt she “had to get off the computer and start doing something tactile again.” After her sister bought her an acrylic paint set for Christmas one year, she used it so much she barely had room in her house to store all of her paintings. Encouraged by her husband, she started looking for places to sell her work.

Gray dubbed her business Alice Art, partly because Alice is her middle name, and partly because she derives inspiration from the peculiar, fantastical world of Lewis Caroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

ABOVE: Chris McKinley is the owner of Nest Art (formerly Dayshift Boutique) located at 101 W. Monroe in Carbondale. TOP AND FAR LEFT: Artist Erin Gray is shown with some of her work during a trunk sale hosted by Nest Art.

“I love that quote of Alice’s, ‘Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast,’” she said.

Gray has been selling items at Nest Art — previously known as Dayshift Boutique— for the past five years.

She credits store owner Chris McKinley for giving her a space to showcase new material.

“I think it’s such an amazing shop here in Carbondale. There are so many local artists who don’t

get the opportunity to be in any big stores, and to be able to have your stuff on display like this is really awesome,” she said.

Alice Art can also be found at 6 Pence Gift shop in Carbondale, Visions on the Makanda boardwalk, Urban Sassafras in Springfield and on Etsy.com.

“Believing that someone would want to buy something that I made is just kind of crazy. Like, really?” she laughed. “OK, that’s great!

It’s just — I feel so honored whenever somebody does. It’s really special to me because I know people work really hard for their money, and to spend however much they spend on art is a luxury. It makes me feel really special that they would choose something of mine to hang in their home and look at every day.”

In a world where massproduced décor items are readily available for a low cost at big box stores, Gray thinks there’s something to be said for owning locally made, handcrafted works of art.

“You have the opportunity to actually meet the person who made it. You can learn more about the backstory of a painting or a piece of art. To me, that makes all the difference,” she said. “It becomes a heritage piece, almost, something you hand down from generation to generation.”

Asked about her artistic goals, Gray said, “I just want people to smile. There’s so much bad stuff in the world — everybody just needs something that is going to bring a smile to their face.

That’s what I’m trying to do.”

And, with luck, she will continue to make people smile — and believe impossible things before breakfast.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

27

GEAR GET A HAT!

IT’S A WRAP, OR A COVER UP.

Try wearing a floppy hat to keep the sun from roasting the top of your head and neck. Also, it will keep you cooler.

Several clothing companies are offering activewear with protection built right in the fabric. If you are outside for long periods, it’s a good idea to wear products that help you stay out longer without the worry about reapplying sunscreens.

With its airy crocheted raffia straw and bohoinspired beaded crown band, Scala’s upturn hat is oh-so ready for a summery good time. The wide brim features a cute, 360-degree flip for a stylish appeal, and the crown band sports turquoise stone and shell accents for a touch of distinction.

Here

You’ll want to book a vacation just to have an excuse to wear this cotton/ linen, long sleeve J. Crew tunic.

SUNSCREEN — DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.

comes the sun!

We’ve been preaching sun protection for years. Here are some top sun protection products to help make it easier to shield yourself and still enjoy the great outdoors.

Sunscreen is what keeps your skin protected from harmful UV rays. Choose one that fits your skin needs and has at least an SPF of 30.

Shiseido’s Ultimate Sun Protection formula now formulated with ingredients selected especially for sensitive skin and children’s skin. This superior mineral-based, high-protection sunscreen is free from chemical sunscreen agents, fragrance, alcohol and parabens.

The low-irritant formula also features Shiseido’s exclusive WetForce technology, so it becomes even more powerful when the applied area is exposed to water for 15 minutes.

AVOID FINE LINES AND WRINKLES.

Your eyes are said to be the windows to your soul. You want to keep those windows spotless and bright. Sunglasses that offer ultraviolet protection make it easy to guard the thin, delicate skin around your eyes.

Embody casual sophistication with the durable design of the Oakley Taper polarized sunglasses.

Their scratch-proof Plutonite lenses protect your eyes from non-visible light rays, and their C-5 alloy frame maintains its shape under stress.

A KISS OF PROTECTION.

Lips are an often-neglected site for sun protection. Cancers can and do arise on the lips, so take a second and apply a lipstick or lip balm every day.

Nobody will ever kiss quite like you with Dior’s sensationally sheer lip balm that responds to the color chemistry of your own lips to create a shade uniquely yours.

Smooth it on to moisturize, add sun protection and enhance your own natural lip color instead of hiding it.

Photos provided by JCREW.COM, MACYS.COM, SIERRATRADINGPOST.COM

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

nothing beats the Taste of Home.

Sample the flavors of the world in our neighborhood Stone Gallery!

7am - 4pm Monday - Friday Saturdays by appointment

610 N Illinois Ave, Carbondale, IL

618-457-2326 www.f-w-s.net

Making your home more beautiful, One room at a time.

Deloufleur Décor and Designs staff has a total of 25 years’ experience in the field. The level of knowledge you’ll receive from our designers will be on par with the best in the industry. Denise Fann, Owner/Designer of Deloufleur worked at Coleman Rhoads Furniture in West Frankfort for 18 years, prior to their closure.

Her specialties include professional interior design and decorating.

Deloufleur Home Furnishings

Monday-Saturday 9am - 5pm • 1615 Landing Drive, Suite B Carterville,IL (next to Mr. Tuxedo off Rt.13) • (618)985-3355

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Brands We Carry Bradington Young • Rowe Hooker Canadel • Cozzia Message Chairs Kincaid Upholstery • Stears & Foster Tropitone Patio • Sam Moore Bernhardt • Lane Wesley Allen • Winners Only & many more

Life & Style : Summer 2016

29

PEOPLE

Glenn Wolter (left) and Richard Wolter of Wolter’s Custom Cabinets in Evansville.

&

Craftsmanship

integrity

30 Life & Style : Summer 2016

Wolter’s Custom Cabinets looking to add flair to Southern Illinois homes

BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI When Glenn Wolter took over the family cabinetry business from his father five years ago, he had big plans for growth. Today, as he adds staff and expands his Evansville, Illinois shop, his vision is forming into shape.

The idea for Wolter’s Custom Cabinets was initiated

Photos by BYRON HETZLER

A worker sands drawers for cabinets at Wolter’s Custom Cabinets in Evansville.

in the early 1970s when Wolter’s father, Richard, filled his evenings and weekends in his basement, building cabinetry for family and friends. In 1984, he turned his hobby into a vocation by launching the fulltime business.

Now, with the same craftsmanship and design integrity, the younger Wolter is carrying on the tradition.

“The growth has been great to see,” he said. “Word of mouth is big for us. We do quality work and people spread the word.”

Wolter’s builds cabinetry for kitchens, baths, bars and entertainment centers and fireplace mantles in a

Provided by GLENN WOLTER OF WOLTER’S CUSTOM CABINETS

variety of woods and stains.

Located a little more than an hour’s drive northwest of Carbondale, the company is looking to expand its footprint into Southern Illinois. With a satisfied base of clients in the metro East, Wolter thinks the transition will be a natural one.

“We have done some work down in Carterville and

Carbondale, but would love to do more,” he said.

Customers of Wolter’s enjoy a fully custom process that starts with the selection of face frame materials made from hard maple, red oak, white oak, hickory or cherry.

From the cabinet bottoms and tops to the backs and shelving materials, Wolter’s means quality.

“We rely on only the best materials and construction methods,” Wolter said. “Some have been in the industry for years and some we have developed on our own.”

Customers also receive service from an invested owner working hard to make sure the family business thrives for generations to come. Wolter is fully engaged in the entire Life & Style : Summer 2016

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PEOPLE

Photos provided by GLENN WOLTER OF WOLTER’S CUSTOM CABINETS

process of new cabinetry, from the home show floor to your dining room table.

This involves the design, measurement, building and installation of every job.

“I like to install all of my cabinets,” Wolter said. “These are custom built for each individual home, so they have to go in a certain way. I could hire outside help, but would rather make sure it’s done right for the customer.”

Depending on the size of the job, Wolter will come to your home for a free consultation and bid.

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

FIND US Wolter’s Custom Cabinets 8204 State Route 3 Evansville, IL 282-3158 www.wolterscustomcabinets. com gwolter@WoltersCustom Cabinets.com

Check out the company’s online gallery at www. wolterscustomcabinets. com/gallery/gallery and become inspired for your next project.

GADGETS

Inflatable Geodesic Tent ‘The Cave’ “The Cave,” designed by Frackenpohl Poulheim, sold under the Heimplanet brand, is a tent with no poles. Instead, this shelter deploys an inflatable diamond grid, a geodesic dome, to support the structure. It’s kind of like a moon bounce without the bounce, a tent that pops out in a minute with a bicycle pump and deflates without any effort at all.

CAMPING 101 Save time, space and make ‘roughing it’ a little easier

Southern Illinois offers some of the most amazing outdoor spaces. Whether you are heading out the back door for a neighborhood bonfire or hiking in the Shawnee National Forest, we have compiled a few essentials to make your stay a little more like home.

You’ll never curse over those strange modular poles again. And, more importantly, you won’t have to worry about poking one of those poles through your tent in the process. It can actually withstand winds up to 75 mph, and the grid exoskeleton is actually split into five double-layered modules, meaning that if one pops, the tent will keep standing.

Cost: $587.40, www. heimplanet.com

Vapur Eclipse Collapsible Water Bottles CampStove — Turn fire into electricity using wood

Victorinox Swiss Army SwissChamp XAVT

The BioLite CampStove generates usable electricity for charging LED lights, mobile phones and other personal devices. Burning only wood, the CampStove creates a smokeless campfire that can cook meals and boil water in minutes. Setup is easy, fuel is free, and flames are hyperefficient with performance on par with white gas stoves.

The world’s most known brand for multi-tools and pocket knives offers this compact and sturdy design made in Switzerland. It is the ultimate Swiss Army knife with 80 essential functions packed into one tool. This model includes a digital clock, altimeter, barometer and thermometer, several blades, corkscrew, can opener, tweezers, toothpick, scissors, fish scaler, magnifying glass, ballpoint pen and LED light, among others.

Cost: $129.95, www.bioliteenergy.com

Cost: $379.99, amazon.com

Cost: $59.95, amazon.com

Sea To Summit X-Pot X-Pot camp cookware collapses flat so it takes up less space in your backpack.

Smart! More room for food. Available in four sizes, the X-Pot uses an anodized aluminum base for fast-boil heat and the walls of the pot are made of BPAfree, heat-resistant silicone. Grippy, flexible nylon handles and a strainer lid complete this functional design.

Vapur Eclipse Collapsible Water Bottles are great flexible canteens.

When you’re out hiking, camping and exploring the great outdoors, an empty stainless steel or plastic water bottle takes up valuable space, but this unique one can be folded, rolled up, or simply flattened when empty. They’re constructed from durable, yet soft 3-ply BPA-free polyethylene and nylon that is both freezable and dishwasher safe and topped with an easy-open drinking cap that includes an attached carabiner.

Cost: $21.95, amazon.com Life & Style : Summer 2016

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What you don’t know about La-Z-Boy could fill a room.

Did you know La-Z-Boy makes more than recliners? Yep—sofas, sectionals, chairs and ottomans are available in over 800 different fabrics and leathers. With this many gorgeous options for your living room, only one question remains: How will you fill yours?

See the full collection in our new Style Book at la-z-boy.com

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2016 ©

SELF

Jennifer Sarver reads a story to children in the preschool art class at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts.

FINE ART

for little fingers

Photos by BYRON HETZLER

Children are able to express themselves and learn about art at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon.

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

Cedarhurst offers kidfocused programs filled with music, poetry and art

BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI Loud bell instruments, messy paint and wild laughter. When instructors Jennifer Sarver and Carrie Gibbs arrive to work Wednesday mornings at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon, they know controlled chaos is in short order — the good kind.

The fun-filled mid-week mornings start at 9 a.m. and feature educational story time and art activities for preschool-aged tots.

Monthly themes are explored through music, poetry FIND US and interactive Cedarhurst expressions of art.

Center “We pretty much for the Arts update the program 2600 Richview every month with Road different themes,” Mount Vernon, IL said Sarver, also 62864 the director (618) 242-1236 of education at Cedarhurst.

“We also have a summer session that is dedicated to the bigger kids who are home from school.

It gives them really fun activities for those summer months.”

The Wednesday programs have room for about 12 participants and generally fill up well ahead of their start date. “We urge parents and caregivers to call us early,” Sarver said. “Space is limited since we have a smaller staff handling the programs, but we like to include as many kids as possible.”

Past class themes have included ABCs and Art and Go Baby Go! The Cedarhurst staff works hard to conceptualize and develop programming that packs both education and entertainment into 45 minutes.

“It’s a great foundation for them to build upon,” Sarver said. “They not only pick up new skills with art and music, they gain social skills through interaction with us and the other kids as well.”

The program launched eight years ago and has built a loyal following of students, parents and caregivers.

“We love to see the kids literally grow up with the program,” Sarver said. “Since we’ve been doing it for so long, we’ve got a lot of kids who started off in this program become really great artists and students.

You really get to watch them grow right in front of your eyes.”

Fees are $40 for each month of four themed classes. Cedarhurst members enjoy a 10 percent discount. Register today by calling 618-242-1236. A limited number of scholarships are available for those in need of financial assistance.

       

                               

Life & Style : Summer 2016

37

GOOD EATS

Lindsey Corn mixes a drink called Out with the Old Fashioned.

Photo by RHONDA M. MAY

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

FULL CIRCLE Chef Sara Bradley and Freight House restaurant return to her roots

Photos provided by GLENN HALL PHOTOGRAPHY

Chef Sara Bradley is passionate about using fresh, local ingredients like KY Blue Snapper (Asian Carp) caught from the river. It’s basted in brown butter and served with a butternut squash puree, wheat berries and softened apples.

“Everything counts. All the cooks and servers that work for me, we have a standing rule.

If you can’t be nice, you can’t work here.”

BY BARB EIDLIN

T

here is an echo when you walk into the dining room of Freight House restaurant that does not come from emptiness.

Sound bounces off the soaring, century-old, exposedpine rafters, off the bricks reclaimed from a building torn down in St. Louis, off the bar made from beams that once supported the big, bay doors. It is, rather, an echo of the past brought present, of the old made new, of a return home. This building that once served as an agricultural distribution center for the region, before laying fallow for 15 to 20 years, is flush again, with an abundance of gourmet food fashioned from produce and livestock all grown and raised within a day’s drive of the restaurant.

The plates coming from the kitchen are robust and thoughtful, both in size and in presentation. Braised pork

— CHEF SARA BRADLEY

‘Eating is an ethical act,’ chef Sara Bradley says. ‘By supporting the people and lands around my home, I truly feel that I am doing the right thing. When there is an honest exchange between the producer and the consumer, everyone benefits.’

shoulder with black-eyed peas, sweet greens, fennel aioli and corn bread evokes a true, southern Sunday dinner.

The Kentucky blue snapper with butternut squash, wheat berries and apple offers a fond farewell to winter. And the sweet tea-brined chicken thighs with white asparagus and fennel-rhubarb stuffing celebrate the first spring crop come to grace the table.

Chef Sara Bradley, who grew up in the Heath area about 20 minutes west of Paducah, is the genius behind this return

to roots. Once upon a time, Sara had the intention of becoming a psychiatrist, but after getting a degree from the University of Kentucky and practicing for a year at a state-run psychiatric hospital, Sara knew she needed to do something different.

“I hated it,” she said. “So I started thinking about what might be a better fit for me. I had always cooked and always wanted to be a chef, but wasn’t sure it was something I could do. I believe sometimes you just have to take a chance, and so I took one, and went to study at Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts in North Carolina.”

While there, she met and worked for a great guy who moved her to Birmingham, Alabama to cook at the Country Club of Birmingham.

After working in that kitchen for a while, Sara realized, at age 25, “that if I didn’t move to New York City and try my hand at the big time, that I Life & Style : Summer 2016

39

GOOD EATS would never forgive myself.”

Following this trajectory led her to work at Dovetail, John Frasier’s Michelin Star restaurant. “He taught me everything about the importance of vegetables in a meal. In my restaurant, I usually come up with the sides and the garnish for the plate first, and then come up with a meat that will complement it. He also received his first Michelin Star when I was there. I am really proud of that.”

A few years later, Sara realized she was missing her family. When an opportunity opened up to work for chef Paul Kahan in Chicago, she leapt at the chance to return to the Midwest to be closer to her roots. After working in all four of Kahan’s restaurants at the same time, Sara ended up at his Michelin Star restaurant — the second of her career.

Even with that success, she muses, something still felt disconnected. About that time, Sara came home to visit her mom and dad, and ended up in Paducah.

“There were all these great breweries and all this energy that wasn’t here when I left 15 years previously,” she said.

And that energy motivated her to come home to be with her family and friends, and to open Freight House.

Sara said she was inspired to create a work environment that felt like family, and to cook food that felt like the kind of food you would like to eat when you sit down with your family. “My grandfather grew a garden so large it fed several families. My grandmother was one of the best cooks I have ever met. My mom baked pies with seasonal produce and served us homecooked meals every night.” It was a no-brainer, she said, to look to her local community for her inspiration.

Eating is an ethical act

While Sara was working toward opening her restaurant, she did a couple of pop-up events at the Paducah farmer’s market to test the waters. The first time out, she served biscuits and gravy with strawberry-chamomile

40 Life & Style : Summer 2016

Photos provided by GLENN HALL PHOTOGRAPHY

Freight House in Paducah is a farm-to-table style dining experience.

MAKE A RESERVATION, NOW! The Freight House is open TuesdayThursday 5-10 pm, and Friday-Saturday 5-11 pm. Reservations are recommended. You may call them at 270-9080006; email them at info@freighthousefood. com; or look for them on Facebook.

Bev Bradley is known as the pie maker and kitchen mom who works along side her daughter, Sara. Save room at the end of you meal for Bev’s most delectable treats.

jam. The sausage came from Riverbend Family Farms in Burna, Kentucky, and the biscuits from her own recipe.

She made 125 portions and sold out in one hour. The second time she did a pop-up, she sold grits with braised pork shoulder and blueberry cornbread. More than 400 people responded to the event on social media. She sold out then, as well.

So the community wanted something like this. “They wanted a place where they could go, where eating a plate of food was not just about the meal,” Sara said. “They wanted something where the food on

the plate represented more.

It represented jobs — for farmers, for cooks, for servers, for delivery drivers. We have a farmer who this year will plant almost five acres for us this season. I go out there and put my hands in the dirt. There’s no better way to learn about seasonal cooking than to put your hands in the dirt. We plant together.”

She works with other farmers, as well, who plant just garlic or radishes or greens. By purchasing as much as she can from local farmers, she makes sure the local economy and community are supported. In that way, she said, eating is an ethical act.

Sara also believes that everything deserves serious attention in making the perfect meal. If you tour

her kitchen, you will see she means it. Her walk-in cooler is cleaner than most operating rooms. The labels on her storage bins are exactly the same length and clearly marked. “Everything counts,” she said. “All the cooks and servers that work for me, we have a standing rule. If you can’t be nice, you can’t work here. We have lost people because of it, but we do not tolerate people who do not treat each other well. It comes across in the food if you are mean to each other.”

A plate of food is more than a plate of food

Beyond working with local farmers, Sara also supports local businesses with retail storefronts. Much of her bread comes from Kirchhoff’s Bakery, a fifth-generation family bakery in downtown Paducah. The fish on her menu has its own microcosm of influence, as she serves Asian Carp, which she buys from Fin Gourmet on Bridge Street.

“Asian Carp is one of the most invasive species of fish in the Midwest, and we need to get it out of the water,” Sara said. “One of the best ways to do that is to eat it.” Eating carp is not only good for the ecosystem, but also great for your palate. “Because of what and where they eat, Asian Carp are an incredibly clean

fish,” she said. “The ones we serve were in the water less than 12 hours before they get to your plate. The one I am working with tonight weighed in at about 70 pounds. This means that the fillets are big, have lots of fat, and have huge flakes, all of which make them very, very tasty.”

Additionally, the co-owners of Fin Gourmet, Dr. Lula Luu and Dr. John Crilly, hire local shrimpers in the off-season to do some of their fishing.

They also create a ready-to-eat food product called Surimi (sometimes called the Spam of Asia) made from Kentucky wild-caught carp. And their storefront has kitchen staff of seven. “So this all circles back to the ethical act,” Sara said. ”I pay them for these beautiful carp fillets, which helps fund them while they are trying to get their business off the ground, helps employ local people, and benefits the rivers.”

I could never have done this in NY or Chicago

“I could never have done this in NY or Chicago,” Sara said, “and I’m not sure I would have wanted to. See Beverly, my mom over there? She’s making pies. It’s her dream, too. Years ago, I asked her — if she could do anything, what would it be? And she said open a pie shop. So, when I opened this place, mom retired from being a social worker after 40 years, and now she works for me making the most amazing desserts. My dad, who is a lawyer, always had a love of architecture, so both of them put in lots of hours in helping design this place. This was a family joint effort.”

When the restaurant is closed, Sara offers Freight House to the local community to use for meetings. Entrepaducah, an organization founded to help entrepreneurs gain access to services they need, meets there. The Paducah Bourbon Society also meets there, which makes sense, since Freight House has over 140 bourbons, ryes and whiskeys.

This collection, curated by Lindsay Horn, the beverage director, is on par with Galt House or The Brown Hotel in

ABOVE: Freight House in Paducah is a farm-to-table style dining experience. RIGHT: Lindsey Corn, bar manager at Freight House, knows a thing or two about cocktails. Lindsey enjoys the freedom she has to serve up hand-crafted, original cocktails that change as much as the dining menu. BOTTOM RIGHT: Looks are deceiving at Freight House. This serving of chicken pot pie looks small, but there’s an abundance of flavorful chicken, parsnips, leeks and thyme under that dome of pastry.

Louisville.

Sara’s farm-to-table philosophy also means that if she can’t support her community directly, she will support the communities of others. For instance, her hard cheese is produced locally

by Lost River Creamery, but pasteurization rules in Kentucky demand that if Sara wants to serve a really good goat cheese, she had to buy from a goat farm in Michigan. She prefers to serve corn-fed beef and cannot find that locally, so she buys through a farmer’s co-op in North Carolina.

“Hopefully we will eventually find beef in the region that we can work with,” Sara said, “but in the meantime, buying from a farmer’s co-op means I support the buying and selling power of other individuals — that the money goes into the pockets of those farmers and into their community directly.”

More than a plate of food

Circling back to benefiting the regional community, Sara said they really kept their potential guests in mind when pricing their menu. She said they didn’t want to create

an environment that was so expensive you couldn’t enjoy yourself. “The portions are good, and it is not overpriced.

If you are buying things in season, it is easy to keep the price down,” Sara said. “Think about it. If you are buying asparagus in February, part of the cost you are paying is the freight from Chile, or wherever, and how old is it by the time it gets to you anyway?

Eating well is not just about stuffing your face, which I love, but about realizing you feel so much better when you put something in your body that you know all about — who grew it, what the land is like, how they raise livestock.

People eat fast food and, yeah, they survive, but there

is a better way to live that is more beneficial to you and your surroundings.”

From the farm, stream and local shop, to the season, plate and community, everything is interrelated.

“My father taught me that if you treat people right, they will work hard for you,” Sara said. “If I treat people right, they will come back.”

Businesses like Freight House help people like Sara come back home and help others stay. So it all comes full circle.

With the success of small, businesses, local employment rises, more money stays in the local economy and the community grows. Like Sara said, a plate of food is more than just a plate of food.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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Social SPIRITS SPIRITS

Classic rum and Tiki drinks have made their comeback

by BARB EIDLIN

As it turns out, rum may be the ultimate eco-friendly drink, as it was born from the need to handle a serious industrial waste problem. In the 17th century, Caribbean farmers produced sugar by crushing sugar cane and boiling the resulting juices. What resulted was left to cure in clay pots, leaving behind the byproducts of sugar, and a gooey liquid that came to be called molasses.

From molasses to rum

Today we use molasses in many things, but, back in the 17th century, planters couldn’t give it away. It was plentiful and many ended up dumping the unwanted molasses into the ocean just to be rid of it.

Luckily for all of us who enjoy a good drink, someone eventually figured out that if you mix the molasses with the liquid skimmed from the cane juice during its initial boiling, and then ferment it, the result is a good starting point for distillation, and the liquor made by this process came to be known as rum.

There is still some disagreement about where the term rum came from. Some say it is from the word rumbullion, meaning “a great tumult or uproar.” Others claim that the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as rummers. Regardless, we can thank the British for finally making the spirit popular.

In 1655, the British fleet captured Jamaica from the Spanish and authorized rum to replace the daily beer ration. They found that rum could survive the temperatures of the early trading routes and stay fresh far longer than

RARE’s Captain Morgan Spiced Orange Mojito At 86 calories per 1.5 ounce serving of rum, this drink remains light on its feet with an additional infusion of mint, club soda and a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice. Garnish with an orange and enjoy this sunset colored pick-me-up.

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

water or beer.

Since then, we have learned that not only does rum have healthful properties, but some varieties are actually fairly low in calories. It’s when fruit juices are added to those cocktails that the carbs and calories start to add up.

Feel like avoiding some sugar? Try a rum and tonic with a 2:3 ratio.

Or try an infused mojito, as concocted by Abby Taylor, the bartender at Rare Chop House in Mount Vernon. The restaurant is in a building that was originally a car dealership in the 1930s. The second floor was the showroom, and this history is evidenced by the open, loft-like space and huge beams in the ceiling. Rare has a beautiful bar area where you can sit to wait for your dinner reservations, or just drop by for a cocktail or two. Abby said she likes to keep it light for the summer months. So, for this season, she is leading with a Captain Morgan Spiced Orange Mojito.

Classic and Tiki-esque drinks

Classic drinks have been experiencing a resurgence lately and, among them, Tiki drinks — popularized in the mid-20th century — have taken the lead. The first Tiki bar opened in the 1930s on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles by Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt (aka Don Beach), who decorated the space with items from the South Pacific and developed a cocktail menu that celebrated the many styles of rum, from light to dark, that he had tasted over the years. Since then, mixologists and bartenders have tried to replicate his closely guarded recipes.

As Jenny San of the everclassy Hunan Restaurant in Carbondale will tell you, “Of

Hunan’s Fuji and Blue Lagoon Jenny’s exact portions are a trade secret, learned from her husband, various cocktail books and 10 years of practice, but the ingredients of the Fuji are orange curacao, light rum, brandy, orange juice, pineapple juice, sweet and sour mix and grenadine. The Blue Lagoon (pictured) is made with pineapple juice, blue curacao, vodka and sweet and sour mix.

course those recipes were kept a secret. The real magic in any drink is really in the bartender!”

Jenny and her husband, Chan, have kept the art of the Tiki drink alive in Southern Illinois, and this classic Asian restaurant’s tropical drink menu is a rum lover’s paradise. When visiting Hunan, you can play it safe with a Mai-tai or a Zombie, or up the ante with the restaurant’s two most exciting drinks: the Fuji and Blue Lagoon. Made for two, these Tiki-esque drinks come in a swimming-pool-sized bowl whose shape is reminiscent of a volcano. They are served with fruit and lit on fire. But you won’t be overwhelmed.

Jenny has a light touch — a combination that might flirt with overkill in anyone else’s hands becomes delicate and refreshing in hers.

As classic rum and Tiki drinks have made their comeback, they have inspired bartenders across the country to update those drinks in the form of a signature cocktail of their own. One of those cocktails, the “Six Shooter,” is an offering from The W Restaurant and Lounge in Du Quoin. This unusual restaurant offers fine dining in a classic, white-table-cloth setting in the front room, or the same delicious menu on a little more casual basis in the back room, which comes replete with a wall of windows looking out into an arena where you can watch local equestrians training,

roping and riding.

Steven Shockley, W’s marketing and media manager, said the “Six Shooter” is a terrific summer refresher in the style of a Red Punch. The restaurant’s exact recipe is secret, but one can taste pineapple, a sweet and sour tang, and a hint of grenadine, along with that tropical rum flavor. Steven said he and the bartender, Chase, work to keep on top of the resurging classic cocktail trend.

“Our customers have a really educated palate, so we make sure to do the research to bring a new twist to classic drinks such as the Mai Tai or this rum punch,” he added.

“We take classes to make sure that our drinks are perfectly paired with the food we serve and are blended to perfection.”

However you slice it, summer is a time to kick back and socialize, and rum’s flexible flavor profile makes it the ultimate in social spirits. So, join the folks at Rare, Hunan or W Restaurant, or drop by your favorite local establishment and see what your bartender is serving up in the spirit of summer.

W Restaurant and Lounge’s Six Shooter One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak … It even has its very own poem! Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Combine 4 teaspoons lime juice, 8 teaspoons sugar syrup and about 2 ounces rum. Shake or stir, as you like. Fill your favorite chilled tumbler glass with ice and strain the contents of the shaker into the glass. Garnish with a slice of citrus fruit or a maraschino cherry.

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45

SCENIC BEAUTY

Summer 46

Life & Style : Summer 2016

by LES WINKELER There is something inherently awe inspiring about walking the “streets” of Giant City.

First, there is an element of human insignificance as you stroll past the towering limestone bluffs. There is an element of wonder at the power of nature that carved these formations. And, you can’t help but ponder the past — who walked through and lived in this ancient place before Europeans arrived.

Giant City exudes something of an otherworldly feel, particularly during summertime when the formations seem to exhale cool air.

It’s little wonder Giant City State Park has become a Southern Illinois icon.

You cannot call yourself a Southern Illinois resident if you haven’t been to Giant City. When visitors come to Southern Illinois for the first time, Giant City is a must see.

And, a visit to the park is a rite of passage for Southern Illinois University students.

Geologists tell us that the streets of Giant City were formed 12,000 years ago.

Rock ledges form shelter bluffs, wet-weather waterfalls and, particularly in the winter, offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

Like any mature “city,” the streets are lined with massive trees. The walls of the bluffs are landscaped with various ferns, mosses, mints and a changing seasonal palette of wildflowers.

Rock climbing and rappelling are allowed in limited locations.

Giant City is a hiker’s paradise. The trails are varied in length, difficulty and scenery.

The Giant City Trail is among the most popular.

It leads hikers through the namesake streets. The Indian Creek Trail takes visitors through a lowland forest and eventually to another rock formation.

The Stone Fort Trail leads to a large stone wall believed to have been built by Native Americans from 600 to

COME STROLL THE STREETS Giant City State Park 235 Giant City Road in Makanda 618-457-4836 www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/ Pages/GiantCity.aspx

Photos by LES WINKELER

ABOVE: Wildflowers, like this purple passion flower, add color to Giant City’s trails. LEFT: The Michigan lily can be found at Giant City State Park from early- to mid-summer. FAR LEFT: Hiking is a favorite activity for Giant City visitors. TOP: The ‘streets’ of Giant City have been drawing visitors to the iconic Southern Illinois park for generations.

900 AD. Giant City State Park is one of the most diverse in Illinois.

Giant City Lodge offers

a full-menu restaurant, although the family-style chicken dinner is probably the most popular offering.

Lodging is also available.

The park also has a campground with 85 sites and a riding stable.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

47

HOW TO

Mom’s genius biscotti-shaping method: small loaf pans. INSET: The author’s mother’s first Italian wedding cookie cake.

Photo by ALEE QUICK

48

Life & Style : Summer 2016

Italian wedding cookie cake Keeping wedding traditions alive, one delicious bite at a time

by ALEE QUICK Every family has special wedding traditions.

Departed relatives join the ceremonies and parties from beyond the grave in customs, in candles and photos, in jewelry and clothing, and in stories told with interrupting bursts of raucous laughter at the aunts and uncles table, or on the mic, with bridesmaids subtly drying their eyes.

In my family, dead relatives visit our weddings through the Italian wedding cookie cake.

A proper Italian wedding cookie “cake” is a work of art. It isn’t one big cookie. It’s a wide variety of sweets, arranged beautifully on tiered serving dishes or stacked carefully in towering pyramids, the heaviest pastries at the bottom. They’re all homemade from family recipes, and frozen in the months leading up to the big day (and thawed in the days before, of course). Pastel candy-coated Jordan almonds, preferably purchased from your local Italian bakery, dot the sugary landscapes, waiting to be plucked by a hungry cousin before dinner is served.

My mom remembers these cookie towers at her aunts’, uncles’ and cousins’ weddings. But the tradition skipped a generation, until my brother’s wedding — it was the last wedding for which my late grandmother made the cookies.

The first Christmas after her mother’s death, my mom and her friend decided to make fig-filled cookies. called cuccidati. using a recipe from her mom’s recipe box.

They didn’t realize until they were halfway through mixing the dough that the recipe would feed an army.

We were still eating fig cookies in April.

Maybe it was one of those recipes my grandma used for weddings. Maybe this is what convinced my mom she could take on the task of supplying a sufficient variety and quantity of cookies to feed hundreds.

Maybe it was just the need to keep her mom’s memory alive. Maybe it was because she took home her mom’s recipe box. It’s up to my mom now to “do the cookies” when anyone in the family announces an

engagement.

Always on the menu: pizzelles, a delicate waffle cookie; pecan tartlets like little pecan pies; biscotti and sesame seed cookies that beg to be drenched in coffee.

For some, the pizzelles, biscotti and Italian cookies are an acquired taste. Anise, which gives black licorice its discerning flavor, is usually featured prominently.

Macaroons are a nice alternative for the can’t-stand-anise camp.

Mom refers to her copy of “The Italian Bakery” by Lee Mangione Cirillo (featuring, as the cover proclaims, “The Wedding Cookie Cake”) when organizing and stacking the arrangements.

Her first solo arrangement was a pair of pyramid-shaped towers. She was nervous about the possibility of cookie collapse, so she used frosting to sort of “glue” the layers together.

She learned a lot from that first cookie cake; now she opts for tiered serving dishes, which she outfits with decor to match the wedding’s themes. My aunt’s wedding cookie cake arrangement was decorated with blue and brown ribbon and decorative silvery tree branches.

Mom often picks up serving utensils specifically for each wedding. Thrift stores are a good place to find affordable and unique servers to match a couple’s personality and aesthetic.

But the decor and arrangement mean little compared to the taste of each cookie.

These artful edibles start with delicious cookie recipes, perfected and passed down in the family.

I made a trip home to St. Louis in early spring to test a couple of recipes with my mom. As we baked almond biscotti — her staple recipe — and chocolate pepper cookies — my favorite — her house bloomed with the spicy, intoxicating smell of anise and pepper and toasted almond.

As we laid out cookies on the dining room table to cool, my mom’s doorbell rang — neighbors dropping by to dish the latest neighborhood gossip. We congregated on my mom’s front porch, trading stories, and an old family friend dropped by with his elderly, wafer-thin Greyhound riding shotgun.

At some point, everyone was invited inside, and the cookies started disappearing before we could even frost them.

Biscotti 2 cups butter 1 cup chopped almonds (my mom toasts her almonds in the oven first, then chops them) 1 tablespoon anise seed 7 cups flour 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 tablespoons almond extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 eggs 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons anise extract Melt butter, stir in sugar, oil, vanilla and beat in eggs one at a time. Add extract and anise seed. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients to batter gradually. Add nuts. Roll into logs and place on cookie sheet. (My mom forms the “logs” by filling small loaf pans with the dough about an inch high. She uses a large fork to pat down the dough in the loaf pan so it’s flat. Then she turns the loaf pan over onto her baking sheet, letting gravity pull out the loaf-shaped dough.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Cut into slices, put back in oven and brown slightly about seven minutes on each side.

Sesame Seed Cookies (Guiggiolena) 6 eggs 2 cups sugar 2 cups shortening 1 stick butter 2 tablespoons vanilla 10 cups flour 2 tablespoons baking powder 2 pound sesame seeds Orange rind Beat eggs with sugar, shortening and butter.

Add vanilla, flour and baking powder.

Roll dough in thin strips. Cut in small pieces.

Dab with beaten egg white, then in sesame seeds.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet about 10 minutes at 375 degrees, or until slightly browned.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

49

HOW TO

Italian Cookies Not a very descriptive title — my grandma’s recipe box must have 10 different versions of “Italian Cookies.” My mom says these are a wedding cookie cake staple.

2 cups chopped pecans 6 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup raisins 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 chopped maraschino cherries 2-4 drops anise oil 4 cups flour 2-4 tablespoons milk Powdered sugar

1

Combine slightly beaten eggs with nuts, salt, raisins, oil, sugar, baking powder, cherries, anise oil and flour. Add milk. Dough should be thick.

2

Grease two cookie sheets with shortening and flour. Dish out dough with tablespoon and form about four loaves about two inches wide and two inches apart and one inch high.

Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take out of oven and cut in slices 3/4 inch. Turn on side and bake 15 minutes longer. If necessary, turn on other side. Bake until done.

Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Know your cookies

3

1. Macaroons 2. Cuccidati or fig filled cookies

5

3. Guiggiolena (sesame seed cookies), clockwise from left, Stella’s Italian cookies, almond biscotti and layered Neopolitan squares mingled with pastel candy-coated Jordan almonds 4. Pizzelle

4

6

5. Chocolate pepper cookies 6. Pecan tartlets 7. Snowballs and pink and mint colored iced biscotti mingled with layered Neopolitan squares

7

8. Pizzelle

8 Photos provided by PAMELA YELTON

50 Life & Style : Summer 2016

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51

COVER

Taste your way

through the seasons

52

Life & Style : Summer 2016

A longer growing season and diverse variety make Southern Illinois the perfect place to eat fresh, seasonal foods year-round

by JOE SZYNKOWSKI

P

ut down your fork and grab your keys. It’s time for a drive. Embark on a trek to your local farmer’s market or organic grocer to take in the brilliance of seasonal foods at their finest. Freshly picked with rich nutrients, these vibrant fruits and vegetables are here for only a month or so — until they are replaced by the next wave of seasonal foods — a cycle made possible by Southern Illinois’s lengthy growing season and stable of committed, steadfast farming professionals.

If you are equally as dedicated, it is possible to eat a purely seasonal diet throughout the year. Just ask Reanna Putnam, farmer’s market program manager and farming alliance program specialist at Food Works in Carbondale, Putnam is a major leader of the nonprofit organization focused on facilitating the development of a regional food economy in Southern Illinois.

Putnam doesn’t just preach seasonal eating.

She practices it, too. For five years, she has committed to eating only fresh, seasonal foods from local growers. Doing so helps her maintain a plant-based diet and stay in tune with her local ecosystem.

“I’m passionate about it,” she said. “I only eat asparagus for those few weeks when it’s fresh and available in early spring. The same goes for strawberries and all of the other foods grown here.”

Putnam has become a connoisseur of local fruits and vegetables. A lot of people may think of only sweet corn and peaches when asked which crops thrive in Southern Illinois. People like Putnam have found so much more.

“Eating seasonally really gives you an opportunity to get intimate with where you live,” she said. “It’s about education. It’s about knowing what’s around you. There’s something special about that.”

And then there are the health benefits. When you eat with the seasons, you revitalize your body with a variety of important vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants required for optimal health. Organic seasonal foods are grown in a sustainable manner by farmers who rotate crops to increase soil fertility and avoid using toxic pesticides for food growth. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

“Eating seasonally helps you eat more fruits and vegetables,” Putnam said. “You end up eating less meat and less refined grains. Fewer calories. More fiber. There are many health benefits.”

Now find your fork and eat up. Your favorite season awaits.

A new crop of Beefsteak tomatoes from Echo Valley Orchards, which is about seven miles from Neighborhood Co-Op Grocery. INSET: Morel mushrooms (top) and green onions.

Photos by BYRON HETZLER

Life & Style : Summer 2016

53

COVER

What to eat Month-by-month breakdown of seasonal foods in Southern Illinois

This is a monthly breakdown of what you can find at your local farmer’s market, along with some ideas on how to use these fruits and vegetables for seasonal eating. Don’t forget about your local meat providers, too, who use grass-fed, rotational grazing processes to deliver your finished products. Use the information below to savor your food in a seasonal way this summer, fall, winter and spring, and set yourself up for fresher, healthier eating.

January Spinach: With temperatures at their coldest, January is the ideal time for hardy vegetables like spinach to hit your plate. Spinach is rich in vitamins and nutrients, even after you cook it. You can also find it in different colors throughout the growing season, including purple, white and pink.

Steam it, boil it or eat it raw in a salad. Spinach holds the key to getting your year off to a healthy start. For cooking over the stove, use a high-sided frying pan with a touch of olive oil at medium heat. Watch as the spinach wilts into its cooked form and eat it straight out of the pan — after it cools, of course.

Other seasonal options: Kale, winter carrots, other greens.

Photo by BYRON HETZLER

March

Mixed Greens: Sticking with the green theme, when the grass turns green, so should your plate.

February

Asian Greens: April Vigardt of SIU Sustainable Farm to Fork Farm received an Illinois specialty grant for a two-year project on growing Asian greens and introducing them at farmer’s markets.

“Some varieties we found to be the best were Tokyo Bekana, Mei QuingChoi and joi Choi, which are smaller bok choys, vitamin green, Komatsuna and several others,” she said. “They are very versatile and good very fast and can be eaten raw in salads. Their shelf life seems to be much longer than lettuce, so we are proposing using some in place of lettuce.”

Other seasonal options: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, leeks.

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

“I eat a lot of spring rolls,” said Reanna Putnam, farmer’s market program manager and farming alliance program specialist at Food Works in Carbondale. “I use mixed greens and finely grated radish, wrap it all in rice paper and you get about two salads worth of vegetables.”

Other seasonal options: Cauliflower, onions, radishes.

April Asparagus: Had your fill of hardy greens? Asparagus is a versatile option loaded with important vitamins. If you’re looking to create a stir-fry masterpiece, cut the asparagus or leave the spears whole and slice them into 1- to 2-inch pieces, making diagonal cuts. Add some heart-healthy oil like canola to your pan, as well as carrots, onions and green peppers for a versatile dish.

Other seasonal options: Strawberries, cherries, sweet onions.

May Rhubarb: We’ve all had a taste of rhubarb pie at one point or another. Let’s get creative. Add some sugar and work it into some of your favorite savory dishes. Try it paired with roasted beets and placed on top of a bed of asparagus or Asian greens. Top it with a homemade vinaigrette to take it to the next level.

Other seasonal options: Cabbage, spring garlic, peaches.

Photo by BYRON HETZLER

June

Fruits: If you like toast and jelly, June is your jam. Just check out this list of fresh fruits best picked in early summer: plums, apricots, blackberries, raspberries and cherries. Make and share your own fresh homemade jam, jellies and preserves to become the talk of your neighborhood.

Other seasonal options: Peas, broccoli, cauliflower.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

55

COVER

September Vegetables: In the height of summer, there are literally dozens of seasonal options at your fingertips, making it the ideal time to eat seasonally.

Putnam recommends making a homemade ratatouille by combining as many vegetables as possible into a bowl of pure beauty. “It’s a great way to really load up on produce,” she said.

Fill a pot with fresh tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, parsley, basil and thyme. Allow the vegetables to cook until they are tender, and enjoy with a light white wine.

July

Other seasonal options: Nectarines, gourds, pears.

Sweet Corn: Southern Illinois is synonymous with sweet corn. If you haven’t stopped by a local stand hawking the succulent, sweet treats, then you are missing out. This July, grab an ear and enjoy some grilled kernels. Unwrap the ear without removing the husk. (Do remove a few pieces to serve as wrapping for later in the process). Add butter and salt, then rewrap the ear and tie with some of the husk you removed. Grill on medium heat for 10 minutes and enjoy with your meal or as a standalone goodie on a warm July evening.

Other seasonal options: Green beans, peppers, eggplant.

August

Tomatoes: Juicy red tomatoes go with a Southern Illinois August like humidity, baseball and trips to the water park. There are countless ways to incorporate tomatoes into your diet, including fresh salsas and marinara sauces. And the best thing about tomatoes is their abundance. Load up during the summer and freeze your various creations for a hearty treat when the weather cools.

Other seasonal options: Grapes, celery and cantaloupes.

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

Zucchini Photo by BYRON HETZLER

October

Pumpkins: What better food to enjoy seasonally in October than the month’s de facto food mascot? In addition to serving as the perfect decoration for fall holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, pumpkins, gourds and other edible squash are packed with beta-carotene and vitamin K to give your body a fall-time boost. From pie fillings to salad toppers, you can’t go wrong by mixing in these October staples.

Other seasonal options: Apples, spinach, kohlrabi.

November Sweet Potatoes: When it’s sweet potato season, it’s time to pack on the potassium.

Find a sweet and savory combination for these tasty delights. What better way than a classic casserole? Whip your sweet potatoes until they’re smooth and then top them off with a delicious mixture of buttery brown sugar and crunchy pecans. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes and enjoy the golden-colored treat.

Other seasonal options: Green beans, late season fruits, winter squash.

December

Turnips: This bulbous root vegetable resembles the beet, and it is closely related to the radish and arugula. Mix them all together and you’ve got a seasonal wonder. Turnips are hardy, requiring a slow, low roast to pull out their true flavor profile. Let them develop the soft, buttery quality of a sweet yam and enjoy with some of the salsas you stocked away during the summer.

Other seasonal options: Kale, potatoes and winter garlic.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

57

WHERE WE LIVE

new!

Dark woodwork, antique furniture and walls lined with filled bookcases give the café a feeling of an old English pub.

What’s old is

Reunited couple creates café, bed-and-breakfast in historic Alto Pass building

BY THE SOUTHERN

The building, painted cerulean blue, stands out on the two-block downtown business district in Alto Pass, population 389. Joining Grammer’s Market, Doo & Dye Salon, Farmer’s State Bank and Root Beer Saloon is Old Mill Inn Café and B&B. That business might be new to the Union County town, but the building is an historic one. It is where, in 1888, the Alto Pass Milling Co. was established and where Alto 58

Life & Style : Summer 2016

Pride Flour was produced.

“We have older folks coming by who say they used to work at the mill when they were youngsters,” said Michael Jeremiah, who owns the Old Mill Inn with his wife, Dottie. “There is a lot of history here.”

Michael and Dottie have an interesting history, too.

Both were raised in Chester and attended Chester High School. He graduated in 1961, she in 1963. Although they dated in high school, nothing much ever came of it.

“She had two big brothers, and that was enough for me,” said Michael, laughing.

The pair went their separate ways, he to Alto Pass with his first wife, 45 years ago. Dottie moved to Columbia, Illinois.

As Michael’s 50th high school reunion approached, a mutual friend began to prod the pair into meeting up again. Both were unattached, but Dottie wasn’t interested.

“She kept telling each of us that the other really wanted to get together, but I really had no idea of getting together

with Michael Jeremiah,” said a smiling Dottie, sitting at one of three tables for four in the first-floor café. “But she kept at us, talking to us individually, and I finally gave in.”

Making a home

They were married less than a year later, in April 2012, and made a home in part of the old flour mill, which Michael has owned for about 15 years. They talked about doing something with the empty space around

them. Dottie said she always wanted to do something in the food business. “Maybe a little bakery or something,” she said.

“We talked about it for a couple of years,” Michael said. “But then we would ask ourselves, ‘Do we really want to do this?’”

But the couple, who said they love to sit on the porch and balcony that runs the full width of the inn, observed something that pushed them to take the chance.

“We watched the increased traffic, mainly because of the wine trail and especially in the fall, that Alto Pass was

getting,” Dottie said. “People would come through asking about a good place to get food, so we decided to give it a try.”

Breathing new life in the space

They spent last winter getting the building renovated, and plans for opening a café and bed-andbreakfast took shape. “Once the hard work was done, I started to really enjoy it,” Dottie said.

“It was a little daunting,” Michael added. “You never know what you’re going to find in these old buildings.”

Photos by RICHARD SITLER

ABOVE: This is the private dining area for patrons of the bed-andbreakfast, where guests are served a country breakfast each morning of their stay. TOP: Michael and Dottie Jeremiah have transformed the old flour mill in downtown Alto Pass into a bed-and-breakfast and café.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

59

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201 West Washington Benton, IL 62812

300 Small Street Harrisburg, IL 62946

(618) 438-2815 60 Life & Style : Summer 2016

(618) 252-0770

3315 Patriot Court Herrin, IL 62948

(618) 997-1800

The largest bedroom in the Old Mill Inn Café and B&B was decorated in Victorian style by Dottie.

The building has three floors and a basement; the first floor houses the Jeremiahs on the west side and the café on the east.

The second floor is for guests. Both Michael and Dottie shake their heads in a vigorous “no” when asked if there are plans in the works to expand into the third floor, which is used now for storage.

Home of the ‘stacked’ pie

Outside the café, which opened in late July 2015, a little chalkboard sign hangs, advertising the fare prepared

by Dottie: baked ham, French dips, other sandwiches, and salads served with homemade Italian bread. When the weather gets cool, Dottie said she will add soups and stews.

One of the most interesting Life & Style : Summer 2016

61

WHERE WE LIVE

Michael and Dottie Jeremiah sit in the café, which also features sweets, including fudge, as seen behind them.

items on the little board is the “stacked” pies. Dottie serves the pie in a glass, layering crust, then filling, then crust and more filling, topped off with whipped cream.

“They are made to order, so the crust is nice and fresh and maintains its texture,” Dottie said. She whips up banana cream, coconut cream, lemon and chocolate cream varieties.

Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the café has a kind of English Tudor feel. All the wood, and there’s lots of it, is original, with massive beams crossing the ceiling and broad window framing. “People tell us they think it looks like an old pub,” Dottie said.

The setting is intimate; there are three tables for four, one table for six and a cozy table for two. The walls are 62

Life & Style : Summer 2016

lined with bookshelves made

by Michael; paperbacks sell for $1, and hardbacks for $3.

“If kids come in and want books, I’ll just give it to them,” Michael said.

Behind vintage glass cases are various flavors of homemade fudge, which Michael makes with his daughter, Rachelle, of Carbondale. Dottie’s daughter, Darla, of Kirkwood, Missouri, helps the couple with the website and business matters.

Also for sale are Michael’s craft projects. He has for years created original cameo brooches, and decorative wine bottle stoppers and caddies. “The brooches are very popular with the younger women,” Dottie said. “Some of them are using them for their bridal bouquets.”

The café feels full, but cozy,

COME IN What: Old Mill Inn Café and B&B Where: 260 Main St., Alto Pass Phone: 618-697-5860 What else: Because of the stairs and the balcony, a stay is limited to grown-ups

not cramped. “Everyone seems so comfortable here,” Dottie said. “After church, we’ll have a crowd, and it’s like being at home; everyone is talking to everyone else. That’s exactly what we want.”

Reserve a room

From that café, breakfast is served to guests of the bedand-breakfast, which sprawls across the entire second floor.

Even though the café is open only on weekends, guests can stay seven days a week and can expect a full country breakfast every morning. It is served in the guest dining room, in the center of the layout.

Two sitting rooms, one large and one small, feature comfortable seating, flatscreen TVs, books and magazines. Everywhere you look is antique furniture — Michael used to sell antiques — and other pieces Michael has created. To a novice, it’s difficult to tell which is which.

There are three bedrooms, and the English theme continues throughout. The Victorian Room is furnished with a substantial headboard and queen-size bed, a dresser and chest of drawers, upon which lay two pairs of vintage gloves and bouquets. It has

“It’s been much more of a success than we anticipated, which is a good thing.

We are very happy here, together, and we love sharing it with people.”

— DOTTIE JEREMIAH

a private bathroom and available for $125 a night.

The Princess Room and Prince Room are also filled with antique furniture, lamps and paintings. The rooms share a bathroom, which can be made private from either bedroom, if there is no one staying in the other. The Princess Room, with queen bed, is $110; the Prince Room has a double bed and it’s $80 a night.

All bedrooms have modern amenities: flat-screen TVs, DVRs, DVDs, satellite television and free Wi-fi.

Bathrooms are equipped with hairdryers, soaps and shampoos.

Off the larger of the common rooms is a side table, built by Michael, with a coffee bar. Guests can make coffee whenever they like, and behind that is a small kitchen with microwave and refrigerator. “That way, guests can bring in their food and not have to worry about going out, if they don’t want to,” Dottie said.

A piece of Heaven

Along the entire width of the second floor is a balcony equipped with café tables and chairs. “We like to sit on the balcony and watch the world go by,” Michael said. Guests can do the same, but they aren’t limited to that.

Alto Pass is 20 miles from Carbondale and 35 miles from Cape Girardeau. It sits in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest, and it is on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.

Hiking areas are nearby, and

Flowers are framed by a window in a bedroom at the bed-and-breakfast.

just on the east edge of town the road leads up to a dizzying scenic overlook, from which Bald Knob Cross is visible across the valley.

Neither Michael or Dottie are quite ready to undertake

another big project, but there are plans to create a patio and outside eating area in an empty space at the west end of the building.

But, for now, the couple is getting used to running a

thriving business.

“It’s been much more of a success than we anticipated, which is a good thing,” Dottie said. “We are very happy here, together, and we love sharing it with people.”

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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GETAWAYS

Fishing boats dock in the harbor at Peggy’s Cove.

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

Discover the real allure of

NOVA

SCOTIA

Picturesque charm surrounded by maritime wonders

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65

GETAWAYS

ABOVE: Sailboats reflect the early morning sun in Lunenburg’s harbor. BELOW: The short hike to Balancing Rock is worth the effort.

story and photos by LES WINKELER

D

iversity is the best reason to visit Nova Scotia.

Traveling through the province is like taking four vacations in one.

The natural beauty of Nova Scotia ranges from the heavily forested hills of Cape Breton Highlands National Park to the rocky, craggy shorelines that surround the province.

There are a variety of cultures, reflecting the Scotch and French heritage of Nova Scotia’s early settlers. Scotland is the only place in the world with more Gaelic speaking residents. French is also spoken in some areas.

Then, there is the contrast between rural and urbane.

Large parts of the island are largely undeveloped, while Halifax is a vibrant port city with chic restaurants and entertainment centers.

And, while the small towns that dot the province enjoy all the amenities of 21st century life, many maintain a picturesque charm that hasn’t been swept away by modernization or urban sprawl.

In most areas, it’s possible to get a quick cup of coffee and

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

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GETAWAYS

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Life & Style : Summer 2016

ABOVE: A humpback whale heads for the deep off the coast of Nova Scotia. LEFT: The lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove is an active lighthouse.

CANADA Quebec

Prince Edward Island

Quebec City

U.S.

New Brunswick

Montreal

New Hampshire Massachusetts Connecticut

Rhode Island

Nova Scotia

RHONDA M. MAY | SOURCE: GOOGLE MAPS

Maine Vermont

an order of doughnut holes, known as Tim Bits at the local Tim Horton’s, or dine in a quaint restaurant overlooking a working harbor. Many of the small towns, such as Peggy’s Cove, are essentially a jigsaw puzzle come to life.

Best of all, it’s possible to see a lot of the province in 10 days or less. The province encompasses just 23,000 square miles, roughly the size of West Virginia.

If arriving by air, Halifax, the capital of the province, will be the starting point.

Halifax has a modern boardwalk lining the harbor, filled with upscale eateries. The maritime

history of Nova Scotia is also prominently featured.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a must see.

Halifax played an important role in the Titanic disaster.

Bodies of all the victims of the tragedy were brought to Halifax for processing.

And, Halifax was the sight of a World War I disaster.

The Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, collided with another boat in the harbor. The resulting blast was the most powerful manmade explosion prior to the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. About 1,800 people were killed, and the shock waves shattered Life & Style : Summer 2016

69

ABOVE: A humpback whale heads for the deep off the coast of Nova Scotia. LEFT: The lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove is an active lighthouse.

CANADA Quebec

Prince Edward Island

Quebec City

U.S.

New Brunswick

Montreal

New Hampshire Massachusetts Connecticut

Rhode Island

Nova Scotia

RHONDA M. MAY | SOURCE: GOOGLE MAPS

Maine Vermont

an order of doughnut holes, known as Tim Bits at the local Tim Horton’s, or dine in a quaint restaurant overlooking a working harbor. Many of the small towns, such as Peggy’s Cove, are essentially a jigsaw puzzle come to life.

Best of all, it’s possible to see a lot of the province in 10 days or less. The province encompasses just 23,000 square miles, roughly the size of West Virginia.

If arriving by air, Halifax, the capital of the province, will be the starting point.

Halifax has a modern boardwalk lining the harbor, filled with upscale eateries. The maritime

history of Nova Scotia is also prominently featured.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a must see.

Halifax played an important role in the Titanic disaster.

Bodies of all the victims of the tragedy were brought to Halifax for processing.

And, Halifax was the sight of a World War I disaster.

The Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, collided with another boat in the harbor. The resulting blast was the most powerful manmade explosion prior to the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. About 1,800 people were killed, and the shock waves shattered Life & Style : Summer 2016

69

GETAWAYS

ABOVE: Children play a role in re-creating 18th-century life at Fort Louisbourg. RIGHT: A re-enactor stands guard at Fort Louisbourg.

windows 50 miles away.

But, the real allure of Nova Scotia is the countryside and the ocean, and everything is just a short drive away.

Whale watching opportunities abound on the Digby Neck.

Experienced captains place tourists in close proximity to humpback and finback whales. In early summer, the huge humpbacks can be spotted swimming with their calves.

Bird-watching tours are available up the coastline, in areas like Bras d’Or. Puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, cormorants, razorbills, bald eagles and northern gannets are species most likely to be seen.

If visiting Nova Scotia, driving the Cabot Trail is a must. The Cabot Trail circles the northern tip of the province, home to Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The heavily forested 70 Life & Style : Summer 2016

Visitors can purchase fresh loaves of bread similar to the fare issued to members of the garrison. There is a working blacksmith shop, frequent dancing demonstration and a daily exhibition of public punishment. Visitors cheer and jeer as a citizen is sentenced to hours in a stock and pillory for allegedly stealing a bottle of wine. area features breathtaking views of Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline and affords visitors the opportunity to view moose, snowshoe hare and maybe even a lynx.

In the spring and early summer, the abundance of wildflowers adds color to the countryside’s palette.

Yet, it is the small-town charm of places like Cheticamp, a French region,

or Judique, home of the Celtic Music Interpretive Center, that holds the most allure.

The spire of St. Peter’s Catholic Church dominates the skyline around Cheticamp. The massive sandstone structure was built in 1893.

Most days, visitors to the Celtic Music Interpretive Center are treated to

traditional fiddle music.

The small town of Lunenburg is also a must see. Located just a few miles from Peggy’s Cove, the quaint village sits on a bluff overlooking a sailboat-filled harbor. Historic buildings and stately homes line the hilly streets of this quiet town.

Finally, for history buffs there is the Fortress of Louisbourg. Re-enactors recreate life in an 18th century French fortress.

Visitors can purchase fresh loaves of bread similar to the fare issued to members of the garrison. There is a working blacksmith shop, frequent dancing demonstration and a daily exhibition of public punishment. Visitors cheer and jeer as a citizen is sentenced to hours in a stock and pillory for allegedly stealing a bottle of wine.

And, that is just scratching the surface of this unique place.

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GETAWAYS

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Anne, sunsets and cows

by JOHN PFEIFER

T

he curved 12.9 kilometers was just the right distance to get ready for Prince Edward Island — the entire length of the Confederation Bridge that connects PEI with New

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Brunswick. Opened in 1997, the bridge is a magnificent engineering feat that crosses the Northumberland Straight, and that landed us in a Canadian province in which everything seemed to move at a slightly more leisurely place.

As a vacation characteristic,

that “leisurely pace” was exactly what we were looking for.

Our destination was Cavendish, an unincorporated town on the north end of the island known for little other than being the childhood home of Anne Shirley, much more commonly known as

Anne of Green Gables.

I’ve never read an “Anne” book or watched an “Anne” movie, but the little village and settlement area that recreates the 19th century homestead is quaint without being schmaltzy and provides a glimpse into history that is similar, yet

Photos by JOHN PFEIFER

LEFT: Green Gables is the name of a 19th-century farm in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, and is one of the most notable literary landmarks in Canada. RIGHT: Sunsets on Prince Edward Island are a spectacular sight to behold.

slightly different, than we’re used to seeing on the east coast of the United States.

A few blocks from the homestead, we were sipping our morning coffee from Tim Hortons when a cacophony of farm animal noises slowly swelled in volume to the point where conversation had to cease, mostly because my wife and I couldn’t stop laughing.

Cows — no, let’s make that COWS — was certainly one of the highlights. COWS Creamery ice cream was easily the BEST ice cream I’ve ever tasted, and I consider myself quite the accomplished ice cream connoisseur. Signs posted throughout the store explain the “secret” to this goodness quite simply: COWS ice cream contains 16 percent butterfat. Enough said.

Fueled by buttermilk energy, we decided to take on kayaking in a stiff 20 mph wind. My wife, Karen, and I love to hike and bike; our kayaking and rafting

Our last COWS ice cream experience aboard a ferry back to Nova Scotia. COWS ice cream contains 16 percent butterfat.

experience has been a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ugly. Undeterred, we drove up to Outside Expeditions on the North Rustico Harbor and said we were ready for the late-morning guided kayak experience. We were a little

late; it had just been cancelled due to high winds. At their suggestion, we returned three hours later and joined a dozen other deranged individuals and took the two-hour journey up (or is it down?) the Hunter River into the harbor. At times

— very few, if I remember correctly — the wind was at our backs and we picked up speed. But, for the most part, we faced cross winds that forced us to continuously steer left in order to go straight.

It was a challenge and a blast and a journey we would never have completed without the moral support of the guides and fellow-travelers. It was a lot of work, for a vacation, but also left us with a great feeling of accomplishment as we prepared for dinner, more ice cream and a beautiful, quiet sunset walk along the north shore of Prince Edward Island National Park.

We’ve experienced sunsets along the west coast from Monterrey to British Columbia, and they were gorgeous, but this was different. As the name indicates, PEI is an island, and, when the sun sets with water as far as the eye can see in multiple directions, it really is quite spectacular.

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IN OUR BACKYARD

GO NATIVE

Photo by BYRON HETZLER

Keep you landscape beautiful by planting trees and shrubs

BY BARB EIDLIN If you are a homeowner, you are probably now spending at least part of your free time communing with mother nature and focusing on landscaping. This year, when choosing a new tree or shrub to enhance your property, you can give the ecosystem and the local economy a needed boost by planting a native species while increasing the value of your home.

In the broadest of definitions, native plants are those plants which occur and reproduce in an area without cultivation by man, and have done so long enough for the insects in the environment to use them as a nutritive mainstay or breeding ground. According to ecologist Douglas Tallamay, the general understanding of the way the ecosystem works is: “All animals get their energy directly from plants, or by eating something that has already eaten a plant. Insects are the group of animals most responsible for passing energy from plants to the animals that can’t eat plants.

This fact is what makes insects such vital components. In fact, so many animals depend on insects for food that removing insects from an ecosystem spells its doom.”

And a doomed ecosystem ultimately can’t produce any food for the species at the top of that food chain — mankind.

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, we could lose the kingdom all for the want of “horseshoe nails,” so repopulating our 74

Life & Style : Summer 2016

Photo by RICHARD SITLER

ABOVE: Keep Carbondale Beautiful Executive Director Sarah Heyer helps Kim Dennis find an appropriate native tree for her needs at the Keep Carbondale Beautiful tree and shrub sale at the Home and Garden Expo on April 2 at SIU Arena in Carbondale. TOP: Flowering Red Bud trees support long-tonged bees and many species of moths and butterflies.

yards and properties with native species of trees and shrubs really does matter. Just one flowering Red Bud supports longtonged bees and many species of moths and butterflies, and also serves as larval host to the rare Henry’s Elfin butterfly.

Our beautiful native oaks offer us the opportunity to help grow and support over 500 species of caterpillars — all of them nutritious bird food.

Tallamay suggests that to give our ecosystem a boost, we need to triple the number of native trees in our lawns and underplant them with shrub layers.

Homeowners can do this by planting the borders of their properties with native trees such as White Oaks, Sugar Maples, Tulip Poplars, Eastern Red Cedars, River

GET PLANTING! For more information on purchasing local, native trees or shrubs, please contact Tabor Wholesale Nurseries at 618-967-9663 or visit www. taborwholesalenursery.com, Forrest Keeling Nursery at 570-898-5571 or visit www.fknursery.com. For more information on next year’s tree and shrub sale, or to check in about additional resources contact Sarah Heyer at Keep Carbondale Beautiful at 618-525-5525 or keepcb1326@gmail. com.

Birches, and Shagbark Hickories. Those trees should be underplanted with woodies like Button bush, Roughleaf Dogwood, Spring Witchhazel or Oakleaf Hydrangea.

Want a second reason to plant native trees and shrubs? They are money makers.

According to Executive Director Sarah Heyer at Keep Carbondale Beautiful, the American Nursery & Landscape Association predicts that general tree cover adds 2 to 9 percent to the value of existing homes and 7 percent to new homes.

“If your home has more trees than the nearby homes, it’s perceived value is higher” she said.

DID YOU Add some sophisticated KNOW? landscaping General tree incorporating cover adds 2 to large plants, 9 percent to the evergreens and value of existing trees that have homes and 7 seasonal color percent to new variation, and homes. the perceived value of a home can further increase. And business owners take note: The Arbor Day Foundation reports that commercial areas with trees also attract more customers (and they stay longer and spend more money), and apartments with trees have reduced tenant turnover.

During Keep Carbondale Beautiful’s recent, annual native tree and shrub sale at the Home Expo at SIU, Heyer further elaborated that planting trees and shrubs also helps prevent soil erosion and helps with water detention on larger properties.

Heyer reminds us that choosing a tree takes time, which is why people should survey their land for locations and gather information before deciding.

“Planting smaller trees, for instance, can provide beauty and some shade without the risk of roof damage in a storm.

Something like a Pagoda Dogwood would look great next to the house, while you might want to save a Bur Oak for the back 40,” she added.

In addition to planting native trees, it’s important also that they be local. Heyer said that native species are more likely to thrive if you plant them in a climate that is similar to where they were grown.

“This is important because these plants are adapted to the local climate. Trees from box stores are often grown in Oregon or Tennessee. They would require some special attention as they adapt to their new home,” she said.

Trees sold at the home expo fundraiser came from Forrest Keeling, a nursery 60 miles north of St. Louis. Some trees were purchased from Tabor Wholesale Nurseries, just south of Carbondale.

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CHEERS TO BEER

ABOVE: The Bruery Oude Tart (Flanders Red) BELOW: Perennial Artisan Ales Hopfentea (Berliner Weisse)

Unpredictable Pucker Power Sour beers pushing flavor envelope

by SHAWN CONNELLY I’ve often quipped that craft beer drinkers tend to be a promiscuous lot. I’m not referring to their personal relationship habits, but rather their beer drinking ones. Many go from beer to beer, style to style and brand to brand, seldom returning to the same beer twice. Breweries and the beers they produce are so prolific now that it makes playing the field exceedingly easy and trying the next new thing — the beer equivalent of speed dating.

Citing the desire to seek out whatever is different or trendy, beer consumers sip myriad IPAs, barrel-aged ales and, most recently, sour beers in their passion for pushing the flavor envelope. What is most interesting, however, is that the beer trends above are not really new; they’re just new again. IPA 76

Life & Style : Summer 2016

(India Pale Ale), as a broad style category, has been around since the late 1700s. Before stainless steel fermenters and bright tanks for fermenting and conditioning beer, all beers were barrel (wood) aged in one way, shape or form.

Sour beers might just be the oldest of all, finding their origins as a defined style in the “burgundies of Belgium” produced in the Flemish region of that country for several centuries and in other parts of the world for much, much longer.

You might be asking yourself, “sour beer?” People drink that on purpose?

Indeed, and it is becoming more popular all the time.

We are just a little behind the curve here in the United States, but we’re doing our best to catch up with more and more breweries producing their own versions of traditional sour beer styles like Berliner Weisse, Flanders Red, Gose, Lambic and a whole batch of novel sour beers that don’t fit neatly into a traditional parameters, but are categorized loosely as “wild” ales.

“I believe we are experiencing the ‘wild west’ years of American sour beers on the national level with all the varied success you might imagine,” said Dr. Matt McCarroll, director of Southern Illinois University’s Fermentation Science Institute.

Sour beers are made sour by utilizing special yeast strains or bacteria added during the various phases of the brewing process via a controlled “dose” or by spontaneous fermentation, a means by which native, ambient yeast or bacteria comes into contact with unfermented beer in an open vessel. This may sound crazy, but it’s actually how all beer was fermented before we learned about yeast and began using controlled cultures. Probably the most well-known wild yeast strain used in brewing is called brettanomyces, or simply “Brett.” This wild yeast is known to impart unique and often intense aromas and flavors affectionately described as “funky.” This wild yeast is

ABOVE: Goose Island Lolita (Wild Ale) BELOW: Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Gose)

what has traditionally given Belgian-made sour beer, like lambic, its sour power.

Another common addition is lactobacillus, a bacteria you might already be familiar with since it’s used in a variety of food products such as yogurt.

This bacteria provides the tartness in traditional German beers like Berliner Weisse and Gose and tends to produce a cleaner, more specific tart character.

As popularity for sour beer

grows, so does availability on local store shelves and taps.

“In my beer class I teach at SIU, we go through 40 to 50 styles during the semester, McCarroll said. One of my favorite classes is Sour Day. When I first began teaching the class, it was challenging to find good examples of most of the styles, such as Berliner Weisse, and some historical styles, such as Gose, were unheard of. Fast forward to 2016, and Gose has gone gangbusters and many American craft breweries are culturing rather than sanitizing wild yeast and bacteria in their breweries.”

A few prominent examples you can find locally are Perennial Artisan Ales Hopfentea (Berliner Weisse), Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Gose), The Bruery Oude Tart (Flanders Red) and Goose Island Lolita (Wild Ale).

Speaking of local, our Southern Illinois breweries are trying their hands at sour beers as well, with Big Muddy Brewing in Murphysboro and Scratch Brewing in Ava leading the way. Scratch Brewing Company co-owner Marika Josephson said “we have had amazing results fermenting sour beers with our sourdough culture. The yeast and bacteria at work in that culture create something that’s not bone-dry, but has a refreshing lemon-like tartness.

It’s an entirely native culture.

We created it with yeast and bacteria in our kitchen. So, it’s especially fun for us to play around with it because it represents the microflora of this area, just as the many plants we use in our beer do.”

Big Muddy Brewing owner Chuck Stuhrenberg echoed a similar idea when talking about his Sour Du Shawnee beer he produced for the first time a couple of years ago. “The proximity of the Shawnee National Forest, along with the orchards throughout the area, creates an environment that is really interesting for capturing and using ambient yeast and bacteria to produce sour beers.”

If a sour beer sounds like something you would only pour down the drain, convinced it was defective, you might think again. Sours have been around a long time, and anything that has withstood the test of time and palates for this long is probably worth a shot. Some are very subtle. Some are complex and challenging. But, they’re all interesting and that is the real draw of craft beer. Pucker up!

SHAWN CONNELLY is the Craft Beer, Wine & Spirits division manager for Venegoni Distributing; a certified beer judge with BJCP; and a professional freelance beer writer. He can be reached at thebeerphilosopher@yahoo.com.

Life & Style : Summer 2016

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80 Life & Style : Summer 2016

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