Angels and Chimes

It’s funny how memories can be very different for everyone. I purchased these Swedish made brass angel chimes about 1968 and enjoyed the soft chimes. What beauty the first year when they were new and untarnished. Little did I know what a pain they would be to clean every year when the house was decorated for Christmas.

My favorite memory of the chimes was Christmas Eve 1975 when Joe and Doug were 11 and 6. It was during my first marriage when we were stationed at Barber’s Point in Hawaii and lived in Navy housing among other young families away from home. Three other families came over with two children each, including my sister and her children, Cindy and Troy. Eight unusually well behaved children from 4 to 11 sat at the dining room table for hot chocolate and home made cookies. The lights were dimmed and the brass centerpiece of chiming angels gently twirled from the heat of the candles and a pattern of shadows twirled around the ceiling and candle light glowed on the children’s faces. They chatted with anticipation of Christmas morning and Santa Claus, I looked around at each little face, so much like an angel that evening and knew it was a Christmas memory I would never forget.

Davis, Doug 41, Reese

Joe 46, Lisa, Larry

Two of those angels, now ages 41 and 46 in above photos, sat around a table with the angel chimes last night and told me of their memories. Doug remembers having to polish the chimes many years, Joe laughed saying he wasn’t good at it so didn’t get the job.

Nobody polishes the chimes now, they are dull but magically look polished in photographs, a Christmas miracle.

Turn up speakers and listen closely to hear the chimes.

Pecan Pie

Precious daughter-in-law, Lisa, called about 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning to Facetime me. I looked like crap at 8 a.m., had just quickly brushed my teeth and brushed back my hair to get started baking pies for our Thanksgiving meal in Hanford at my sister’s. With iPhones in hand Lisa and I could see each other’s morning loveliness, she was still laying in bed. I reversed the camera so she could see the kitchen counter mess of ingredients for the pumpkin and pecan pies.

I’m the pie lady every year. We must have two pumpkin and two pecan pies. The pumpkin pies are made from the recipe on Libby’s Pumpkin, not the pre-made pie filling. One difference I make is to increase the spices a little, make the teaspoons slightly heaping.

Everyone loves the pecan pies. I’ve been using the Dear Abby recipe since the 1960s.  Abigail Van Buren had an advice column for years. Every year her recipe appeared and several times I cut it out, here is a scan of a clipping.

There was one thing Lisa complained about every year since she and Doug married in 1993, the whole pecans in the pie. Every year she kept telling me I should chop the pecans, chop the pecans, chop the pecans. So, maybe I was trying to make points, one year I did make them with chopped pecans and only a scattering of whole pecans on top for decorating. She still complained! She wanted every pecan chopped. I came around and must say, it is better with chopped pecans. Pecans float and every bite will have an equal amount of chopped pieces. Here is the recipe the way we like it.

Deluxe Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 cup dark Karo corn syrup
1 cut brown sugar, not packed
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt, that’s a little less than 1/4 teaspoon
1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans, don’t skimp on pecans

Prepare a 9 inch pie shell, uncooked. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, beat slightly with a whisk.
Add the syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt, whisk together, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Pour filling into pie shell, bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a butter knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out wet but not brown syrup clinging.

Bean Taco Night

Yes, bean tacos!  

They are so simple, such wonderful peasant food, I adore them. My Dutch hubby prefers them to meat tacos. Before I left for a few hours at the office we talked about what we would have for dinner, I wouldn't be back till 6:15 and hubby had a Bible study to go to by 7 p.m. so bean tacos fit the schedule.

Before I got home hubby made salsa, graded cheese, chopped onions,  sliced lettuce, opened a can of re-fried beans and had one of my iron skillets hot and ready. I poured about an eighth inch of vegetable shortening in and heated to medium high. Spoon a small amount of beans in center of a tortilla, see note at the end about what type of corn tortillas to buy. Don't use too much beans, about two tablespoons.

 

Using tongs fold the edges up, and rest bent bottom in hot oil so it will not crack, hold till folded side is well set and firm, then lay taco in oil on its side and do two more, three will fit an average skillet.

Continue cooking till they are toasty hard on both sides. Add oil as necessary but not much, you only need enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

Drain on paper towels, open up each taco and add cheese first to melt into the hot beans.

Add whatever else you like, I just add lettuce then hubby's flavorful salsa made with canned chopped tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, onion, lemon or lime juice and garlic. Three glorious little bean tacos are just right for a light meal.

Tortilla buying tip, for best flavor and no aftertaste, buy tortillas with no preservatives. They should have only three ingredients, ground corn, water and a trace of lime. As far as the beans, canned Rosarita are just fine.

Wine a bit.... You'll feel better!!!

Wine girls at the Madera Wine Trail on November 13, Chris, Tracey and me.

Casanova Restaurant in Carmel, California

Jan and I first ate at Casanovas several years ago on a trip to Carmel. We happened to be walking around the streets looking for interesting places. The charm pulled us right in and we had a wonderful late lunch but did not know the history of the restaurant.

August 2 we planned to go to Carmel to meet my sister, Mary Jane and her husband, Larry. Our neighbors, Bob and Chris, went with us. The night before, while doing internet research for Carmel restaurants, and the memory of Casanova, I naturally was drawn to their website. When I read the history of the restaurant and the story of the Van Gogh table I had to see the table. Jan and I are huge Van Gogh fans, in 1990 we went to the Van Gogh museum exhibit of the 100th anniversary of his death when we lived in Holland. We've seen much of his work also at the Kroller Mueller museum and have collected Van Gogh books.

Well, I nearly hyperventilated when we were able to eat at the Van Gogh table! It was a Sunday brunch none of us will ever forget. Left to right are, Larry Larson, Bob and Chris Elliot, Donna (me) and Jan Kohler, and Mary Jane Larson.

For dessert we had lemon souffle with raspberry sauce and ice cream, yum.

All three of us couples purchased the Van Gogh's Table book at Casanova.

Jan was thrilled to see a gray Citroen in the driveway, he owned one in the 1970s. As we peeked through the window he explained to me how he made a sleeping platform for trips around Europe. Even at 6 feet 2 he was able to stretch out with his head at the back doors.

Jan in his red Citroen, about 1977, in Belgium.

The Kohler Cafe

It isn’t really a cafe, just our home, painted by Jan and embellished into a romantic setting, ready for company to arrive. We enjoy comfort food, family, friends, dreaming, cooking, art, bread, and some travel. Jan, pronounced yan, is Dutch for John, he was born and raised in Holland