Sunset - January 2015 USA

Get Outside!

SNOW ADVENTURES

HAPPY NEW YE AR!

UNDISCOVERED HAWAII

Fresh & Healthy Recipes

Heart y Dinner Salads Guilt- Free Snacks Chefs’ Favorite Citrus Dishes

GLUTENFREE

YOUR DREAM HOME on a

BUDGET P. 40

Orange Cake P. 88

EXPERIENCE TABLE OF CONTENTS the WEST

¬anuary 49

LET IT SNOW

Experience the West’s world-class powder with our guide to cozy lodges and winter fun—on and off the slopes. Essays by Josh Dean & Pam Houston

62

TREASURED ISLAND

A couple revisits the backroads and secret beaches of the Big Island, where they fell in love—this time with a ukelele-mad 10-year-old in tow. By Peggy Orenstein

70

MEYER LEMON LOVE

Chefs’ recipes for marrying our favorite backyard citrus with crab pasta, braised chicken, and more. By Elaine Johnson ON THE COVER Snow adventures p. 49 Undiscovered Hawaii p. 62

The magic of the Big Island is that it feels both old and young, harsh and gentle. TREASURED ISLAND, p. 62

Photograph by

T H O M A S J. S T O RY

Fresh & healthy recipes p. 70, 79, 84, 90, 94

Dream home on a budget p. 40 Cake cover: Photograph by Thomas J. Story; food styling by Karen Shinto. Hawaii cover: Photograph by Thomas J. Story.

EXPERIENCE the WEST

6

January THIS MONTH’S RECIPES

CONVERSATIONS

BEST OF THE WEST

SNACKS

Furikake Popcorn ..................96 Garlic Parmesan Popcorn ....96 Salt & Pepper Popcorn .........96 Smoked Paprika Popcorn .....96

9 Napa’s truffle fest (and star dog), Ted Turner’s ranch deal, THIS MONTH’S PICKS

new cruise terminal, and more

SOUP, SALADS & SIDE

TRAVEL

Classic spots 17 and new favorites in San Diego’s Balboa Park ASK A LOCAL

33 HOME & GARDEN

Our favorite 33 stone-fruit trees, from a classic peach to new hybrids, and PLANT NOW

Chicken with Preserved Meyer Lemon & Olives GF/LC .....77 Coconut Milk Shrimp GF/LC .................................96 Crab Pasta with Prosecco & Meyer Lemon Sauce LS .....76 Orecchiette with Escarole, Capers & Olives LC/V.......91 Sablefish with Savoy Cabbage & Fennel Slaw GF/LC........80 Scrambled Eggs with Meyer Lemon Salsa Verde GF/V..77 Spicy Lamb Tacos LC/LS .....90

Nature vs. nurture in 92 winemaking techniques 94 From-scratch corn tortillas, instant appetizers, and more

DESSERTS

MASTER CLASS

FAST & FRESH

39 What to do in your garden in January GARDEN CHECKLIST

A PERFECT DAY IN

editions) North Hollywood (SoCal) St. George, UT (Southwest & Mountain) Read all three on Sunset’s interactive Digital Edition (sunset.com/learnmore).

26 pilgrimage to Aberdeen, WA, Kurt Cobain’s home-

WANDERLUST Making the

town. By Bill Donahue

How one 40 couple built their dream house on a real-world budget SMART SPACE

46 Adding character with paint, plus other tips from our team IN THE WESTERN HOME

SIP

IN THE SUNSET KITCHEN

FOOD & DRINK

Mild and 79 sweet savoy will make you a cabbage convert. PEAK SEASON

MAIN COURSES

to 84 bake with gluten-freeLearnflours. 90 meals in 30 minutesWeeknight or less

a guide to growing them

22 San Francisco’s Presidio (NorCal & Northwest

Grilled Chicken & Kale Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing GF ........................................91 Lettuce Snap Pea Salad with Meyer Lemon Cream GF/LC/LS/V ......................76 Savoy Cabbage Gratin LC/LS/V..............................81 Savoy Cabbage Soup with Tiny Meatballs LC/LS ........82

Answers to 102 your questions, including a big-city culture fix ASK SUNSET

Buckwheat Gingerbread Muffins GF/LC/LS/V ........87 Corn Flour & Orange Blossom Chiffon Cake GF/LC/LS/V ......................88 Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake V ........76 Oat Flour & Almond Sablés GF/LC/LS/V ......................86 PANTRY

Candied Orange Zest ..........89 Homemade Corn Tortillas ....94 Whipped Cream & Crème Fraîche ....................89

GET MORE PHOTOS + VIDEOS IN OUR DIGITAL MAGAZINE Take Sunset wherever you roam with our interactive Digital Edition, available on iPad, iPhone, Android, and Kindle Fire. You’ll get every story from our print magazine, plus bonus content—this month, see a photo essay on Nirvana’s birthplace and watch our ingredient-prep videos, including how to roll an orange for easiest zesting. Learn more: sunset.com/learnmore.

RECIPE GUIDE GF: Gluten-free; LC: Low calorie; LS: Low sodium; V: Vegetarian; VG: Vegan Our full guide to nutrition, ingredients, and techniques: sunset.com/cookingguide.

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TIME INC. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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DIVINELY

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Skinny Salted Caramel Macchiato

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2 tbsp Torani Sugar Free Salted Caramel Syrup

SUNSET PUBLISHING CORPORATION ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER–WEST Amy Olmsted ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER–EAST Brendan Smyth BUSINESS OFFICE Jessica Yan (Finance Director), Jeff Prentice ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Rick LaFrentz, Tony Soria, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

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1 cup non-fat milk steamed

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4

J A N UA RY 2 0 1 5 ❖ S U N S E T

© 2014 Torani/R. Torre & Company

RICH-CARAMEL-SKINNY-DELICIOUSNESS. YOUR HO-HUM MORNING DIDN’T STAND A CHANCE.

Some coffee, a little milk and a splash of Sugar Free Torani. Everything you need for a delectable morning. Have a Torani day!

CONVERSATIONS

NEW YEAR, NEW FACTOIDS

PEGGY NORTHROP, EDITOR-IN- CHIEF

@Peggy_Sunset | [email protected]

JA N UA RY P HOTO C ON T E S T

Winter in the West

We’ve discovered, via our social media pages, that Sunset readers are fantastic photographers. The proof: This image by Michelle Bird of the fog-encased view from Mt. Davidson in San Francisco, the winner of our most recent photo contest. This month, we want to see how you’re playing in the snow. Share shots of your favorite winter moments around the West for a chance to be featured in the magazine. Follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for contest details starting January 1, 2015. 6

J A N UA RY 2 0 1 5

❖ SUNSET

Trying to eat fresh—again Sugar. Caffeine. Alcohol. Red meat. Sarcasm. Last January, for our Eat Fresh Challenge, 11 intrepid Sunset editors atoned for holiday indulgences by giving up one vice. Participants prepared differently: Some shopped diligently for healthy food, while copy editor Trina Enriquez scarfed the last of her chocolate stash, Mardi Gras– style. One travel editor dumped her sweets in a bag and hid it, and associate garden editor Johanna Silver confessed, “I am unprepared mentally, physically, spiritually, grocery-ly.” Working here didn’t help: Sunset.com managing editor Gina Goff called the Test Kitchen “a real-world Temptation Island.” Some caved (blame hunger pangs, internal conflict, and Barbra Streisand), while others stayed the course. In the end, we rewarded ourselves with—what else?—Sugar. Caffeine. Alcohol. Red meat. Sarcasm. Keep us honest this year: Follow along at sunset. com/eatfresh.

PORTRAIT: THOMAS J. STORY (HAIR AND MAKEUP: PRESTON NESBIT/AUBRI BALK, INC.); BOTTOM: MICHELLE BIRD

Snow fun, then and now: Working on this month’s feature (page 49), we were inspired by iconic snowy cover stories from the past—like “Sequoia Winter Magic,” from December 1981.

With every issue of Sunset, I refresh my store of what I call cocktail party facts: curious bits of knowledge—sometimes even useful—that I can’t wait to share with someone else. If you run into me at a party sometime this season, you might hear me spout off about the following: CHICKEN STOCK Who knew, but the best and heartiest is made from boiling the leg bones only—with kelp (aka kombu) added for even more body. That one is thanks to food editor Margo True, who learned this while spending a week in the kitchen with the genius chefs of San Francisco’s Bar Tartine (you’ll read that story in an upcoming issue). TRUFFLE DOGS A good truffle-hunting canine can earn $150,000 a year. (Now if only my dog, Riley, would get with the program.) And did you know that dogs are not only just as good at hunting truffles as pigs are—one-third of dogs’ brains are devoted to the sense of smell, after all—but they also don’t bite off your fingers the way pigs tend to? FAKE SNOW Every snowflake is unique—unless it comes out of a snow-making machine. Snow machines form flakes with identical dendritic arms. Just saying “dendritic arms” makes me feel like an expert. THE DEARTH OF SNOW COCKTAILS IN COLORADO It’s generally illegal to collect rainwater in Denver, so there is some confusion about whether you’re allowed to collect snow and put it in a glass with some liquor and sell it. Which means that when we were trying to get a bartender to craft a snow cocktail for our feature story on page 49, we couldn’t. (But hey, smoke as much pot as you want!) Here’s hoping you find something startlingly new and deeply useful in our pages this month. At the very least, your fingers are now safe from truffle pigs. (You’re welcome.)

CALIFORNIA BOASTS

the freshest local produce and most extraordinary wine in the country and it’s reflected in culinary offerings found throughout the state.

Join us this January for California Restaurant Month — a celebration of great destinations, fantastic food, and delectable drinks.

Learn more online at DineinCA.com

BEST WEST OF THE

W H AT W E’ R E T R AC K I N G T H I S M O N T H

Were your parents truffle dogs? Yes—my breed is from Emilia-Romagna, but my actual parents are from Sicily, which is where I was trained when I was just a little bitty pup. How are truffle dogs trained? The way they’ve been training my breed since about 1540: They would sew a truffle in some cloth and they’d throw the truffle for me and I’d retrieve it, and then they’d hide the truffle, and they’d say, “Dove, Rico, dove?” Which means, “Where, where?” And I’d go look for it. And then they would bury it, and they’d say, “Dove, Rico?” and I’d dig it up—dig dig dig dig. Have you ever eaten a truffle? Some of us like to eat them and some of us don’t. Sometimes, if we find undesirable truffles, the handlers give those to us; otherwise we just get a treat. Which is what? For me, organic buffalo hot dogs. It’s got to be a pretty darn good treat for me to not want to eat the truffle.

BEST WESTERNER

Rico the truffle dog

The absolute highlight of the Napa Truffle Festival is the truffle-hunting demonstration at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. (The festival is presented by the American Truffle Company, which convinces Napa Valley landowners to plant black-truffle orchards—Sinskey’s will be the first to produce the fungus, beginning this year.) Why? The star of the show, Rico, who’s a four-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo, an Italian breed of retriever. When he’s not digging for treasure, he lives in the East Bay with his owner and tartufàio (truffle hunter), Bill Collins, a psychologist whose day job is treating traumatized veterans. (Rico helps him out with that too.) We chatted with Rico recently about his work. Photograph by

JOHN CLARK

Do you need to be a Lagotto Romagnolo to hunt truffles? Any type of dog can learn to do it. Really, what makes a good truffle dog is temperament. You want a dog that wants to please and has a good sense of concentration. When I’m hunting and there are other dogs, I let them know, Hey, I’ll play with you, but not right now. When I hear the magic word, dove—it’s game on. Nothing else matters. That’s what separates me from the others who just hang out and eat truffle cheese. Which I do like, by the way. You got some? Festival events from $60; Jan 16–19; napatrufflefestival.com. SUNSET

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David and Goliath

BEST DODGED BULLET

Pacific Gas and Electric’s plan to build a nuclear power plant on the headland above Bodega Bay, California—and, ahem, the San Andreas fault—progressed alarmingly far before townspeople convinced regulators to block it in 1964. (You can still see the reactor pit, now filled with water.) Hole in the Head: The Battle for Bodega Bay and the Birth of the Environmental Movement, at Santa Rosa’s Sonoma County Museum, tells the almost forgotten story of arrogant officials, crusading geologists, and an undercover waitress. No, this isn’t a blockbuster exhibition, but big isn’t always more powerful. Just ask PG&E. $7; closes Feb 9; sonoma countymuseum.org.

Bonanza

BEST AIRPORT GIFT SHOPS

You’re waiting for your flight and you suddenly remember ... the cat sitter. Your coworkers. Your kids. Whomever it is you forgot to shop for. It may not be too late to buy a legit souvenir of the city you just left. At Sea-Tac, the record label that brought us Nirvana opened its first airport store in May— what sullen teen wouldn’t love a Sub Pop knit hat? A clutch of Tattered Cover bookstores in Denver’s airport highlights the work of local writers, and at San Francisco’s renovated Terminal 3, there’s Marin-pressed olive oil at the McEvoy Ranch pop-up. Now you have an answer to that eternal question. seatacshops.com; flydenver.com; flysfo.com. J A N UA RY 2 0 1 5

❖ SUNSET

BEST GEAR WITH BENEFITS

In 1996, Ted Turner bought a onetime cattle spread on the northern border of New Mexico and turned it into his own private bison reserve. Over the years, he’s opened the 925-square-mile Vermejo Park Ranch, as it’s called, to small ecotours while continuing to host the elk-hunting parties and corporate retreats that pay the bills. (The ranch’s eight-bedroom, LEED-certified Costilla Lodge, added in 2010, costs high rollers a cool $10,000 per night.) For one month each winter, though, the rest of us can stay at the lodge for a mere $300 a night, which includes not only three meals a day but also guided snowshoeing and cross-country ski outings. And this high in the Sangre de Cristo Range, snow is almost a certainty. The Winter Escape deal starts at the end of January and runs through March 1: Better book now. vermejoparkranch.com.

WHAT DID YOU BRING ME?

10

DO-RIGHT SITE

BEST WAY TO GO MOGUL

BEST REBOOT

Feel-good story Two Bunch Palms, the Desert Hot Springs, California, getaway in whose mud baths Tim Robbins and Greta Scacchi frolicked in The Player, has just overhauled its guest rooms—trading the Brat Pack decor for 1970s revival (in a good way). More important, in a saving-the-world sense, is the 3.5-acre solar array that is due to come online this month—it’ll provide enough electricity for the compound’s use and then some, using a lot less water than would the equivalent conventional power plant. From $219; twobunchpalms.com.

Not quite a year old, the Utah-based gear e-tailer Cotopaxi is more than just another outdoorsy start-up: Formed as a “benefit corporation,” it’s legally committed to making the world a better place. For instance, a part of the proceeds from each backpack, garment, or water bottle goes to a specific cause— for the Pacaya insulated jacket (above, $199), it’s midwife training in Guatemala; for the Inca daypack ($109), it’s hiring a tutor for an orphanage in Bolivia— and Cotopaxi’s factories all promise good working conditions and betterthan-living wages. Plus, the company’s goods are well made and seriously stylish. cotopaxi.com.

“Being a firefighter, I’ve seen a lot of car accidents. I feel very safe with my family in the Prius.” The Plummers, Prius owners

toyota.com/prius Actual Prius owner made previously aware their likeness and statement may be used for advertising. ©2014 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

BEST WELLNESS TECH

You, new and improved

A yoga mat wired with sensors to critique your poses. A cushion for your chair that nags you about your posture and urges you to take a walk. A scale that analyzes the nutritional benefits of your meals’ ingredients. A glowing orb (below) that sits on your nightstand and monitors your sleep, waking you at the optimal nongroggy moment. A human hamster wheel, designed to be used with a standing desk—way more exciting than a treadmill! These products are all here or coming soon, thanks to Western ingenuity and crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Actually, you can’t buy the hamster wheel—but you can build one with the help of the website Instructables. All you’ll need is some plywood, four skateboard wheels, a couple of lengths of pipe, 240 wood screws, a pint of glue, “and a good attitude.” What could possibly go wrong? SmartMat yoga mat: $297; smart mat.com. Darma cushion: $149; darma.co. Prep Pad scale: $150; theorangechef.com. Sense sleep monitor: $129; hello.is. Hamster Wheel Standing Desk: instructables.com.

Can anyone remember a time when the properly accessorized garden or tabletop tableau didn’t include succulents? In fact, they’ve become such a crucial decor element that not having the requisite sedum or sempervivum just might trigger an existential crisis. Dalla Vita to the rescue! Based in Santa Barbara, the brother and sister floral-design team offers a same-day succulents-delivery service anywhere in the county—a business idea we’re sure will be spreading like ice plants on a beach. From $35; dallavita.com. 12

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❖ SUNSET

BEST “ONLY IN THE WEST”

TOP: HEATHER HACKNEY

Succulents on standby

WHERE THE MAJESTY OF ALASKA MEETS THE MAGIC OF DISNEY. The difference is specialized itineraries. And hand-selected excursions. A magical world of natural beauty. And authentic Alaskan cuisine. It’s creating the ideal vacation for the whole family. The difference is Disney.

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HERE COMES THE SUN

BEST EXCUSE TO HIT BAJA

BEST LOOK FORWARD

Even in California, land of January citrus (mmm, Meyer lemons— see page 70), chefs and civilians get a little weary of the kale and rutabagas cluttering the farmers’ markets. (When will the strawberries arrive?) We can’t accelerate time for you, but we can suggest you pick up Maria Schoettler’s Eat Local Calendar. Her delicate gouache paintings of what’s available at her own Oakland markets each month are a pledge to all of us— snowbound mountain dwellers included—that spring and sunshine are indeed on the way. $34; mariaschoettler.com.

Endless summer

BEST LOOK BACK

A jeweled tower 43 stories tall. A Palace of Agriculture boasting an 11,000-pound cheese. A “Joy Zone” offering, among other attractions, burlesque shows and a replica of Old Faithful Inn. A Fountain of Energy (above) designed by Stirling Calder—yes, Alexander’s father. The wonders of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which began its nearly yearlong run a century ago in what is now San Francisco’s Marina District, could fill a book. And they do. From Berkeley’s Heyday Books and the California Historical Society, San Francisco’s Jewel City, by historian Laura Ackley, not only provides a guide to the 635-acre fair but also tells how it fulfilled its unspoken mission: proving to the world that San Francisco was back on its feet after the 1906 quake. $40; heydaybooks.com.

Anchors aweigh

When San Francisco’s James R. Herman Cruise Terminal opened for business last fall, the city’s tourism industry cheered. After all, the blue-glass box on Pier 27, below Telegraph Hill, is a far better billboard than drafty old Pier 35 ever was, and it’ll lure more dollars too (cruise-ship traffic for 2015 is already up 10 percent). But what will it mean for you, the passenger? This month, mostly a less gloomy boarding experience for the midsize Princesses on their traditional midwinter Hawaii–Mexico rounds. But Pier 27 can handle the next generation of monster vessels, the kind with enough space for climbing walls and ice rinks and ziplines. Not coincidentally, Royal Caribbean, which specializes in such behemoths, will test the waters, literally, in May with its Jewel of the Seas. Time to dig out your carabiners? For a list of cruise ships calling this year, go to sfport.com.

BEST WELCOME MAT

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SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED

❖ SUNSET

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: THOMAS J. STORY, JAY ACH

Calling what takes place in Todos Santos for two long weekends this month a full-on festival might be an overstatement, but the Todos Santos Music Festival does boast genuine stars among its 12 (count ’em, 12!) headliners: indie rocker Conor “Bright Eyes” Oberst, the Drive By Truckers, The Jayhawks, and M. Ward, who, with Zooey Deschanel, was She & Him. Festival founder Peter Buck—lead guitarist for REM, who was born in Berkeley and now splits his time between Portland and Seattle— performs too, and there’s a locals showcase at the Hotel California. Reserved tickets cost only about $20 a day, it’s January, and you’re in idyllic Baja Sur ... not bad. Jan 15–17, 21–24; todossantos musicfestival.com.

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Arugula, Strawberry & Walnut Salad

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T

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Travel ASK A LO C A L

THE REAL BALBOA PARK

San Diego’s gorgeous park turns 100 this year. Here’s how to make the most of its gardens, museums, restaurants, and amazing zoo.

Photograph by

D AV E L A U R I D S E N

SUNSET

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Travel ASK A LOC A L

At 100, San Diego’s premier playground has never looked better. It has 17 museums, 19 gardens, 65 miles of hiking trails, and that famous zoo. So where do you start? How about with two locals who know the terrain. AS TOLD TO CASEY HATFIELD - CHIOTTI

San Diego Natural History Museum $17; 1788 El Prado; sdnhm.org. RICK SCHWARTZ

Timken Museum Free; 1500 El Prado; timkenmuseum.org.

you can play with that helps you understand how magnetic fields attract and repel. WHAT NOT TO MISS AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO

The Elephant Odyssey $46; 2920 Zoo Dr.; zoo.sandiegozoo.org. RS This exhibit is interesting because it tells the story of the Columbian

DANA SPRINGS Director of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture

here today. We love to refer to it as a geriatric herd because these are all pretty old elephants— some are former circus performers, some are from other zoos, and some have been here in San Diego for the past 40 years. It’s designed so all the elephant care is done right in front of the public. DS In the evening, when it’s cooler, you

DANA SPRINGS

I love the comfortable setting at the Timken Museum. There’s an abundance of natural light, so it feels like you’re walking into someone’s living room—except you can see a Rembrandt and works by other European masters. My favorite painting is Veneto’s Portrait of a Lady in a Green Dress. It makes me think about what life in a royal court was like and how women ever got anything done with their hair up so tight. 18

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run around at their feet. It’s like this crazy elephant/rabbit cocktail party.

FAVORITE GIFT-SHOP SOUVENIR

Mingei museum 1439 El Prado; mingei.org.

The Collectors’ Gallery started carrying Maru Lopez jewelry. Lopez works at the museum, and the shop buyer was so taken with the painted brass jewelry she wore that she began stocking it. It’s cool, like jelly beans set in gold. Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner? I also like the is-it-stone, is-itglass, is-it-plastic double takes. The pieces are elegant and fun but not silly. DS

there too. There are wave machines, and you can see how land formations are created; there’s an area full of magnets

mammoth, which once roamed Southern California and is a direct ancestor of the Asian elephant herd we have

get to see the elephants feed themselves, which is fun, but then all the little wild rabbits in the park come out and

TOP LEFT: JOHN DURANT; BOTTOM: DAVE LAURIDSEN

MUST-VISIT MUSEUMS

Maybe it’s because of my neurotic love for science and nature, but I’m crazy about the San Diego Natural History Museum. Especially all of the interactive exhibits for kids. Honestly, adults should go

RICK SCHWARTZ Animal care supervisor at the San Diego Zoo

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to myself, I’ll stop there for a bit. It transports me.

Great Maple $$; 1451 Washington St.; thegreatmaple.com.

It’s just outside the park, over in the Hillcrest neighborhood, and they make some fantastic drinks. They do these half-serving cocktails that I love. It allows you to order minis to make cocktail pairings DS

the Balboa Park institutions.

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3801 30th St.; shop pigment.com.

Fern Canyon

DS North Park has lots of terrific shops, and Pigment is one of my faves. I love that they have curated themed sections so that it feels like there are a bunch of tiny stores within one store. They carry handmade jewelry by local craftspeople, and the last time I was there, I noticed these cool notecards and leather bags. Great store to find gifts. They have something for everyone.

$46; 2920 Zoo Dr.; zoo.sandiegozoo.org. RS

It’s actually

a walkway with stairs and it’s kind of hidden, but Fern Canyon in the zoo is pretty great. Most people ignore it because there aren’t any exhibits there. But take two or three steps into the canyon,

with each phase of your dinner. The Chanilla Drop vodka cocktail is my favorite. I like the sweet, salty, smoky flavor of the burnt lemon.

and you feel like you’re in the rain forests of Borneo or South America. It’s breathtaking. There’s a waterfall and everything. If I’m looking for

NO -FRILLS LUNCH

The Big Front Door 4135 Park Blvd.; bfd sandiego.com. DS The Big Front Door is close and has great variety. It’s an artisanal deli with the most delicious roast-beef sandwich, made on a roll with provolone, broccoli rabe, Roma tomato, and housemade aioli. I’ll run down there and end up bumping into staff from all

20

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MORE SHOPPING, PLEASE

a quick moment

WHERE CAN I ESCAPE THE CROWDS?

Art museum garden

1549 El Prado; sdmart. org. DS There’s a secluded seating area behind the restaurant Panama 66 with some outdoor lounge chairs. It’s in the shade, and you get to sit next to this reflecting pool and look out into the May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden, which is just beautiful. I’ll go there to catch up on some work or talk on the phone, which you can do now because the park has Wi-Fi. BEST PERFORMANCE SPACE

The Old Globe 1363 Old Globe Way; theoldglobe.org. RS I’ve seen shows at the Old Globe and Starlight and I love them both. What I like about the Globe is that you get a real feel for the

performances. You can see everything from the Grinch to touring Broadway shows. BEST VIEWS ARE FROM ...

The Skyfari Aerial Tram $46; 2920 Zoo Dr.; zoo.sandiegozoo.org. DS If you take the tram near dusk, you’re basically floating through a San Diego sunset with a 360° view from the zoo. You can see the lights of downtown, the Point Loma peninsula, and all the way around to East County. Absolutely gorgeous.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: JIM COX/THE COMPANY OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, RYAN BENOIT, KEVIN ANDREW FALK

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Travel

D I S C OV E R

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1. The Presidio puts its barracks to new use. 2. Golden Gate Bridge Plaza. 3. Traci Des Jardins’ Commissary has a Spanish accent. 4. California history on display in the Heritage Gallery at the Officers’ Club.

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THE PRESIDIO A PERFECT DAY IN

San Francisco’s former military post embraces its past and looks toward the future, with new hikes, bites, and sites. By Christine Ryan

The history is alive The Presidio’s Main Post is finally coming into its own. Site of the original Spanish garrison built in 1776, this tidy square, framed by brick barracks and white clapboard and stucco buildings, hasn’t offered visitors 22

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much beyond The Walt Disney Family Museum and a bowling alley. But last fall’s reinvention of the Officers’ Club has put the square front and center. The 37,000-square-foot building acts as a combination visitor center, museum, and gathering

place; its Moraga Hall is a real sit-down-and-relax lobby, complete with fireplace, in the tradition of the grandest park lodges. The Heritage Gallery, though, reminds you that the Presidio wasn’t always a place for recreation, but the last stateside stop

for tens of thousands of soldiers heading to far-off wars. Soldiers with names like Sutliffe Bither and Hiram Harlow, who wrote letters and kept diaries and whose words came home, even when they didn’t. Free; 50 Moraga Ave.; presidio.gov. Photographs by

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Golden Gate Bridge

PRESIDIO

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Park Presidio Blvd.

GETTING HERE

The Presidio is in the north corner of S.F., off U.S. 101. From Crissy Field, take Lincoln Blvd. to Arguello Blvd. to Moraga Ave.

A mess hall with roots Don’t expect to find chipped beef or military MREs at the Officers’ Club’s new eatery, Arguello. Named after the Mexican governor who once ruled Northern California, Traci Des Jardins’ restaurant serves fish tacos and squashblossom quesadillas in a publike dining room (beamed ceiling, reclaimed-wood tables) and on an adjacent heated patio. Just beyond the patio, you’ll find Earth Wall, the third and latest Presidio installation by artist Andy Goldsworthy: a ball of roots seemingly excavated from a stucco wall. $$; 50 Moraga Ave.; arguellosf.com.

After the Gold Rush Joining the Disney museum in the barracks lining the western edge of the Main Post is Des Jardins’ other Presidio restaurant, The Commissary. Here, the menu’s inspired by the fort’s

Spanish origins (think jamónwrapped trout and white Rioja by the glass). Nearby are two other old-new attractions: the Presidio Trust Gallery and the Society of California Pioneers. Through March 8, the gallery recaps the imaginative art projects that the ForSite Foundation has staged in the park. The society’s gracious main room houses entertainingly curated collections of objects (an amputation kit!) and paintings, but the real treasure lies in its library of historical documents. Don’t miss John Sutter’s diary, which rode out the 1906 quake and fire in a safe in the society’s South of Market clubhouse (itself destroyed) and is on view in the vestibule. Commissary: $$$; 101 Montgomery St.; thecommissarysf.com. Gallery: Free; 103 Montgomery; presidio. gov. Society: Free; 101 Montgomery; californiapioneers.org.

Long before the Spanish arrived, the Ohlone people had settled what eventually would become the Presidio, and in Tennessee Hollow, you can see why: El Polin Spring. Even during the driest months of another drought season, the spring trickles on. The Presidio Trust has been restoring it and its watershed—eventually a trail will follow the stream as it heads to the bay. But for now, hike 1.4 miles from the Main Post up the Ecology Trail to the

The Society of California Pioneers was originally a men’s drinking club. It now hosts both sexes, but to be a member, you have to be descended from someone who was in California in 1850.

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Walk this way

FACTOID

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5. Moraga Hall, the Main Post’s new chill zone. 6. The Vigilante Bell at the Society of California Pioneers. 7. Whole shrimp with cilantro rice from Arguello. 8. Andy Goldsworthy continues to bewilder with his third sculpture in the Presidio. 8

Inspiration Point Overlook, then drop down the connecting switchback path to the new picnic area next to the spring. End of MacArthur Ave.; presidio.gov.

Back to the future The Main Post isn’t the only part of the Presidio undergoing change. Remember that big orange bridge? When the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza was reconfigured in 2012, a spiffy gift

shop and visitor center replaced the cramped art-deco Round House, which in turn became a staging area for guided tours. Now the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is turning the Round House back into what it was originally and should have been all along: San Francisco’s coolest diner. We can’t wait. Bridge: goldengate bridge.org. Round House: parks conservancy.org.

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HERE WE ARE NOW

For 20 years, Aberdeen all but ignored its most famous son. Now, with a host of new memorials to Kurt Cobain, the Washington town hopes to attract adoring fans. Writer Bill Donahue goes on a pilgrimage.

Bill Simpson, is a sweet older fellow who used to sell men’s slacks at the local JC Penney. He’s bald and round and when he laughs, his bifocals ride his cheeks up toward his twinkling eyes. “This is a very special day for Aberdeen,” he begins. I’m standing at the back of Moore’s Interiors, a local flooring shop. The rug samples have been rolled away, and two dozen of the town’s dignitaries are milling about, nibbling on cucumber hors d’oeuvres. We’ve gathered here for the unveiling of a new mural, titled Nirvana and Aberdeen, which stretches 68 feet along the outside wall of Moore’s Interiors and is financed by Our Aberdeen, a booster group whose recent efforts include the dedication of a healing gallery at the local hospital and Critters on the Map, a selfguided walking tour of the town’s whimsical metal sculptures. “And it’s my great pleasure to introduce ...” To the microphone steps Krist Novoselic, bassist for Nirvana, and Aberdeen’s second most famous native son. Novoselic, 49, used to perform barefoot, his pale white, size-14 feet a gleaming statement of punk freedom. Today he looks dapper in a black bowler hat, with salt-and-pepper flecks in his beard. “I am very grateful,” he says of the mural, in silky tones. “Here’s to our great future. Here’s to the future of Aberdeen.” The future of Aberdeen, a downbeat logging town an hour west of Olympia, Washington, has been a buzzy subject lately. And to understand why, you’d need to know something about its first most famous native son, Kurt Cobain. The oldest child of divorced working-class parents, Cobain lived here in a series of cracker-box homes. As a teenager, he cut class at Weatherwax High and stole stone crosses from a local cemetery. In 1987, he started his seminal band in a ramshackle garage. At the height of its success in the 1990s, Nirvana was the biggest rock band on the planet, selling some 75 million records worldwide and spawning a new musical genre, grunge. When I first heard Nirvana in 1991, it fed my veins. The music was such a pure expression of what it is to be young and angry and unsure, and when I squint a little in Aberdeen, I swear I can still see Cobain rising from the mist: wraith thin, unshaven, a The Young Street ratty mustard-colored cardigan hanging from his slenBridge, one of der frame as he screams, “Waaaa! Waaaaa!” No words, Kurt Cobain’s favorite hangouts. just the throaty, guttural sound of a confused heart

THE MAYOR OF ABERDEEN,

Photographs by

JOHN CLARK

WA N D E R LUS T

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opening up—the five sequential yells that appear on the “Intro” track of his second posthumous album, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. The one we all listened to knowing that in early April 1994, 27-year-old Kurt Donald Cobain took his own life with a 20-gauge shotgun. The mural is one of a handful of official Cobain tributes that have sprung up the past few years. On State 12, there’s now a sign that reads welcome to aberdeen. come as you are, a reference to a Nirvana song. Cobain’s favorite Aberdeen haunt—the underside of the Young Street Bridge—has officially become Kurt Cobain Landing, a well-tended pocket park that annually draws about 5,000 solemn visitors from all over the world. Meanwhile, last year on Cobain’s birthday, February 20, the mayor of Aberdeen marked the city’s first-ever Kurt Cobain Day by unveiling a concrete statue of the musician. “We hope,” Simpson told a rapt audience, “that Aberdeen will be just as big as Graceland.” Certainly, the town needed to reinvent itself. In Aberdeen’s circa-1900 heyday, when its canneries and logging operations thrived, downtown was a crime-ridden hive of brothels and saloons. The economy never fully 28

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bounced back after the Northwest timber industry all but died in the mid-1980s. Still, the mayor’s posthumous embrace of Cobain is jarring. For 20 years now, Aberdeen has largely shunned him, even as fans have trickled into town to roam the same streets and riverbanks their idol once did. For one weekend, I’d join them, riding my bicycle along the flat streets of Aberdeen, through a sleepy town where, it seems, everyone remembers Kurt. “Kurt used to play in my yard when he was little,” my waitress, Sue Muhlhauser, tells me, as she refills my $1 cup of coffee at the VFW hall. “I could probably sell the blades of grass if I wanted to.” I’ve stopped by for a ham-and-eggs breakfast, and also to take the town’s temperature on its evolving relationship with Cobain. “I don’t care for his music,” a woman at my table intones. “But then again, I’m a country-western person myself.” Terry Holderman, quartermaster of VFW Post 224, introduces himself. “Celebrating Kurt is a good thing,” he says. “There’s such creativity in his music. I think Aberdeen needs to hold on to that, because for a while it felt like we just gave up.” We’re outside now, and I notice a man standing nearby, smoking a cigarette. John Bryant works as the Post’s janitor. He, too, knew Cobain. “Oh yeah, Kurt could be sarcastic,” he says, taking a long, contemplative drag. “I was one of the guys old enough to buy beer for him and his friends. But he was a good kid. He just pushed the envelope a little too far.” I leave the VFW and pedal past Rosevear’s Music Center, where Kurt took his only guitar lessons. I Mayor Bill Simpkeep going past the elegant Aberdeen library, then son: “We hope along modest residential streets to an old armory that Aberdeen that’s now The Aberdeen Museum of History. Inside, will be just as big as Graceland.” a concrete statue of Cobain sits, a bit incongruously, amid an array of old fire engines and Model T cars. Sculptor and onetime high school teacher Randi Hubbard created the statue in 1994, not long after the musician died, shaping it with the help of local high school students at her husband’s muffler shop. “It was a raw time,” Hubbard tells me when she meets me at the museum. The statue was Hubbard’s attempt to bring about healing. But when she tried to display it publicly back then, the Aberdeen City Council balked. Concrete Kurt looks larger than life-size and unnervingly stiff; his fingers are rigid as they splay on his guitar, and a single tear streams from his eye. “I think we all have a little Kurt Cobain in us,” she says. “I knew him when he was a boy. He lived near me, and he was precious. He played with a foster child who lived in the neighborhood. He just loved the real people in this world.” We talk for maybe an hour, and by the time we finish, Hubbard is focusing her bottomless maternal affection on me: “I can’t let you ride your bike back to the motel,” she says. “It’s just too far.” So we throw my bike into her husband’s pickup and drive there, a flat mile, with my bike rattling in the back atop a heap of rusted-out mufflers.

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Travel I come back across town at dusk, past Grays Harbor Stamp Works and Aberdeen Office Equipment Co. and B&B Appliances, until I’m in a residential district right by the Wishkah River. There, with its blinds drawn, is the house Kurt Cobain lived in until his parents divorced. It’s a modest little yellowand-brown affair, built in 1923 and assessed last at $67,000. Wendy O’Connor, Cobain’s mother, has spent the last year trying to sell it for $500,000. When I pull up out front, the place elicits a dark memory for me. In 1994, I covered Cobain’s death for a gossip magazine. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. At one point, I got a fax from my editor saying, “Go interview his mother.” I got to the house and it seemed so small, so sad and lonely, that I couldn’t bring myself to knock. I told my editors she wasn’t home, and as I slinked away in my rental car, I felt desolate. Nirvana was playing on the radio, and Cobain’s voice was brooding and shadowed like the fog-shrouded hills near town. Every so often, his songs crackled with a glossy pop riff, sweet as candy. “Here we are now, entertain us,” he cried over melodic guitar riffs in Nirvana’s hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” There was something unguarded in his voice—a purity of spirit that was lacking in my own little paparazzo mission. I admired him, and I felt sorry for him. I consider stepping toward the house to peer in past the shades. Then I remember the peppy real estate listing: “Kurt left his mark, quite literally, in his upstairs bedroom, including some artwork drawn directly on the walls and a hole in one wall where he punched it as a teen, almost breaking his hand.” I already know enough, I decide, and I just gaze at the house from the street. It looks just as it did two decades ago: still and silent, without a flicker of life in it.

meandering route to the Young Street Bridge, first climbing through the trees on Think of Me Hill, then wheeling along a quiet backroad outside town, toward Lake Sylvia. When I get to Kurt Cobain Landing, there’s a man with a goatee pulling weeds beside a statue of Cobain’s guitar. A few feet away, a plaque honors Cobain as “our beloved hero.” Tori Kovach, 71, tells me that he spent five years beautifying the land here, once a blackberry thicket cluttered with years of accumulated refuse. “I did it for selfish reasons,” says Kovach, whose business card reads “Town Curmudgeon.” “This place abuts my property.” But as he got deeper into the project, Kovach learned that he and Cobain had much in common. “I was from a dysfunctional family too,” he says. “Both of us grew up trying to prove something to ourselves and to others. He was an underdog, and he deserves recognition.” As I leave, a group of teens make their way through the pocket park to the bridge. I sit there, on a bench, watching the pilgrims arrive: a couple from Michigan, three women from Spain. Everyone is solemn, almost silent. “I just needed to stop,” says one woman. It strikes me that listening to Nirvana is essentially a private experience. Unlike, say, The Grateful Dead or The Rolling Stones, it’s not party music. It’s one person opening up his heart and singing his pain into another person’s ears. And so the graffiti under the bridge reads like so many solitary prayers to a saint: “Kurdt, come back as you were.” “Thank you for keeping me alive and letting me know I am never alone.” I head back to the mural at Moore’s Interiors, and I meet its principal artist, Erik Sandgren, a Grays Harbor College instructor with a wispy beard and the weathered mien of a Norwegian fisherman. We grab a window seat at the Pizza Hut across the street and look up at his work. Nirvana and Aberdeen is a quarreling medley of images à la Picasso’s Guernica, and it pays homage to history. It intermingles ’90s-era rock iconography—Cobain playing guitar, a pink MTV logo—with glimpses of the land where Nirvana’s music took root. Here’s an 18-wheel logging truck rumbling up a hill. Here are a few Native American gillnetters; here are the hourglass-shaped towers of the nearby, never-used Satsop Nuclear Power Plant. Sandgren tells me that as he painted the mural, he meditated on that bond. “The guys in Nirvana were like young loggers,” he says. “They took risks, and that risk-taking goes right back to the roots of what this place is, back to when my grandparents came out to the Pacific Northwest to start a new life.” Cobain roamed the world’s stages in a flannel logger’s shirt. Truth is, he never really left Aberdeen. In his 2002 biography of Cobain, Heavier Than Heaven,

Aberdeen’s embrace of Cobain isn’t just a money thing. It is also forgiveness. It’s love in its most hard-bitten form, and like all expressions of love, it opens the door to new possibilities.

involve expectations. If we go to London, to tread the same cobbled streets Charles Dickens strolled, we half-want the buildings to be decrepit and blackened by coal dust. If we travel Cuba for the Hemingway tour, we keep our eyes peeled for the big fish. And in Aberdeen, paying homage to Cobain, we want bleak, we want gray, we want brooding—and, yes, it’s there, but not unremittingly. On my second morning in town, I take a long,

ARTISTIC PILGRIMAGES

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writer Charles R. Cross notes that Cobain “rarely did an interview without discussing [Aberdeen], as if it were a lover he’d left behind.” Once, driving back there late at night, after a long time away, he told an old friend how much he loved the verdant landscape and its unrehearsed people. So Aberdeen’s embrace of Cobain isn’t just a money thing. It is also forgiveness. It’s a family taking its runaway kid back into the fold. It’s love in its most hardbitten form, and like all expressions of love, it opens the door to new possibilities. Like this mural, which is a piece of robust art sprouted out of the dark wreckage of Cobain’s ashes. Neither Sandgren nor I say it, but the mural carries the possibility that maybe in time Cobain’s memory will inspire more hopeful gestures. And maybe—who knows?—all these gestures put together will carry Aberdeen to a comeback. On my last night in Aberdeen, Sandgren invites me to a party he’s hosting to celebrate the mural. When I arrive at his book-lined home, I find it’s an artists’ party, with guests spilling comfortably into the kitchen, cradling paper plates of hummus and vegetables. After a while, two young guys start strumming guitars. Then a woman begins to sing. Sandgren’s mother-in-law is 87

Freestyling in Big Sky

and bird-boned. She’s a lifelong cabaret singer with her own stage name, Pearl Coté. She is singing and swaying her arms, belting it out until all conversations stop and everyone watches, transfixed. I can’t help but think of another, long-ago performance: Nirvana playing unplugged, with two acoustic guitars, at MTV’s New York studio in late 1993; Cobain, sleep-deprived, ravaged by addiction, finding it within himself to deliver what many regard as the performance of his life. The show ends with a Lead Belly cover, and the words, halfwhispered, half-screamed, “I would shiver the whole night through.” Coté keeps singing: “Sentimental Journey,” The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” then a litAberdeen lies 110 miles tle impromptu scat. From the doorway, southwest of Seattle via I-5 her daughter watches, slender and birdand State 8. boned herself. She is leaning into the Mural: 201 S. Broadway. music now, coaxing her mother along. Statue: The Aberdeen When the show is all over, she rushes toMuseum of History. $2; ward the couch. She presses her mom aberdeen-museum.org. close to her and kisses her once, fiercely, Sign: West side of State 12. on the cheek. Kurt Cobain Landing: Young Street Bridge.

MAKE A PILGRIMAGE

More pilgrimage sites across the West: sunset.com/memorials.

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Home & Garden P L A N T N OW

THE GIVING TREES Our favorite stone-fruit varieties deliver big flavor come summer.

Juicy fruit THE BEST PEACH FOR PIE P. 35

Photographs by

T H O M A S J. S T O RY

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Home & Garden

THE PICK OF THE CROP Even the best store-bought plum can’t rival one grown in your backyard— the most flavorful stone fruit is often too delicate to be grown commercially. After touring the Modesto, California, orchards of Zaiger’s Genetics (the leaders in fruit tree breeding) and Dave Wilson Nursery (the largest fruit grower in the country), we’ve come up with our top backyard picks, from a classic peach to some Seussian-sounding new hybrids.

LEAH COT APRIUM New this year, this apricot-plum hybrid has fist-size fruit that tastes like candy. RIPENS MID-JUNE TO EARLY JULY

SPICE ZEE N E C TA P L U M Prized for being both ornamental and edible, this nectarine-plum has magenta blooms and bright red new growth. Ripe fruit has white flesh, and both the nectarine and plum flavors come through. RIPENS MID-JULY TO EARLY AUGUST

Best color

DAPPLE SUPREME PLUOT This plum-apricot mix needs only 300 chill hours to be loaded with fruit, meaning it’s suitable for mild climates. Dappled red skin covers juicy, sweet blood red flesh. RIPENS MID-JUNE TO MID-JULY

By

J O H A N N A S I LV E R

Home & Garden

Best for baking

S W E E T T R E AT PLUERRY This plum-cherry hybrid—the first of its kind—mixes cherrylike sweetness with plum size and tartness. The fruit hangs on the tree for six weeks, much longer than a traditional plum tree.

KAWEAH PEACH This classic peach tree yields large fruit with balanced flavor, perfect for eating fresh, baking, or canning. RIPENS LATE AUGUST TO LATE SEPTEMBER

RIPENS EARLY JULY TO MID-AUGUST

Best overall flavor

SPLASH PLUOT Coral and yellow skin covers juicy yellow flesh that is perfectly sweet—and equally good fresh, dried, or cooked in desserts. RIPENS MID- TO LATE JULY

EMERALD DROP PLUOT Medium to large fruit with green skin and yellow-orange flesh. Harvest when it’s still on the firm side for more tartness, or let it turn slightly soft for an almost honeylike flavor. RIPENS MID-JULY TO EARLY AUGUST

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Home & Garden PLANT NOW

GROWING GUIDE Twiggy bare-root trees don’t look like much at the beginning, but planting them at this stage gives them the best kick-start for growth. Here’s what you need to know about planting and caring for bare-root trees, plus landscaping options for small yards.

Buy

Nurseries are well stocked with bare-root trees now. You can also order from bay laurelnursery.com. Trees come with roots packed in damp sawdust and wrapped in burlap. You can keep them in the sawdust for a day or two, but it’s best to plant right away.

CARE WATER whenever the soil is dry 2 inches

deep—as little as once a week in winter, or as much as once every three days in the heat of summer.

PL ANT

FERTILIZE trees in early spring (after blossom set), midsummer, and early fall. Use an organic fertilizer formulated for fruit trees (synthetic nitrogen can easily burn plants).

Soak the roots in a bucket of water for 45 minutes before planting.

Trim any broken pieces on the roots. Clip the rest of the roots by an inch.

REMOVE any leaves infected with peach leaf curl (they’ll be thick and twisted); the next round will grow uninfected. To prevent this fungal disease, which diminishes fruit production, keep smaller trees dry during the rainy season by tenting them with floating row covers.

Dig a hole twice as deep and as wide as the root system; form a firm cone of soil to set the plant on, making sure the crown sits just above the soil level.

THIN marble-size fruits to about 8 inches apart. For any tight clusters, remove all but the largest fruit. As painful as it may seem, thinning fruit is good for the tree.

Backfill the hole with a mix of 50 percent native soil and 50 percent amendment, such as organic compost.

PRUNE lightly around the summer solstice to control plant size. The waning season will discourage vigorous growth. Winter is the best time to prune for shape and structure. Pruning in late winter is almost useless for controlling size, as plants will bounce back.

Form a basin of soil around the tree to keep water concentrated on the roots.

MULTIGRAFTED TREE 36

Although you’ll be limited to the varieties the wholesaler offers, a tree grafted with multiple types of fruit is a great way to get a whole fruit salad from a single tree.

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DIGITAL BONUS Learn to care for your backyard orchard: sunset.com/fruit-trees.

ESPALIERED TREE In a narrow, sunny space, train your tree to grow flat against a wall, fence, or trellis. You’ll need to tether it to stakes or wires for support, then prune it to direct its growth horizontally.

In mild-winter areas, choose trees with a low chill requirement.

HIGH-DENSITY PLANTING Grow two or even three trees in one hole, with plants placed 18 inches apart. Choose varieties that pollinate one another and have successive ripening times for the longest harvest. (Don’t plant standard and semidwarf rootstocks together in the same hole.) Prune as a single tree, so limbs don’t overlap.

KEEP IT SMALL Cut your new tree to knee height. This creates lower branching and a shorter tree later on. Learn more in the book Grow a Little Fruit Tree (Storey Publishing, 2015; $17).

Illustrations by

J O E M C K E N D RY

Control your lights. Anytime. Anywhere.

Turn lights off while you’re away

Never enter a dark home again

Control lights from your bed

Install a dimmer in minutes. Place the remote where you need it for convenience and security. Available for overhead lights or plug-in lamps. For control with your smartphone or tablet, add a Smart Bridge and download the FREE Lutron app.

Find out where to buy at www.ChooseCaseta.com Pico® remote, dimmer, Smart Bridge, and smartphone with app

EVERY RELATIONSHIP

WAR M S UP o UNDER A BLANKET

OF SNOW.

“Follow me, Mom! I won’t go too fast.” The best vacations are made of moments like these and when spending time with family and friends, Park City has you covered. Literally. Just 35 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, you’ll find the highest concentration of ski-in/ ski-out luxury lodging of any North American resort town. You’ll also find our three world-class winter resorts, numerous award-winning restaurants and countless memorable moments—all under a blanket of the Greatest Snow on Earth®. Relationships are the warmth of life, rekindle them here. Visit ParkCityEasyEscape.com to see how quickly and easily you can arrive and begin creating your moments.

U TA H

Home & Garden

CHECKLIST

NORTHERN C A LIFORNIA

PLANT

Start perennial edibles, including artichoke, asparagus, and rhubarb. Put them in rich, well-draining soil in a spot that gets full sun, and you’ll be able to harvest for years to come. In mild-winter areas, plant clematis as soon as it’s in nurseries. Place vining types close to a trellis or obelisk in an area that receives at least a half-day of sun. Dig a hole 2 feet wide and deep with plenty of room around it (clematis doesn’t tolerate root competition well). For seasonal color, tuck hellebores in partly shaded areas that get ample irrigation. Their bell-shaped flowers in soft pink, purple, or pale green add interest to winter gardens. I D E A W E LOV E MAINTAIN

To keep houseplants from growing leggy, move them to bright indoor locations. Give them a quarter turn every week. Feed grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, and orange trees every six to eight weeks during bloom time with a granular fertilizer formulated for citrus. Water garden beds and trees when frost is predicted at night. Well-hydrated plants are better prepared to withstand the cold.

THOMAS J. STORY

Catch rainwater from downspouts in buckets and use it on houseplants.

Pocket gardens In this Southern California backyard, garden designer Molly Wood created a series of mini but mighty planting beds. While laying the Italian porcelain pavers, she deliberately left several empty spaces for drought-tolerant plants, including silvery green Senecio ‘Orange Puffs’, grassy Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’, and orange-yellow Sesleria autumnalis. The plantings create a graphic pattern when viewed from the deck, visually soften the expanse of paving, and allow for permeability when rain falls. mollywoodgardendesign.com.

Prune back overgrown groundcovers such as ivy, periwinkle, and star jasmine to control their size and encourage new growth in spring. PLAN

For the best selection, order summer-blooming bulbs,

corms, and tubers like begonias,

Fans of the PBS drama will

dahlias, gladiolus, and lilies

swoon over the new Downton

now. Dutch Gardens USA

Abbey series of roses. ‘Anna’s

(dutchgardens.com) and McClure

Promise’, the first in the series,

& Zimmerman (mzbulb.com)

has a two-toned bloom with

offer a large variety. For dahlias

peach petals that reverse to

only, our favorite source is Swan

bronze. It will ship in spring.

Island Dahlias (dahlias.com).

brecks.com.

What grows in your climate zone? Find out at sunset.com/zonefinder.

Reported by

L A U R E N D U N E C H O A N G & J O H A N N A S I LV E R

SUNSET

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Home & Garden

$ BUDGET TIP

A new build can be cost-efficient: This house cost about $100 a square foot less than the median selling price in the area.

DIARY OF A NEW BUILD You’re not Employee Number 2, but you still dream of building your own home. Learn how one Seattle couple did it on a real-person budget.

40

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SM ART SPAC E

pushed Julia Kuskin and Joel Bell to look for a new place—one, ideally, with two floors above ground so the couple could move their home offices out of the basement (Julia is a photographer; Joel is a private-practice therapist). But a house with enough room for work and their son, Ian, was out of their price range. Then the couple discovered a tear-down in Seattle’s Sunset Hill. They bought the lot and decided to build. Julia tells us the lessons she learned while tracking every penny. A SEARCH FOR LIGHT

H O M E A T L A S T The couple with their son, Ian, shown above in the living room of their new house. The exterior, opposite, features cedar privacy screens—a budget-friendly alternative to siding the whole house. The trees were donated by Seattle reLeaf, a city greening program. Photographs by

T H O M A S J. S T O RY

Home & Garden

“We wanted to see if normal people could afford to build a house that was environmentally sound—and had nice wood floors.” —JULIA KUSKIN

We find an architect who isn’t scared off by our budget. We met with two architects we found through the AIA website (aia. org) and had intense conversations with each one about our plans and budget. We feel like Chris Serra (bjarkoserra.com) can translate our vision into an understated, modern house. He calls our $170-persquare-foot budget “aggressive”—as in low—but is willing to give it a try. FIRST FLOOR

SPRING 2011

UTILITY

Drawing plans, changing plans. Since I’m visually opinionated, I have clear ideas of what I want. We started off talking to Chris about basic layout preferences and looking at photos of houses we like. Then we let him take it from there. We go through four or so designs, whittling away features to make the budget. For example, storage is an issue. A basement is too pricey, so we decide we can’t hold on to too much crap. Every time friends come over for dinner, we make them take home a box of books. 42

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JOEL’S STUDIO

IAN’S BEDROOM

JULIA’S STUDIO

SECOND FLOOR

MASTER BEDROOM

DEN KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

DINING ROOM

DECK

K I T C H E N The room, top left and above, is free of ornamentation but gains warmth from the walnut cabinets. Julia Kuskin worked closely with Nathan Hartman of Kerf Design (kerfdesign.com) to plan cabinetry for the way they live: The mugs and glasses are in short open shelves by the sink, and the island bookshelves are sized for her cookbooks.

L I V I N G R O O M Lightstarved no more: A 27-foot-long window that stretches from the kitchen to the living room, above left, as well as clerestory windows allow sunshine to reach across the open space. The living room is plumbed for a gas fireplace, which the couple hopes to add someday.

ILLUSTRATION: MARGARET SLOAN

SUMMER 2010

$ BUDGET TIP

Local craftspeople may be open to a trade of services to cover some costs.

®

M U LT I P U R P O S E R O O M When a separate guest room proved too costly, Julia added a fold-down sofa to her workspace. The poured-concrete floors on the lower level saved money for big-leaf maple on the second floor.

SUMMER 2011

Learning our limits. We want a guest room but can’t afford a house larger than 2,100 square feet. We decide squeezing in another room that would get used only a few times a year feels like a waste. EARLY FALL 2011

Experience the Lynx Lair, and the largest selection of BLUE Wilderness cat food.

I pick up extra duties. Our great relationship with Chris means we can talk openly about what we can afford. That’s how I start keeping the minutes for our monthly construction meetings instead of Chris. He says he’s never had a client do it, but I’m happy to. It makes me more aware of what has been done, potential issues, and money spent. LATE FALL 2011

Exclusively at

We change our minds. A lot. I promised myself there would be no change orders [changes that require the architect to redraw construction plans], but we have about 12. For instance, we have a tiny 44

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broom closet in the original design but no pantry. So we reconfigure the space and put one in. That translates into paying for a change in design and to build. Ch-ching! WINTER 2012

We splurge. Furniture designer Nathan Hartman built two pieces for our first house that we loved. So he is my choice for designing the kitchen for this house. Oh, and a wardrobe and side tables for the bedroom, and a bookshelf built into the stairwell ... that’s all still on the wish list. But we are getting our kitchen. FALL 2012

Moving in! Did we keep our initial budget intact? Honestly, no, but I don’t think anyone does. The house is great, no question, and we love living here.

DIGITAL BONUS The 10 questions you should ask an architect before you build: sunset.com/architect.

Inside every cat lives the spirit of the wild. And a love for meat.

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Love them like family. Feed them like family.®

Available in Kitten and Mature formulas, plus Rocky Mountain Recipe.TM

Home & Garden

In the Western HOME

T I PS FROM OUR TEAM

“My favorite part about this project? No need to paint around ceiling trim.” JOANNA LINBERG, HOME EDITOR

ASK A DESIGNER

Living in style

IDEA WE LOVE

Quick character

This month, Cisco Pinedo brings his sustainable, made-in-L.A. pieces to a new showroom in San Francisco (ciscohome.net). We asked him for his living room do’s and don’ts.

In a room with zero architectural features, try this trick: Paint two-thirds of the wall in a color, and the top onethird and ceiling white. (Strong hues could make ceilings seem lower, so we favor neutrals for this.) The color becomes a frame for furniture and a hanging guide for art.

What advice do you have for pulling an eclectic style together? Find pieces that appeal to you—maybe they remind you of your grandfather or you just love the shape. Then find the thread that will connect them in your home. It might be color. I have one common thread in my house: white. And then trust that you do have taste.

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE On trips to Denver—where we’re building our 2015 Idea House—we’ve discovered dozens of furniture makers (does everyone in this city know how to use a block plane?). One to note: Scott Bennett of Housefish. He recently added the Lock Chair to his line of modular pieces made from responsibly harvested U.S. wood. The seat has no-brainer assembly: Just click the “locking notch” into place and screw it together to secure. From $269 ($279 as shown in walnut); housefish.com.

THIS IS SMART

PRIVATE EYE 46

Renters, behold your “smart” security system. Like many devices, the Canary captures live video of your home from its wide-angle lens. But unlike other systems, there are no wall-damaging sensors to install. Simply place the 3- by 6-inch cylinder in a central spot and connect it to Wi-Fi. The app lets you put the Canary in “privacy mode” (camera off) when you’re home, and choose a trusted backup to receive alerts when you’re not reachable. $249; canary.is.

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Most common mistake people make when buying a sofa? You can not compromise on comfort. And color; if you pick the wrong color, you’ll be miserable. What’s a do-it-all piece everyone should own? I’m obsessed with small end tables. They’re perfect for when you have friends over and they need a place to put their drink and phone. I have one called Rotor. We make it out of the brake of a car, with a metal frame and a little piece of glass on top.

TOP, FROM LEFT: GLUEKIT, THOMAS J. STORY, COURTESY OF CISCO HOME

WESTERN MADE

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For a unique winter vacation, visit Montana’s premier luxury ranch resort—The Resort at Paws Up. Explore the great outdoors of Big Sky Country and experience unforgettable adventures like dog-sledding, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and ice skating—all in winter wonderland full of peace and magic.

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The West’s Best Snow Town, Cozy New Lodges—and More! Choose Your Perfect Snow Day

DIORAMA PHOTOGRAPHS: JEFFERY CROSS

A Tribute to Snow by Pam Houston

Let It Snow

Dioramas by

LISA SWERLING

SUNSET

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SUNSET PICKS

The Best Snow Town in the West A great snow town lets you ski fast, sleep well, and eat adventurously. The West has lots of great ones. And Jackson, Wyoming, is the greatest of them all. By Josh Dean

80 INCHES

3 42 I N C H E S

Average snowfall in Jan

Average annual snowfall

24 INCHES

from one snowfall in Jan 1996

Biggest powder day

70 I N C H E S Average base depth

Clockwise from above: The resort; elk-antler arches anchor downtown; a bull moose.

SUNSET’S 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

telling you how much I love Jackson Hole, a place that until fairly recently was still under the radar in winter. I’ve had most of my favorite days on snow here, knee-deep in Teton powder, or slicing around lodgepole pines, as puffs of the light snow that seems to fall every day from December through April blast me in the face. Jackson Hole’s remoteness used to distinguish it from the other large skiresort areas of the West, with their direct-air service from both coasts. It felt exclusive. With 4,139 vertical feet of skiing and a notoriously vast backcountry, it could also feel intimidating. But in the past few years, the sleepy resort where ski bums slept in cars has transformed into a world-class destination. What hasn’t changed is the gigantic mountain, or the spectacular Teton Range that contains it. Or the Old West town of Jackson, an easy 20-minute drive from the resort—if you don’t get stuck behind a family of moose in the road. Jackson has fine dining and honkytonks, designer shops and chaps-andboot sellers, Harrison Ford and Dick Cheney, and the cowboys who take care of their horses. Skiing might be the thing that brings you here the first time, but it’s not necessarily the reason you’ll keep coming back. The test of a successful vacation is how you feel at the end. A good trip leaves you feeling like it went too quickly, wishing that you could extend it for just a few more days. Jackson’s pull is even more powerful for me. Every time I get on a plane to head back home, I ask myself why I don’t just move to the Tetons full-time.

I ALMOST FEEL GUILT Y

TAYLOR GLENN (3)

(Turn the page for more.)

SNOWSPEAK

POWDER

Lightweight, fluffy, and dry; freshly fallen.

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SUNSET PICKS

YOUR IDEAL WEEKEND: JACKSON, WY S TAY H E R E AT THE MOUNTAIN

A decade ago, there were only a couple of hostels and a cluster of condos at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Now, there’s a Four Seasons, the Teton Mountain Lodge, and our favorite, Hotel Terra, which melds modern, eco-friendly design with a more mountainlike vibe. From $263; hotelterra jacksonhole.com. The Wort Hotel, opened in 1941, is one of the few places with the kind of historical character that befits the dusty old cowboy town Jackson once was. From $289; worthotel.com. IN TOWN

HIT THE SLOPES MUST-DO Even if you’re not a skier, take the famous tram to the top of the resort’s 10,450-foothigh Rendezvous Bowl, then admire the views with a beer and a Belgian waffle at Corbet’s Cabin. FOR BEGINNER SKIERS Jackson

Hole’s reputation is that it’s steep and challenging. That’s true, but it’s also huge, with terrain for

skiers of all levels. The Après Vous Mountain side of the resort is basically a beginner and intermediate playground, and Kids Ranch, located in a building just off the gondola, is one of the best programs in the industry for teaching little ones. FOR THE MORE EXPERIENCED Jack-

son Hole is famous for “sidecountry,” a term coined to describe the open resort boundaries that lead to trees, chutes, and other off-piste terrain that you can ski and then still return to the lifts. You get the thrill of skiing wilder runs without the misery that backcountry typically requires— in particular, long hikes with skis or snowboards strapped to your back. From $104/1-day lift ticket; jacksonhole.com. MEET THE L O CA L S WILDLIFE SPOTTING

You often see the elk before you see the town of Jackson. Most days, they’re right along U.S. 26 on the way in from the airport. In winter, you can see them (relatively) up close in safety, on a horsedrawn sleigh ride in

the 24,700-acre National Elk Refuge. Tours run daily from December through the first week of April. $20; fws.gov/ nationalelkrefuge. TAS T E T H E T OW N BREAKFAST Housed in a rustic log cabin halfway between town and the resort, Nora’s Fish Creek Inn got a James Beard Award in 2012 for having one of the best breakfasts in America. The huevos rancheros are justifiably beloved. $; 5600 State 22, Wilson; norasfishcreek inn.com.

No place in town has better views than Couloir, set at the top of the Jackson Hole gondola at 9,095 feet. Start with the duck wings, no matter what else you order. $$; 3265 W. Village Dr., Teton Village; jacksonhole.com.

LUNCH

DINNER Transplanted Chicago restaurateur Gavin Fine has a mini empire growing in Jackson, and you’re in good hands at any of his seven eateries. Rendezvous Bistro ($$) is the original, and it’s home to the best hamburger around, topped with bacon,

Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is served by American, Delta, Frontier, and United airlines. The town is 9 1⁄ 2 miles south of JAC via U.S. 191, which is open all winter.

GE T TING HERE

52

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white cheddar, and roasted-garlic-anddill aioli. Bin22 ($), his latest, is a wine bar with tapas. The best part? You can buy wine in the attached shop and drink it at dinner with no corkage fee. jhfinedining.com. RAISE A G L AS S THE CHEERS OF JACKSON Sure,

it’s touristy, but it’s also authentic and adored by locals. The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is

the center of Jackson social life, with cheap cans of beer, live country music, and Texas two-step. Commandeer one of the barstools, each of which has an actual saddle in lieu of a seat, and sip a bottle of the local Snake River Lager. That stuffed grizzly in the glass case? It’s allegedly the largest bear ever killed by a man with his bare hands. 25 N. Cache St.; milliondollarcow boybar.com.

Clockwise from right: Whiteout bliss; the resort’s famous tram; Gavin Fine’s salumi and cheese.

SUNSET’S 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

“In January and February, you can always count on getting great powder conditions and quality snow—really light and dry, just the way I like it.”

TAYLOR GLENN (4)

—tommy moe, 20-year resident of jackson and 1994 olympic skiing gold and silver medalist

SNOWSPEAK

CHAMPAGNE POWDER

Extremely lightweight and fluffy—the gold standard for skiers and boarders.

SUNSET

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SUNSET PICKS

YOUR PERFECT SNOW DAY What do you want to do?

Bond with my kids on the slopes.

I want to take it easy.

Up on the mountain.

I have little ones.

Deer Valley Resort puts beginner and intermediate skiers at ease with plenty of groomed runs and inviting views to match. Take advantage of the free, twice-daily tours, when guides can point you to the best terrain for your skill level. $114/1-day lift ticket; Park City, UT; deer valley.com.

Diamond Peak’s Last Tracks program grants bragging rights and a buzz. For $34, you get to catch the day’s last chair up the mountain, enjoy wine and appetizers at 7,450-foot-high Snowflake Lodge, and then ski down while watching the sun set over Lake Tahoe. $64/1-day lift ticket; Incline Village, NV; diamondpeak.com.

Angel Fire Resort beckons families with base-camp babysitting and the new High Five deal, which lets young first-time skiers earn a free season pass after taking five lessons. Kids in need of a ski break can make their own Frosty with DIY snowman kits. $53/ 1-day lift ticket; Angel Fire, NM; angelfire resort.com.

Play in the snow, sans hills.

Crosscountry skiing. Much of Glacier National Park’s beloved Goingto-the-Sun Road closes to cars in winter. But you can still see the route’s beauty by skis. Glacier Adventure Guides offers full-day excursions, including instruction for newbies, from December through May. From $180; Columbia Falls, MT; glacieradventure guides.com.

Challenge me.

Off the mountain.

I have teens.

Snowshoeing.

Steep runs, deep powder— that’s what you’ll find at Mt. Bachelor. Catch the Northwest Express lift to access glades of old-growth hemlocks, perfectly spaced for skiing, or venture to the Low East area, 650 acres of newly opened terrain. $79/1-day lift ticket; Bend, OR; mtbachelor.com.

At Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort, revelers can rent a heated yurt close to Lee Peak’s 11,289foot summit, ski during the day, and then hop a 45-minute limo ride to the Strip. Schuss City meets Sin City. $48/1-day lift ticket; Las Vegas; skilasvegas.com.

Brundage Mountain Resort is a super place for older kids to test their limits. Many intermediate runs sit next to widely spaced trees, making it easy for adventure seekers to give ungroomed terrain a try. $50/1-day lift ticket; McCall, ID; brundage.com.

At Snoqualmie Pass, U.S. Forest Service rangers will outfit you with snowshoes, show you the basics, and guide you on a beginner-friendly, 90-minute hike through the Cascades. $15 suggested donation; Snoqualmie Pass, WA; reservations: (425) 434-6111.

SNOWSPEAK

BROWN SNOW

Infused with mud, usually shows up in spring.

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Revel in the après scene.

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SNOW HALL OF FAME

film blanc Five movies starring Western snow

SUN VALLE Y SERENADE (1941) This corny musical

with Norwegian skating sensation Sonja Henie made a star out of the Idaho resort.

JEREMIAH JOHNSON (1972 )

Actor Robert Redford was so taken with the Utah filming locations, he bought land nearby—to start a little place called Sundance.

JON MULLEN/GETTY IMAGES; BELOW: EVERETT COLLECTION

Ski, plain and simple.

SUNSET’S 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

KNOW YOUR SNOW

WHERE TO GO, AND WHEN Have fun—without breaking a sweat.

Memorable scenery and killer photo ops. Kick back in a cozy sled on a mushing tour with Jeff Ulsamer’s Dog Sled Adventures. Ulsamer’s Alaskan Huskies lead hourlong rides through the old-growth fir of Stillwater State Forest. From $100; Whitefish, MT; dogsled adventures montana.com.

Tony Crocker loves two things: skiing and stats. His website, bestsnow.net, combines both, with 40-plus years of snowfall data—and tips on how to find the freshest flakes. His advice:

1 2 3 4

Okay, maybe a few thrills. Snowtubing provides the wind-in-your-face adrenaline boost of skiing and boarding— but doesn’t require the skill. Try the thousandfoot-long lanes at Whistler Blackcomb. $21/ 1-hour pass; Whistler, B.C.; whistlerblackcomb.com.

5

IF YOU WANT TO SKI IN JANUARY … Mountains that get a lot of sun—like Steamboat and Vail in Colorado, and Jackson in Wyoming—are good bets right now. Jackson Hole sees more snow in January than any other month: an average of 80 inches of fresh powder. FOR PRESIDENT’S DAY OR SPRING BREAK, BOOK IN JANUARY. Make plans too far ahead of time and you won’t know where the snow’s going. By January, you’ll have a clear idea of which mountains are getting a good snowfall.

SNOW HALL OF FAME

Over-the-top billing Ski-run names gone wild.

OR, WAIT UNTIL MARCH. Summit County, Colorado, is a good spring-break option. It has numerous high-altitude resorts, such as Breckenridge and Keystone, that preserve snow exceptionally well.

WYATT’S BURP (Alyeska, AK)

DEVIL’S CROTCH (Breckenridge, CO)

HUEVOS GRANDE (Mammoth, CA)

NAUGHTY GIRL

IN THE LATE SEASON, AIM HIGH. Ski conditions in March and April are driven more by altitude and exposure than by the season’s snowfall. The higher the peak, the colder it is, and the more snow it’ll keep. When you need to plan ahead, pick a high-elevation spot, like Mammoth in California, Mt. Bachelor in Oregon, or Telluride in Colorado.

(Brundage, ID)

NUTHER MOTHER (Pajarito, NM)

X-FILES (Deer Valley, UT)

THE DUMPS (Aspen) DITCH OF DOOM (Kirkwood, CA)

BRAIN DAMAGE (Crystal Mountain, WA)

WIDOW MAKER

AND DON’T PANIC— THERE WILL BE SNOW. Despite the drought in California, Western snow conditions are still strong. The 2010–11 season was the best ski season in more than 40 years. When in doubt, Utah’s Cottonwood Canyon resorts, like Alta, are a safe choice for good snow all season.

THE SH INING (1980 ) A family getaway to a luxury resort? What could go wrong? Colorado, Montana, and Oregon all claim to be the true locale.

DUMB AND DUMBER (1994 ) Lloyd and

Harry take on snowy, snooty Aspen. And Aspen loses.

(Heavenly, CA)

SNOWSPEAK

CORDUROY

Groomed by a snowcat machine into grooves.

FROZEN ( 2013 ) Okay, it was

set in an animated Scandinavia. The saga of Elsa and Anna is still the triumphant product of Burbank-based Disney.

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SUNSET PICKS

the new classic lodges Know where the snow is amazing? Outside the frosted window of a fire-warmed inn. Here are our top five base camps this winter. WASHINGTON SCHOOL HOUSE HOTEL

Park City, Utah, has grown over-the-top posh in recent years, and our favorite spot to splurge is the Washington School House Hotel. Hidden just off Main Street is a newly renovated stone schoolhouse turned hushed inn that’s well worth the sticker shock. Your stay includes everything from omelets in the morning to warm cookies at night, access to the rooftop heated pool—and, believe it or not, all alcohol. Then there’s the space itself: 16-foot-high ceilings, 100-year-old crystal chandeliers, and white marble bathroom floors (heated, of course). From $1,125; washington schoolhouse.com. S L E E P O N T H I S Every winter, the Sundance Film Festival draws 45,000 attendees to Park City— more than eight times the town’s population.

BASECAMP

South Lake Tahoe, California, has always been known more for casino buffets and highrise hotels than for hipness. But when Basecamp opened in 2012, young, budget-minded snow chasers were first in line, ready to scout the revamped ‘50s motel within boot-stomping distance of Heavenly. What they found was a high-style crash pad straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. The 50 guest rooms all come with comfy Pendleton blankets, walk-in showers, and rustic lanterns to help you find your way to the outdoor firepits for a s’moresathon. New this season: a 20-person hot tub and a beer garden with Texas-style barbecue. From $109; basecamphotels.com. S L E E P O N T H I S The nearby Heavenly Mountain Resort opened in 1955, 10 years before South Lake Tahoe existed as a town.

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SUNSET’S 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

SNOW HALL OF FAME

THE WOOD SLED—MADE BET TER

THE SNOWPINE LODGE

Built in 1938, The Snowpine Lodge in Alta, Utah, is the oldest of the resort’s five ski-in/ski-out inns—and after years of neglect, it began looking like it. But a couple of years ago, new owners gave this intimate, 21-room lodge the love, care, and cozy couches it deserves. Plus: an outdoor hot tub, plush beds, and a relaxed dining room with four-course suppers where slippers are acceptable and the chef takes requests. From $130 for bunk, $339 for private room, including meals; thesnowpinelodge.com.

Consider it rideable art. The heirloom-quality Ultimate Flyer, from Colorado-based Mountain Boy Sledworks, is handcrafted from birch, with willow handrails, stainless steel hardware, and customized skids on the bottom for increased speed. The entire front section pivots for added control and steering. $180; mountainboysleds.com.

S L E E P O N T H I S After a controversial 2014 decision to ban snowboarders, Alta is one of three ski-only resorts in the country.

VOICES OF THE SNOW

KNOB HILL INN

For years, Knob Hill Inn was too frilly and pink, desperately playing the part of the only luxury hotel in Sun Valley. Then in 2011, new owners swooped in with $1.2 million to give a town steeped in tradition something fresh. The contemporary hotel is home to just 29 rooms—some with wood-burning fireplaces, others with prime views of Mt. Baldy, all with heated marble bathroom floors. Best of all: It’s within walking distance of downtown Ketchum. From $329; knobhillinn.com. S L E E P O N T H I S The first two chairlifts in the country were built in Sun Valley in 1936.

LODGE AT VAIL

Back in 1962, when Vail Mountain first opened with one rickety gondola and $5 lift tickets, there was just one 30-room hotel in Vail. Now, that hotel is a 165-room resort, which sparkles this season after a big-deal, multiphase renovation: 56 newly redone rooms with fireplaces and panoramic views of the peaks. The pool is fresh off a million-dollar facelift too, with two new hot tubs and gas firepits. From $547; lodge atvail.rockresorts.com. S L E E P O N T H I S Vail Ski Resort was established by three WWII vets who had trained for alpine combat in a nearby valley.

SNOWSPEAK

SLUSH

Halfway to melting, very heavy and wet.

YES, THERE’S SNOW IN HAWAII “A couple of days after a big front moves in, we might open the road to Mauna Kea’s summit. Then you’ll see them, 4x4s full of locals hauling snowboards, inner tubes, Boogie boards. There are no lifts, so one person goes down, then waits to get driven back to the top. It’s no place for a beginner. We’re at 14,000 feet above sea level, with very steep slopes and hard lava rock underneath the snow. I’ve never done it—no way. I know my limits.” —RANGER SCOTTY PAIVA ON DOWNHILLING THE WORLD’S TALLEST VOLCANO

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VOICES OF THE SNOW

SUNSET PICKS

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SNOWY “The Sierra Nevada snowpack is like a frozen reservoir. Its runoff supplies 30 percent of California’s water—and everybody needs to drink water. We start measuring the snow February 1. We ski out to 250 sites across the state and use snow samplers, poles you stick in the ground. We also use automatic snow sensors that emit data electronically. Last year’s snowpack was one of our worst ever. Maybe I’m delusional, but I’m hoping this year will be better.” —DAVE RIZZARDO, CHIEF OF SNOW SURVEY SECTION, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

THE BEST MEALS AT HIGH ALTITUDE Everything tastes better at 10,000 feet, where just getting to the dinner table is half the fun. Here are six ways to dine high.

ALPINE MEADOWS, LAKE TAHOE, CA KNOW YOUR SNOW

Meet your maker Expert snowmaker Jon Wax is so good at filling in the flakes at Washington’s Mission Ridge Resort that Sochi tapped him for the 2014 Winter Olympics. We share his take on the fake stuff.

What is fake snow? Fake snow is just snow made from high-pressure water and compressed air, then launched 140 feet from a machine. The only real difference is that it doesn’t have dendritic arms, which are the crystal structures that ensure no two snowflakes are alike. How do you make good fake snow? A lot of hard work and studying the forecast for temperature, humidity, and wind. Things can change quickly. We spend a lot of time moving the machines around, then the winds shift and we have to move again. We joke and say that it’s “pure magic,” but it’s not. Can the average person tell the difference between real and manmade? It depends on the conditions you had when you made the snow. Snow made at 26° is going to be a little different from

snow made at 12°. There’s also a cure time involved with manmade snow. Ideally, you make it, then you don’t touch it for 24 hours to let the moisture evaporate. If you get short on time, you start pushing stuff before it’s ready, and the snow isn’t as smooth. What was it like to make snow for the 2014 Sochi Olympics? Amazing. They had one of the largest fan systems in the world. The firepower was incredible. The temperature wasn’t always ideal, but when it got cold enough, we were full-on. For perspective, when we’re rocking at Mission Ridge, we convert 1,800 to 2,000 gallons of water to snow every minute. In Sochi, we were doing 12,000! So without fake snow, there would not have been a Sochi Olympics? I’m confident there wouldn’t have been.

The Chalet, at midmountain, has been transformed into a Swiss-style beer garden. Ski to the door for a pint, or come back via snowcat for a country meal. New this season: Private Snowcat Dinners ($220; 15 people min.). And on peak weekends: Snowshoe Dinners ($69) under the stars for 50 strangers— who no doubt leave as friends. squaw alpine.com.

SNOWSPEAK

HARDPACK Densely packed, almost icy.

ARAPAHOE BASIN, CO

If snowshoeing up to 12,000 feet under the light of a full moon for a Bavarian feast sounds appealing, reserve now. A-Basin’s monthly Moonlight Dinners are insanely popular. Not down for the 45-minute climb? Hop the chairlift and be greeted by live music, a familystyle spread, and picture-window views of the Continental Divide. $85; arapahoebasin.com.

SUNSET’S 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

SUNSET PICKS

Elsa. Experienced guides will take you through ice tunnels, ice slides, and a series of grand rooms, including one where lunch will be served. It could be fresh sushi or braised lamb, paired with ice wine, of course. From $10,000 U.S./group of 4; headlinemountain holidays.com.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: CAMARA PHOTOGRAPHY, THOMAS J. STORY, LYNN DONALDSON; RIGHT, FROM TOP: NORBERT MILLER/ AFP/GETTY IMAGES, STEFAN WACKERHAGEN/IMAGEBROKER/ALAMY; PAGE 56, BOTTOM LEFT: EVA KOLENKO

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH, BIG SKY, MT

ASPEN

The Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro atop the Aspen Highlands was a ski patrol station until the late 1990s. Now it’s one of the Rockies’ best ski-in restaurants, its menu packed with local game, fish, and produce. The signature raclette (gooey, firemelted cheese served with potatoes and cured meats) will make you want to linger well after the frost has disappeared from your nose. Or until the ski patrol sends you back

down the mountain. Lunch $45 prix fixe; aspensnowmass.com/ cloudnine.

WHISTLER, B.C.

Looking for an over-the-top dining experience? Local outfitter Head-Line will helicopter you to the Pemberton Ice Fields, where you’ll snowmobile to a maze of ice caves fit for Queen

The weekly Sleigh Ride Dinners at this all-inclusive 6,500-acre guest ranch near Yellowstone’s northwest gate are legendary. Hot cocoa and wool blankets keep you warm as a team of 2,000-pound draft horses pulls you through the winter wonderland to a remote cabin in the woods. For the next two hours, it’s lamplit ambience, slabs of prime rib with roasted potatoes, and a real-deal cowboy singing tunes about the Montana range. $115; lone mountainranch.com.

SNOWSPEAK

THREE SNOWMAZING SPORTS

CORNICE

Balcony-like overhang created by wind; some skiers and boarders like to launch from cornices, but they can snap off.

1. SNOWKITING WHAT IS IT? A massive

kite that propels you and your skis or board across the snow. PLAY HERE Telluride Snowkite School, Telluride, CO. $75/ 3-hour clinic; telluride snowkite.com.

INTRODUCING THE ROVING CHAMPAGNE BAR There’s skiing Champagne powder, and then there’s sipping Champagne in the powder. The Oasis on Aspen Mountain lets you do both. How it works: Skiers and snowboarders check Twitter or Facebook to find where the mobile bar will pop up next—and then show up in their boots ready to kick back in actual lounge chairs, listen to solarpowered tunes, spoon fresh caviar, and tilt back flutes of bubbly. Because skiing at 11,000 feet doesn’t make you light-headed enough. From $15; thelittle nell.com.

2. SKIJORING WHAT IS IT? A combi-

nation of cross-country skiing and dog sledding. Your pooch does the pulling; you do the steering. PLAY HERE Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort, Tabernash, CO. $40/2-hour clinic; devilsthumbranch.com.

3. SNOW BIKING WHAT IS IT? Mountain

biking in the snow, using bikes with special oversize tires. PLAY HERE Jug Mountain Ranch, McCall, ID. $50/day bike rental, $10 trail day pass; jugmountain ranch.com.

DIGITAL BONUS From snowy wonderlands to urban fun, the very best places to visit in winter: sunset. com/wintertravel. SUNSET

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KNOW YOUR SNOW

LEADERS OF THE PACK

The West has always had the best snow in the whole country—and we have the stats to prove it. MT S N O Q UA L MI E L ARGEST SKI RESORT IN THE U.S.

SNOWIEST YEAR IN THE U.S.

CA S CA D E S

1,140 inches (95 feet) BEND

mt. baker ski area, wa elevation: 5,089 feet jul 1, 1998–jun 30, 1999.

5,800-acre Big Sky Resort

M CC A L L

big sky, mt elevation: 11,166 feet.

WY JAC KSON

ID R O C KY M O U N TA I N S

S I E R R A N E VA DA

BIGGEST SNOWSTORM IN THE U.S.

189 inches (15.75 feet)

CO

PA R K C I T Y

BRECKENRIDGE

NORTH L AKE TAHOE

mount shasta ski bowl, ca elevation: 3,554 feet feb 13–19, 1959.

SNOWIEST DAY IN THE U.S. RED RIVER

75.8 inches (6.3 feet) silver lake, co elevation: 10,220 feet apr 14–15, 1921.

SNOWIEST MONTH IN THE U.S.

DEEPEST SNOW IN THE U.S.

390 inches (32.5 feet)

451 inches (37.6 feet)

tamarack, ca elevation: 7,000 feet jan 1911.

tamarack, ca elevation: 7,000 feet mar 11, 1911.

NM

SUNSET PICKS

THE BEST SNOW EVENTS INTERNATIONAL SNOW SCULPTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS (CO) JAN 27–FEB 8

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At first, there’s nothing but a half-dozen blocks of snow, pressed into enormous cubes. Then the teams arrive—trios from around the globe—and unwrap the strangest batch of tools ever to make it past airport security: serrated saws, garden spades. For days, they saw, scrape, and sand, until the night before “tools down,” when judging begins. The sculptures are smooth as glass, all traces of snow swept away. Team Netherlands is finishing a mash-up of a corkscrew and a beer opener. “You better pick a design you like,” says one of its sculptors. “Because it’s days of cold, hard, wet work.” In the morning, the sculptures will stand white and gleaming against a bluebird sky, until, winners and losers alike, they soften, start to drip, and collapse under their own weight. Get the scoop firsthand in Breckenridge. gobreck.com.

SUNSET’S 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

SNOWSPEAK

CORN

Springtime snow, melted and refrozen into icy pellets.

VOICES OF THE SNOW

AFTER THE FALL B Y PA M H O U S T O N

M C CALL WINTER CARNIVAL (ID) JAN 30–FEB 8

FROM LEFT: CARL SCOFIELD (2), TAYLOR GLENN; MAP ILLUSTRATION: SUPRIYA KALIDAS

Opens with snow sculptures, ends with a fireworks display. mccall chamber.org/ winter-carnival.

NORTH LAKE TAHOE SNOWFEST (NV) FEB 27–MAR 8

Get all goosebumpy at the Polar Bear Swim, or chill out at the parade. tahoesnow festival.com.

FUR RENDEZVOUS (AK) FEB 27–MAR 8

Snow-packed activities in Anchorage, from sled dog races to the crowning of Rondy royalty. furrondy.net.

WINTER CARNIVAL & PARADE OF ICE (NM) JAN 9–11, 16–19

Ice sculpting, parades, and snowmobile races in Red River. redriver newmex.com.

I live at 9,000 feet above sea level in Colorado, near the headwaters of the Rio Grande, in a high horseshoe-shaped valley wrapped on three sides by the Continental Divide. The air is thin, dry, and cold up here. The snowstorms get stuck in the dip and swirl of the basin, turning back and back again on themselves, sometimes dropping as much as 4 inches an hour. On a morning in mid-November, we can wake to dry frozen ground and flurries, and by dinnertime, the split-rail fences have all gone under. We might not see the tops of them again until March. That is the day that launches four solid months of worry. I fear for my elderly geldings who get so depressed standing on that frozen moonscape with their achy old-man legs that they sometimes stop eating, stop taking the short walk to the trough. You can lead a horse to water, you can carry a bucket of water to a horse and stick it right under his nose, you can float carrot bits on the surface to make it more appealing, you can even lie down on the ice in front of the bucket and pretend to slurp up water yourself, but it turns out to be true that you cannot make him drink. I worry, too, about the mini donkeys, who are far jollier than the horses but no taller than the split-rail fences. They have to power through the pasture like Tonka trucks, leaving their belly marks in the fresh powder, and I imagine them high-centered in a drift some howling night, their little legs spinning but gaining no purchase. I worry about my Icelandic sheep, especially Jordan, the ewe, who is prone to respiratory illness brought on by sudden cold snaps, and my chickens, who tend to attack (and sometimes kill) each other in extreme weather of any kind. I’ve been spotted heading out to the chicken house at 5 a.m., dressed in my giant Denver Broncos coat, mushing gloves, and pack boots, toting a space heater. I sit cross-legged under the red lamp with the humming heater in my lap for a couple of hours while the chickens gather around and jockey for position under my armpits. What edges out the worry, of course, is the wonder. Because what could be better than 48 inches in 24 hours, than a young Irish wolfhound leaping though bottomless powder with a giant smile on his face, than a herd of 200 elk making their stately way through the pasture toward the river? What could be better than knowing the aquifer is getting replenished, that summer wildfire fear is assuaged, if not abated, that the rivers will be full of trout and the pastures full of wild irises come June? What follows the storm is utter stillness, in which nothing is moving, every living being in the county is resting. It’s a quiet so complete that I can hear when a car crosses the cattle guard 2 miles and three bends of river canyon away. This is my home, a place where nature still controls how we spend our days and how we spend our lives. September is for filling the barn with hay; October for loading the porch with firewood. It’s 6 degrees below zero, but according to The Weather Channel, it feels like minus 20. There’s a pot of green chile stew in the oven, and the dogs are snoring by the woodstove. There’s nothing I would trade this for. Now, let it snow. Pam Houston is the author of five books, including Cowboys Are My Weakness and her latest, Contents May Have Shifted. She lives in Creede, Colorado.

Additional reporting by Alexandra Deabler, Peter Fish, David Hanson, Rachel Levin, Megan McCrea, Andrea Minarcek, Nino Padova & Lisa Trottier

Way back when, they met cute in Hawaii. Now, they’re trying to reconnect with this land of lava, white-knuckle drives, dolphins gone AWOL—and each other. Can they find the magic again while chaperoned by a ukulele-mad 10-year-old? BY PEGGY ORENSTEIN brought my husband and me together. It was 1991. I was still new to San Francisco, enjoying myself in that aimless, vaguely miserable way endemic to one’s 20s—unsure of what my life added up to, where it was heading. A friend who was writing about the rise of the Native Hawaiian rights movement invited me to tag along on a reporting trip to the Big Island. A free hotel room? Sign me up! Steven, as it happened, was there making a documentary film on the same subject. We had friends in common back home, and I’d always thought he was kind of cute. So, on the pretext of our mutual interest in hula heiaus and petroglyphs, I wangled an introduction. About a year later, we returned to the Big Island as a twosome, to screen his film and, not incidentally, to

THE BIG ISLAND

marry. In a photo from that trip, I’m The Kona Coast: palm standing on the rim of the Kilauea trees, soft Volcano caldera, gazing at the steam white sand, that rises from its floor. Life was bethatched roofs, gentle ginning down there, molten and untradewinds. predictable. I wonder if I realized that my own life was being forged as well. So much has happened since then: years of infertility followed by the birth of our daughter, Daisy; professional triumphs and disappointments; illnesses and the deaths of parents; shared jokes; inevitable resentments. Our marriage turned 21 last year, old enough to drink (and some days it probably would—heavily). That seemed the perfect moment to return to the Big Island, the place it all began. As with love itself, I hoped to rediscover what had

Peggy Orenstein is the author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter, a New York Times best seller. She is also a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine. Hear her read this story on voqel.com/sunset. 62

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Photographs by T H O M A S

J. S T O RY

always drawn me to this place—and, perhaps, even after all these years, to find a few surprises. The day did not start off well. We woke at 4 to catch an early flight and all of us—Daisy, now 10, Steven, and I—were grouchy. Steven and I quarreled over something tiny. I can’t recall what, exactly, though I am quite sure he started it and I was in the right. by the time we landed, but we’d let our irritation go. After all, we were in Hawaii! We dumped our things at our Keauhou Bay hotel, assured our daughter that, yes, she could try the really cool waterslide later, and grabbed our snorkeling gear. Our longtime favorite spot, Honaunau Bay, was farther south, past sleepy, polysyllabic towns chockablock with junk stores and local dives. There was the Aloha Theatre, erected in 1932, where Steven’s film once showed. There was Kaaloa’s Super Js, home of the island’s best plate lunch; officially a restaurant, it doubles, I suspect, as the owner’s living room. There was the Painted Church, the legacy of a priest and self-taught artist who hoped his vibrant imagery would lure a nonliterate population to Catholicism. There was the sacred Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau, where, in the ultimate game of

WE HADN’T EXACTLY RECONCILED

The thing about the Big Island is, it’s a big island. A really big island. All the other islands put together would fit onto it nearly twice over. tag, ancient Hawaiians condemned to death could find refuge—provided they got there before being caught. Just before the parking lot, we turned down the road leading to Two-Step, a snorkeling spot named for the worn lava rocks that ease entry to the ocean. When Daisy was 18 months old, she leapt gleefully into a swimming pool; I ducked beneath the surface to find her fully submerged there, eyes wide open, grinning. When she was 4, we strapped a mask, snorkel, and fins on her for the first time; by 6, she could say humuhumunukunukuapua‘a (Hawaiian for reef triggerfish, its literal translation is “fish with a snout like a pig”). Now Daisy is a mermaid, free-diving into the ocean’s depths, checking beneath ledges for bashful parrot fish. I, meanwhile, scanned for sea turtles. At some point, Steven and I decided they were lucky, so not seeing one 64

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somehow became the opposite. They often frequent Two-Step, but today there were none. The pod of spinner dolphins that hangs out on the north side of the bay was AWOL as well. Daisy didn’t mind. She delighted in everything she saw: the schools of butterfly fish, the glowing yellow tangs, the unicorn fish. After an hour, I had not seen anything exotic and was slightly disappointed; she had seen only the commonplace yet was thrilled. I don’t think I need to tell you who was better off. at The Coffee Shack, in the town of Captain Cook, were so fresh, we could almost taste the sun and soil that grew them. I tell you this not only because our meal was great, but also so you won’t think that all I ate was pie. Because that is the real reason we always stop for lunch here. Yes, there is the homemade bread and earthy mushroom soup, fabulous breakfasts with french toast the size of my head. But the mac nut pie at The Coffee Shack is, as the locals say, broke da mouth. Sweet and golden, it is suffused with rich, creamy macadamia nuts, a nut that puts all others— the lowly pecan, the humble walnut, the basic almond— to shame. (Let us not begin to discuss the peanut, which is not even a nut but a legume. Feh.) Steven and I showed uncustomary restraint by ordering one slice for the two of us, then dove for it as if it were the last weapon in The Hunger Games. It was gone within seconds.

THE GREENS IN THE SALAD

about surprises? The Keauhou Store, along a backroad recently tagged the Kona Heritage Corridor, turned out to be one of them. Hand-built in 1919 by Yoshisuke Sasaki, an immigrant from Japan, and lately refurbished by California transplants Thea and Kurt Brown, it was, in its heyday, akin to the Selfridges of the Big Island, selling a little bit of everything. There were the requisite groceries and dry goods, but it also peddled the first Schwinn bikes in Kona and stocked band instruments, furniture, even sleds for the snowy peaks of Mauna Kea. Business evaporated when the main highway came through; when Sasaki’s middle son, Ricky, who had taken over the store, died at 84, he left behind a crumbling building packed with archaeological layers of outdated merchandise. The Browns had been sifting through those relics for four years, displaying the best of them in what has become a hybrid of shop and history museum. Everywhere one looks, there is something remarkable: a shelf of vintage Japanese baby shoes, antique radios and telephones, children’s toys, 1950s pop records from Japan, a scorebook for the 1956 Chicago White Sox, a box from a Park Avenue hatter. Not all the antiques are for sale, but the store does feature REMEMBER THE PART

Clockwise from above: The author on her wedding day; Waipi‘o Valley; Sheraton Kona; mac nut pie; a shy couple bayside; Painted Church; Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau. Center: Kaaloa’s Super Js.

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I floated alone. Until I was not. I saw a dark shape, and suddenly a manta ray appeared just beneath me.

Clockwise from top: The coast just off Mamalahoa Hwy.; four-string bliss in Holualoa; the Volcano Rainforest Retreat; breadfruit; line-caught tuna at the Suisan Fish Market. Center: A young customer at the Keauhou Store.

vintage-look T-shirts as well as replicas of old maps and theater posters. The Browns also sell produce and coffee grown on their own land as well as home-baked cookies (try the snickerdoodle). We pulled over again farther down the road at the Holualoa Ukulele Gallery, housed in the town’s original late-1920s post office. Inside, instruments are displayed like artworks, as well they should be. These are no touristtrap tchotchkes: Handcrafted by members of the Big Island Ukulele Guild, they are made of koa, mango, myrtle, African mahogany. A few are even built from old cigar boxes, a time-honored technique. They run from about $500 to $1,650. Owner and former goldsmith Sam Rosen offered Daisy his business card, printed with four easy chords on the back, and within minutes, she was plunking away, the waterslide, at least for now, forgotten. the Big Island is, it’s a big island. A really big island. All the other islands put together would fit onto it nearly twice over. To truly experience it, you have to move—a lot. After another day of snorkeling, mac nut pie, and, yes, waterslides, we pointed our rental car southeast. Lush coffee farms gave way to clusters of tiny houses with rusted corrugated-tin roofs, then to scrubby ‘ohi‘a trees. The blue skies darkened with ominous clouds. A shaft of god-light broke through just as a song by Darden Smith, an Austin singersongwriter, came on the car stereo: “Skin, love is the one true skin, we all wanna walk around in …” I’d listened to that tune incessantly on our wedding trip, when Steven’s skin still felt new against mine. Back then, we canoodled in a rain forest B&B whose name we subsequently forgot; because we could never find it again, it attained Holy Grail status in our joint imagination. After three nights at the Volcano Rainforest Retreat, however, we have called off the quest. The Swiss Family Robinson–meets-Zen aesthetic of its four cabins is the closest we’ll get to life in an enchanted forest. Ours had a loft bed under a peaked roof and a cozy, propane-fueled stove for (needed) nighttime warmth. Through our windows, we could see the rain forest surrounding us in a veritable rainbow of green: a canopy of tree ferns, moss, bamboo. Maybe someday, years from now, a moment like that will once again lead to romance. But now, during these precious years of traveling as a family, our daughter flung herself in between us, and the three of us popped in a DVD of The Simpsons. In the morning, we struck out on the Kilauea Iki Trail, which descends 400 feet through the rain forest, then across the still-steaming crater floor. The first time I hiked it, a mere quarter-century after the eruption that formed it, I was unimpressed: It felt like little more than a jaunt across a badly paved parking lot. You have to get into the science, the spirituality, the flow of the volcano to appreciate it; it is a window into the beginning of time, simultaneously ancient and new. That is the paradox, the magic of the Big Island: It feels both old and young, harsh and gentle. This is a land where, because there were no predators, mint plants evolved without their minty flavor, nettles lost their sting, flies their THE THING ABOUT

flight. It is a land where spiders have markings on their bellies that resemble a smiling human face. And it is a place, where, beneath decades of cooled rock, there is still plenty of blazing heat. I have a favorite treat. On Maui, it’s dry noodles at Sam Sato’s in Wailuku. Shaveice? Only at Matsumoto on Oahu’s North Shore— anything else is just a snow cone. Here on the Big Island, I dream of poke from Hilo’s Suisan Fish Market: cubed raw seafood alchemized into onoliciousness through some combination of onions, seaweed, sesame seeds, and spices, then dressed (or not) with soy sauce or sesame oil. We loaded up on marlin, on ahi poke with spicy, tobiko-studded mayo, on kimchi octopus and the obligatory two scoops of rice and macaroni salad, then picnicked beneath a banyan tree in Lili‘uokalani Park. Our meal tasted like the ocean, and I pondered which I love more: snorkeling with fish or eating them. The omnivore’s dilemma indeed. Hilo, on the rainier east coast of the Big Island, is famous for its two tsunamis, which struck in 1946 and 1960. Entire neighborhoods were swept away; 220 people died in the two catastrophes. The stories of the disasters as collected by the Pacific Tsunami Museum are by turns devastating and miraculous. I’m partial to the tale of Marsue McGinnis, a young teacher who relocated from Cincinnati just before the 1946 tsunami hit. The wall of water tore her cottage to bits, killing her three housemates. McGinnis somehow survived, bobbing among the debris half-clothed, clinging to a plank of wood. Hours later, a small boat spotted her. On it was the man she had been dating and would later marry. When we checked into Shipman House, our host, Barbara Andersen, said she remembered the shock she had experiencing the 1960 tsunami. She grew up on Oahu but spent every summer in Hilo at this sprawling 19th-century mansion owned for generations by her extended family. Barbara and her husband, Gary, bought the place in 1994 and converted it to a bed-andbreakfast. She pointed out the Steinway grand piano that Queen Lili‘uokalani once liked to play, and she read from a 1907 letter introducing Jack London to the family. “Both he and his wife are plain, commonsense people,” its author said. Barbara waited a beat, then deadpanned, “That was a lie.”

ON EVERY HAWAIIAN ISLAND,

not only the highest peak on the Big Island, it is also the tallest mountain on the planet— unlike Everest, much of it is underwater. Its 13,796-foot elevation, clean air, and minimal light pollution make it ideal for astronomy. Eleven countries have telescopes on its summit, peering past our stars and planets into

MAUNA KEA IS

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galaxies far, far away. It’s possible to hike to its peak, but you can also join the free stargazing program at the visitor center, a mere 9,200 feet above sea level. First, however, you have to get there, which for us involved a white-knuckle drive in the dark, through dense clouds and driving rain. When we broke through, though, the night sky was crystalline. The area around the visitor center’s telescopes was unusually packed, the draw a bright speck that was hurtling across the sky: the International Space Shuttle. We craned our necks to see as it passed through Leo’s mane, Scorpio’s fishhook, the bow of Sagittarius, and then it was gone. I peered into the viewfinder of a giant telescope and saw a perfect, tiny blackand-white Saturn. It looked fake, though of course it wasn’t: I was looking at an actual planet! Impressive. But the temperature had dropped into the 40s. We grabbed cups of cocoa and hustled back to the car. In travel, as in love, not every adventure proves worth it. To distract ourselves for a bit from the treacherousness of the road, Steven and I reminisced quietly about other trips, to this island, to others, to places farther flung. “It’s been a fun ride,” he said as we turned into the Shipman House driveway. “Up the mountain?” I asked, incredulous. “No,” he said. “The last 21 years. All of it. Together.” with its high-end resorts, for last. I knew that once we reclined into lounges on the white sand of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, we were done for. Not for nothing had this been voted—twice!— the world’s best beach. The Mauna Kea was the first resort on the Big Island, built in 1965 by Laurance Rockefeller. It has a luxe Mad Men vibe to it, a midcentury elegance. But the real appeal is that idyllic crescent of sand, its irresistible turquoise water. I swam out until the umbrellas on shore were mere pin dots, then floated in the warm water alone. Until, that is, I was not: Out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark shape, and suddenly a manta ray appeared just beneath me, its wings stretching slowly and gracefully. I remained motionless as it circled me once, then disappeared out to sea. A few minutes later, I saw a “lucky” sea turtle; in fact, I saw two. But by then, I had realized I no longer needed them. I already had as much good fortune as I could want. So I turned in the limpid water and started swimming for shore, back to my daughter and my husband.

WE SAVED THE KOHALA COAST,

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Mauna Kea is not only the highest peak on the Big Island, it is also the tallest mountain on the planet—unlike Everest, much of it is underwater.

Hawaii is called the Big Island for a reason. It’s 93 miles north to south, 76 miles east to west, more than 4,000 square miles all told, and, with continual volcanic activity, growing every year. When you visit, give yourself time; there’s lots to explore.

DAY 1 Clockwise from far left: The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel; Hilo's Shipman House; the breakfast buffet at Shipman House; stellar sightseeing from Mauna Kea. Center: The pool at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

your tropic idyll in Kona, famed for coffee but a region that has a lot more percolating than just java. First thing, check into the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa. From $199; sheraton kona.com. HIT the ocean next. You’re on the dry side of the island, but you don’t have to forgo the water. The snorkeling is excellent at both START

Keauhou Bay

and, farther south, Honaunau Bay. SPEND part of your day shopping—or simply gawking—at the Holualoa Ukulele Gallery and the Keauhou Store.

84-5140 Painted Church Rd., Captain Cook; thepainted church.org. GET the perfect plate lunch at Kaaloa’s Super Js. $; 83-5409 Mamalahoa Hwy., Captain Cook; (808) 328-9566. POLISH it off with a slice—or two—of macadamia nut pie at The Coffee Shack. $; 83-5799 Mamalahoa Hwy., Captain Cook; coffeeshack.com. SEE what’s playing at the Aloha Theatre, which hosts community theater and live music. 79-7384 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kainaliu; apachawaii.org.

DAYS 3 & 4

Gallery: 76-5942 Mamalahoa Hwy., Holualoa; konaweb.com/ ukegallery. Store: 78-7010 Mamalahoa Hwy., Holualoa; keauhoustore.com.

STEER

DAY 2

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, find

DRIVE

to Pu‘uhonua

o Honaunau National Historic Park to

see the restored Royal Grounds, complete with a fish pond, thatched-roof canoe houses and burial sites. $5/vehicle; State 160, Honaunau; nps. gov/puho. STOP to visit the Painted Church, whose more formal handle is St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church. More than 110 years ago, a Belgian priest decorated the walls with bright 3-D paintings that tell biblical stories.

yourself to the southern tip of the island and then swing through the Ka‘u District, a region that’s making a name for itself with prize-winning coffee beans. At

Crater Rim Drive and then park at the Kilauea Iki Overlook. STRAP on your hiking shoes, grab some water, and head out on the 4-mile Kilauea Iki Trail. It will take you right through the middle of the Kilauea Iki Crater, which includes an erstwhile lava lake. $10/vehicle; nps.gov/havo/ planyourvisit/hike_ day_kilaueaiki.htm. REST your weary legs at the Volcano Rainforest Retreat. 4 cottages from $180; 2-night min.; volcano retreat.com.

DAY 5 north to Hilo, the island’s most populous town and the home of the Merrie Monarch Festival, which holds the world’s top hula competition every April. $5; merrie monarch.com. LINE UP at Suisan Fish Market for a plate full of poke. $; 93 Lihiwai St.; (808) 935-9349. WALK the grounds at WANDER

Lili‘uokalani Park & Gardens, a 30-acre

Japanese garden. $8; Banyan Dr. at Lihiwai St.; (808) 961-8311. VISIT the Pacific Tsunami Museum to understand the ocean's destructive potential. $8; 130 Kamehameha Ave.; tsunami.org. CHECK IN at the 19thcentury Shipman House Bed & Breakfast. 5 rooms from

$219; hilo-hawaii.com. DRIVE toward the middle of the island to the Mauna Kea Observatories and get in

line to look into deep space. 9 a.m.–10 p.m., stargazing program 6–10; Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, Mauna Kea Access Rd., 6 miles off Daniel K. Inouye Hwy.; afi.hawaii.edu; (808) 935-6268 for weather and road conditions.

DAY 6 northwest to the Waipi‘o Valley Lookout and over to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. End your trip as you began it, at the ocean. From $550; princeresorts hawaii.com. HEAD

DIGITAL BONUS Our guide to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: sunset.com/hawaiinp.

how to love a lemOn BY E L A I N E J O H N S O N

FOOD STYLING: KAREN SHINTO; PROP STYLING: KELLY ALL

P H O T O G R A P H S BY N G O C M I N H N G O

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Scratch the skin of a Meyer lemon and sniff. There’s citrus, of course, but heady flowers too—narcissus, perhaps—and a hint of pine. Just the scent of a Meyer lemon, a low-acid cross between an orange and a lemon, evokes sunny California. Cooks and gardeners in the state have loved the Meyer lemon for decades, growing trees in their yards—or seeking out generous neighbors for the fruit (which was long deemed too soft for shipping). But thanks to a growing number of farmers planting them, Meyer lemons are now turning up in supermarkets across the country. So fill up your bag. These inventive recipes from California chefs show you how to use Meyers in everything from morning eggs to dessert.

C HE F HANNAH BUOYE OF A16 ROCKRIDGE, OAKL AND

Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

As L.A. chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques puts it,

“meyer lemons smell like a california backyard.” CHEF SUZANNE GOIN

Lettuce Snap Pea Salad with Meyer Lemon Cream

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CHEF ROCKY MASELLI OF A16 ROCKRIDGE, OAKL AND

Crab Pasta with Prosecco and Meyer Lemon Sauce

1908

The year Frank Meyer, a USDA plant explorer, brought the lemon from China to the United States.

750

The number of acres devoted to Meyer lemons in California and Arizona—up from just 5 acres in 2005.

6

The number of months— from November through April—you can find Meyer lemons in markets. (Farmers are finding ways to make that season even longer.)

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C H E F - O W N E R S GAY L E P I R I E & J O H N CLARK OF FOREIGN CINEMA, SAN FRANCISCO

Scrambled Eggs with Meyer Lemon Salsa Verde

COOKBOOK AUTHOR PAUL A WOLFERT, BERKELEY

Chicken with Preserved Meyer Lemon and Olives

MEYER LEMON CORNMEAL UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

SERVES 8 / 1 3 ⁄4 HOURS, PLUS 2 HOURS TO COOL

A polenta cake from pastry chef Hannah Buoye, of A16 Rockridge in Oakland, was the model for this dense, moist dessert. As the sliced lemons bake under the cake and absorb butter and brown sugar, they take on a marmalade-like quality. Be sure the cake is fully baked before you remove it from the oven (see step 6), or it may sink. Cooking-oil spray 3⁄4 cup butter, softened, divided 3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar 2 or 3 whole Meyer lemons, plus zest of 2 large Meyer lemons 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup flour 3⁄4 cup fine cornmeal, such as Bob’s Red Mill 2 tsp. baking powder 1⁄4 tsp. salt 1⁄ 2 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray inside of a 9-in. springform pan with cooking-oil spray. Snugly line pan with a 12-in. circle of parchment paper*, pressing pleats flat. Spray parchment with oil; set aside. 2. Bring 1/4 cup butter and the brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into lined pan and spread evenly. 3. Thinly slice 2 lemons crosswise, using a handheld slicer and removing seeds with a knife tip as you go. Discard ends. Set a small lemon slice in center of butter mixture in pan. Arrange more slices in overlapping circles to fill pan (each slice should overlap the previous one by half). Save any extra lemon for other uses. 4. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter, the granulated sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed to blend, then on high until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 egg at a time, scraping inside of bowl and beating well on high speed, about 1 minute per egg.

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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Combine milk and vanilla. 5. Add a third of flour mixture to butter mixture and blend on low speed; scrape inside of bowl. Blend in half of milk mixture. Repeat to incorporate remaining ingredients, ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into pan; spread evenly. 6. Bake until cake springs back in center when lightly pressed, 50 to 55 minutes (it will be well browned). Let cool in pan on a rack at least 2 hours. Run a thin knife between parchment and pan; release rim. Invert cake onto a plate. Remove parchment and cut cake with a serrated knife. *For an even circle, use a pencil to trace around a 12-in. plate onto parchment. MAKE AHEAD

Up to 1 day.

PER SERVING 466 Cal., 37% (174 Cal.) from fat; 4.7 g protein; 20 g fat (12 g sat.); 69 g carbo (2.5 g fiber); 352 mg sodium; 100 mg chol. V

LETTUCE SNAP PEA SALAD with MEYER LEMON CREAM SERVES 6 / 25 MINUTES

In winter, when most of the country hunkers down under gray skies, Suzanne Goin serves sunny Meyer lemon salads like this one at Lucques in West Hollywood. To enjoy the whole lemon slices, cut them very thinly; if your knife skills aren’t restaurantready, use a handheld slicer. 1 Meyer lemon 11⁄4 lbs. mixed whole small lettuces (4 to 6 in. long), ends trimmed; or use 10 oz. salad mix About 3⁄4 cup Meyer Lemon Cream Salad Dressing (recipe opposite) 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced on a diagonal 3⁄4 cup thinly sliced radishes 1⁄ 2 cup torn fresh mint leaves 1. Very thinly slice lemon crosswise, using a handheld slicer and removing seeds with a knife tip as you go. Discard ends. 2. Toss lettuces in a large bowl with about 1/2 cup dressing. Add snap peas,

radishes, and a little more dressing and toss again. Arrange salad on chilled plates and tuck in lemon slices and mint. Serve with more dressing if you like. PER SERVING 187 Cal., 80% (150 Cal.) from fat; 1.8 g protein; 17 g fat (3.8 g sat.); 8.4 g carbo (2.8 g fiber); 136 mg sodium; 11 mg chol. GF/LC/LS/V

CRAB PASTA with PROSECCO AND MEYER LEMON SAUCE

SERVES 6 / 45 MINUTES

West Coast Dungeness crab and Meyer lemons, both in season now, come together deliciously in this special-occasion pasta. At A16 Rockridge, chef Rocky Maselli made it with housemade squid-ink tonnarelli; we opted for fettuccine since it’s easier to find. 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 large shallot, sliced 1⁄ 8 tsp. red chile flakes About 3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 11⁄ 2 cups dry prosecco 1 cup crème fraîche Zest of 2 Meyer lemons 2 to 3 tbsp. Meyer lemon juice 1 lb. shelled cooked Dungeness crab 1 lb. fresh fettuccine 1⁄4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chile flakes and 3/4 tsp. salt; whisk in prosecco and crème fraîche. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to 1 3/4 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. 2. Gently stir lemon zest, 2 tbsp. juice, and the crab into prosecco sauce and remove from heat. Boil pasta until just tender, 2 to 5 minutes. 3. Drain pasta, return to pot, and gently toss with crab sauce and parsley. Taste; add more salt and lemon juice if you like. PER SERVING 595 Cal., 33% (198 Cal.) from fat; 30 g protein; 22 g fat (10 g sat.); 58 g carbo (2.9 g fiber); 492 mg sodium; 119 mg chol. LS

SCRAMBLED EGGS with MEYER LEMON SALSA VERDE

SERVES 2 / 15 MINUTES

The combination of a vibrant Italian-style sauce and three robust cheeses makes these scrambled eggs nothing short of spectacular. The recipe comes from chef-owners Gayle Pirie and John Clark of Foreign Cinema in San Francisco. 5 large eggs 2 tbsp. crème fraîche or sour cream Pinch of kosher salt 1⁄4 cup shredded Comté or gruyère cheese 2 tbsp. shredded fontina cheese (preferably Italian) 2 tbsp. unsalted butter Meyer Lemon Salsa Verde (recipe at right) Freshly shredded parmesan cheese Toasted bread, such as pain au levain 1. In a small bowl, using a fork, beat eggs, crème fraîche, salt, Comté, and fontina until thoroughly mixed, 1 to 2 minutes. 2. Heat butter in a 10-in. nonstick frying pan over medium heat until it melts and bubbles. Add egg mixture. Very gently stir with a wooden spoon, folding egg curds onto themselves in a figure eight, until they thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Decrease heat to low and continue to cook without stirring until eggs are creamy and barely set, 2 to 3 minutes, or another 30 seconds or so for firmer eggs. Spoon onto warm plates, spoon salsa verde on top, and serve parmesan and toasted bread at the table. PER SERVING WITH 2 TBSP. SALSA VERDE 614 Cal., 84% (515 Cal.) from fat; 22 g protein; 58 g fat (22 g sat.); 2.7 g carbo (0.3 g fiber); 602 mg sodium; 595 mg chol. GF/V

CHICKEN with PRESERVED MEYER LEMON and OLIVES

SERVES 4 / 1 3 ⁄4 HOURS, PLUS OVERNIGHT TO SEASON CHICKEN

This bright and earthy braise, adapted from Paula Wolfert’s The Food of Morocco (Ecco, 2011; $45), is a regular on the cafe menu at Chez Panisse, in Berkeley. The restaurant cures its lemons the traditional

way; for our shortcut, see “Speedy Preserved Meyer Lemons,” below right. 2 minced garlic cloves 1 tsp. each minced fresh ginger and hot paprika 1⁄ 2 tsp. ground cumin 1⁄4 tsp. pepper 1⁄4 cup olive oil 2 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs (4 or 5) 1 pinch saffron threads 1 large onion, coarsely shredded on a box grater 1 cup pitted green olives, such as Lucques* or picholine 2 pieces (1⁄ 2 lemon) Speedy Preserved Meyer Lemons (recipe at right) or 1⁄ 2 store-bought preserved Meyer lemon*, sliced crosswise 1⁄ 2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1⁄4 tsp. turmeric 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro  Hot couscous 1. Mix garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, pepper, and oil in a bowl. Ease fingers under chicken skin to loosen. Add chicken to bowl; rub garlic mixture under skin and all over outside. Chill, covered, overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 500°. In a small bowl, combine saffron with 2 tbsp. hot water and let sit 5 minutes. Set chicken, skin side up, in a deep 10-in. or regular 12-in. ovenproof frying pan. In same bowl used for chicken, combine onion, olives, and preserved lemon; put on top of chicken. Combine broth, saffron water, and turmeric in bowl and pour over chicken. Cover tightly with foil. 3. Braise chicken in oven, turning in sauce every 20 minutes, until tender when pierced, 60 to 70 minutes. Skim fat from sauce. Sprinkle chicken with cilantro and serve with couscous. *Find Lucques olives at well-stocked grocery stores. To pit, set on a work surface, set flat side of a wide knife on top, then smack with your hand and pick out the pits. Find preserved lemons at well-stocked grocery stores or robertlambert.com. PER SERVING 428 Cal., 72% (309 Cal.) from fat; 21 g protein; 35 g fat (6.2 g sat.); 11 g carbo (1.8 g fiber); 2,369 mg sodium; 68 mg chol. GF/LC

MORE

L E M O N L OV E These condiments are essential for several dishes in this story, but fortunately the recipes make plenty, so you can use them in all kinds of ways.

MEYER LEMON SALSA VERDE

MAKES 1 1⁄ 3 CUPS / 1 HOUR

Combine 1 small minced shallot, 11⁄ 2 tbsp. Champagne vinegar, and 11⁄ 2 tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl and let sit 10 minutes to soften and lightly pickle shallot. Stir in 1⁄ 2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and 2 tbsp. rinsed, chopped brined capers. Thinly slice 1 small Meyer lemon with a handheld slicer, removing seeds; stack, cut in half, then into very small triangles. Add lemon, then 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil to parsley mixture and stir to combine. Let sit 30 minutes. MAKE AHEAD Up to 5 days, chilled airtight (color will fade). TRY WITH Scrambled eggs (at left), grilled bread, steaks, or sardines; roast chicken or vegetables; or sandwiches.

MEYER LEMON CREAM SALAD DRESSING

MAKES 1 1⁄ 3 CUPS / 10 MINUTES

Put 2 tbsp. finely diced shallot, 1⁄4 cup Meyer lemon juice, and 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt in a bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Whisk in 1⁄ 2 cup plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, then whisk in 1⁄ 2 tsp. more kosher salt, 1⁄ 8 tsp. pepper, and 1⁄ 3 cup heavy whipping cream. Taste and add more salt or pepper if you like. Stir before using. MAKE AHEAD Up to 3 days, chilled. TRY WITH Lettuce and snap pea salad (opposite) or any other favorite green salad.

SPEEDY PRESERVED MEYER LEMONS

MAKES 1 PT. / 1 WEEK

Lemons usually need a month at room temperature to cure, but we swear by this shortcut, from caterer Jo Kadis of Palo Alto, California.

Quarter 1 lb. (4 large) Meyer lemons lengthwise, put in a medium bowl, and freeze, covered, overnight. Thaw, then toss with 6 tbsp. kosher salt. Pack lemons and salt into a 1-pt. jar, pressing as you go so some juice flows into the jar. Cover with lid; let sit at room temperature, shaking occasionally. After 24 hours, add enough Meyer lemon juice to completely cover fruit. Let sit until skins look translucent, about 6 days total. MAKE AHEAD Chill up to 1 year; lemons will gradually get softer and darker. TRY WITH Braised chicken (at left) or other roasted or braised meats, and in salads and risotto.

DIGITAL BONUS 13 Meyer lemon recipes: sunset.com/meyerlemons.

TABLE NEW FOR OF CONTENTS JANUARY

THIS MONTH ON SUNSET.COM Go behind the scenes on our blog Check out the new Editors’ Extras section of our Westphoria blog for bonus photos, audio, and video on Sunset stories. In January, we dive into Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s Aberdeen, Washington, which writer Bill Donahue profiles in “Here We Are Now” (page 26). Learn how photographer John Clark captured moody images of the old logging town, and hear Donahue read his story for our Sunset Voices series. sunset.com/extras

WALLPAPER 101

The right wallpaper can take a room from boring to bold. Explore a photo gallery of our favorite designs and spaces to find pattern inspiration. sunset.com/wallpaper

EAT FRESH CHALLENGE

Follow along as our editors give up food vices for our annual Eat Fresh Challenge at sunset. com/eatfresh. Share your own experiences by posting on our Facebook wall or tweeting @SunsetMag with the hashtag #SunsetEatFresh.

Find your perfect winter getaway On a gray winter day, do you daydream of swooshing down ski slopes or snorkeling tropical waters? Sailing away on a cruise ship, or spending the weekend shopping and dining at the hottest restaurants? Take our winter vacation quiz to find the destination that’s perfect for you. sunset.com/wintervaca

MORE WAYS TO START FRESH, FROM OUR SISTER MAGAZINES COOKING LIGHT DIET

Turn Cooking Light recipes into a customized meal plan. cookinglightdiet.com

DIY succulents guide

See why you should practice gratitude—and eat more chocolate. realsimple.com/health HEALTH’S VIDEO CHANNEL

Watch quick fitness-boosting tips and learn new stress-busters. health.com/videos

ANNABELLE BREAKEY

REAL SIMPLE’S HEALTH GUIDES

With their eye-catching forms and low water needs, succulents make a great addition to your home. Our new guide will teach you everything you need to know, from the best varieties to care tips. Dig deep into all things succulent—or just watch our quick video to learn how to make the bright centerpiece at left. sunset.com/succulents

Food & Drink Chop, chop! A FRESH WINTER SLAW p. 80

PEAK SEASON

A NEW LEAF

FOOD STYLING: GEORGE DOLESE

Mild, sweet savoy will make you a cabbage convert.

Photographs by

ANNABELLE BREAKEY

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Food & Drink

SABLEFISH with SAVOY CABBAGE and FENNEL SLAW

PEAK SEASON

SERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES

Savoy cabbage is mild and tender even when raw, making it ideal for this light accompaniment to rich sablefish. The recipe is also excellent with 4 boned trout fillets, and the slaw tastes good with chicken or pork too. 21⁄ 2 tsp. fennel seeds 11⁄4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 3⁄4 tsp. pepper, divided 4 skin-on sablefish (black cod) fillets, each about 6 oz. and 1⁄ 2 in. thick; or use 4 skin-on trout fillets 1 medium fennel bulb with a lot of feathery greens attached 5 cups very thinly sliced savoy cabbage (from a 1-lb. cabbage) 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided Zest of 1 lemon 3 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. orange zest 1 orange, cut into segments* 1⁄4 cup sliced chives, divided

By

K A T E WA S H I N G T O N

1. Toast fennel seeds in a 12-in. nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside 1/2 tsp. Finely grind remaining seeds with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a mortar or clean coffee grinder. Rub mixture evenly all over fish and set aside. 2. Chop enough fennel greens to make 3 tbsp. Tear off any remaining small fronds; set aside. Trim and discard fennel stalks and any tough outer layers from bulb. Cut bulb in half lengthwise, core, and slice very thinly crosswise. 3. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, sliced fennel, and chopped fronds. 4. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp. oil, the lemon zest and juice, orange zest, reserved 1/2 tsp. whole fennel seeds, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss with your hands until well combined. Add orange segments and 3 tbsp. chives and toss gently. Set aside.

5. In the frying pan, heat remaining 2 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add fish skin side down (it may spatter) and cook, occasionally tipping pan and basting flesh with oil, until skin is well browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and basting until flesh is no longer translucent in center (cut to test), 3 to 4 minutes longer. If fish is thicker than 1/2 in., or if it isn’t done yet, cover pan and cook 5 to 7 minutes more. 6. Spoon slaw onto 4 plates. Top each mound with a fish fillet. Sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds and remaining 1 tbsp. chives. *To segment orange, cut off peel and outer membrane, following curve of fruit. Then cut segments (also called supremes) free from inner membranes. PER SERVING 466 Cal., 69% (321 Cal.) from fat; 23 g protein; 36 g fat (6.6 g sat.); 16 g carbo (6.4 g fiber); 611 mg sodium; 69 mg chol. GF/LC

SAVOY CABBAGE GRATIN

SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A SIDE DISH / 45 MINUTES

Think mac ’n’ cheese—but with vegetables instead of noodles. This gratin is a warming winter side dish, though it’s so good you might be tempted to call it dinner. About 4 tbsp. butter, divided 1 small head savoy cabbage (about 11⁄ 2 lbs.), cored and cut into 8 wedges About 3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt About 1⁄ 2 tsp. pepper 1 garlic clove, chopped 11⁄ 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus thyme sprigs 1⁄4 tsp. nutmeg 1 tbsp. flour 1 cup heavy whipping cream 3⁄4 cup shredded aged gouda cheese* 1⁄ 2 cup fresh bread crumbs 1. Butter a shallow 2-qt. baking dish (about 8 by 11 in.) and preheat oven to 400°. 2. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a sauté pan* or large frying pan over medium-high heat and add cabbage wedges cut side down. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. 3. Add 1/4 cup water to pan. Partially cover and cook cabbage until it’s just tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. 4. Transfer cabbage and any stray leaves to prepared dish, arranging wedges so they lie flat (they should fit snugly). 5. Return pan to medium heat and melt remaining 2 tbsp. butter. Add garlic, chopped thyme, nutmeg, and flour. Stir until thoroughly combined, add cream, and cook, stirring, just until thickened and bubbling, about 2 minutes. 6. Pour cream mixture over cabbage. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs and season to taste with more salt and pepper. *Look for a gouda that’s light golden or caramel colored and aged at least 18 months. A sauté pan is a frying pan with sides about 2 in. high. PER SERVING 235 Cal., 74% (173 Cal.) from fat; 5.8 g protein; 19 g fat (12 g sat.); 11 g carbo (2.5 g fiber); 349 mg sodium; 66 mg chol. LC/LS/V

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Food & Drink

SAVOY CABBAGE SOUP with TINY MEATBALLS SERVES 4 TO 6 (MAKES 10 CUPS) / 1 HOUR

Bite-size meatballs and tender vegetables make this soup satisfying; the touch of cream and nutmeg stirred in at the end rounds out the flavors. Homemade broth will add depth, but store-bought works fine. 1⁄ 3

cup fresh bread crumbs cup milk 3⁄4 tsp. each kosher salt and pepper, divided 1⁄4 tsp. plus 1⁄ 8 tsp. nutmeg 5 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley, divided 1⁄ 2 lb. each ground pork and ground beef* 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. butter 2 medium carrots, sliced into half-moons to make 1 cup 1⁄4

2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and sliced into half-moons 1 small head savoy cabbage (about 11⁄ 2 lbs.), cored and thinly sliced 7 cups chicken broth (reduced-sodium if store-bought) 1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Make meatballs: In a medium bowl, stir together bread crumbs and milk. Add 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tbsp. parsley, the pork, and beef. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands. Scoop mixture by slightly rounded teaspoons and roll into small balls, dipping spoon occasionally in water to keep mix from sticking. 2. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. oil and swirl to coat. Brown half of meatballs, turning once and reducing heat if they start browning too fast, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and meatballs. Meanwhile, continue with soup. 3. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots and leeks and cook, stirring, until leeks are soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. 4. Stir in cabbage and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper and cook until slightly wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, cover, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until cabbage is quite tender, about 20 minutes. 5. Gently stir browned meatballs into soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream, 3 tbsp. parsley, and remaining 1/8 tsp. nutmeg and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp. parsley. *Choose ground beef with at least 20% fat for the juiciest meatballs. PER 11⁄ 2-CUP SERVING 370 Cal., 61% (225 Cal.) from fat; 20 g protein; 25 g fat (10 g sat.); 16 g carbo (3.9 g fiber); 452 mg sodium; 92 mg chol. LC/LS

tOss it.

mix it. spRead it. stiR it.

bleNd it.

tOp it.

eveRyONe, meet eveRythiNg. Discover great recipes and get inspired at Mezzetta.com

Food & Drink

MASTER CLASS

BAKING BREAKTHROUGH

Legendary baker Alice Medrich unlocks the potential of gluten-free flours. By Margo True shunning wheat flour is almost heresy—but that’s what master baker Alice Medrich has done in her newest book, Flavor Flours (Artisan, 2014; $35), written with Maya Klein. “I love to play with new ingredients, especially if they’re challenging and interesting,” says Medrich, winner of more cookbookof-the-year awards than any other author. In her expert hands, whole-grain flours like oat and buckwheat—plus rice, corn, and more— yield not the gritty, crumbly baked goods that have plagued gluten-free baking, but startlingly delicious desserts. “Each [flour] has a very distinct flavor—a voice, really,” she writes. Rather than thinking of them as wheat substitutes, she’s learned how to work with them on their own terms, “as though wheat never existed!” Baking with Medrich in her Berkeley kitchen, we felt, for the first time, that standard wheat flour has some serious competition.

FOR SOME PASTRY CHEFS,

Alice Medrich making sablés in her Berkeley kitchen, as gingerbread muffins cool on a rack.

CORN FLOUR and ORANGE BLOSSOM CHIFFON CAKE

Power flours Each flour has its own character, so it doesn’t always work to substitute. Also, it’s key to weigh the flours—they can fluff up or settle, which throws off a volume measure. (For more, see sunset.com/weighing.) Find at well-stocked grocery stores, bobsredmill.com, or authenticfoods.com.

84

WHITE RICE FLOUR

BROWN RICE FLOUR

OAT FLOUR

BUCKWHEAT FLOUR

CORN FLOUR

XANTHAN GUM

Milled from rice that’s had the bran removed. Produces fine-crumbed cakes and silky puddings; amplifies flavors.

Has the structurebuilding properties of white rice flour, plus a slight graininess and toasty caramel flavor.

Powdered oatmeal, with a sweet, butterscotchy flavor. Makes tender cakes and delicate cookies.

From roasted whole buckwheat seeds. Typically earthy, but can be delicate and floral depending on how it’s used.

From whole kernels; not to be confused with cornstarch. Yields baked goods with sweet corn flavor and lovely pale gold color.

Not a flour but a natural bacterial by-product. Often used with gluten-free flour to thicken and give structure.

J A N UA RY 2 0 1 5

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Photographs by

T H O M A S J. S T O RY

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OAT FLOUR and ALMOND SABLÉS

MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES / 45 MINUTES, PLUS 4 HOURS TO CHILL

These delicate French-style butter cookies melt in your mouth—a surprise, given oat’s reputation for sturdiness. For more about the ingredients, see “Power Flours” (page 84). 1/2

A

B

“To form the dough into a neat log, wrap it in waxed paper and push against it with a ruler until it’s smooth.” TIP C

D

86

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cup (70 g) whole almonds (with skins or blanched) tsp. almond extract 1/3 cup (56 g) white rice flour 11/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. (142 g) oat flour 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. (75 g) granulated sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. baking soda 2 oz. (60 g) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup (11/2 sticks; 170 g) unsalted butter, softened 3 to 4 tbsp. coarse sugar, such as turbinado or demerara 1/4

1. Put almonds, almond extract, and about 2 tbsp. rice flour in a food processor [A] and whirl until almonds are very finely ground. Add remaining rice flour, the oat flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. Pulse to blend thoroughly. Add cream cheese and butter, cutting both into chunks as you add them. Pulse just until mixture forms a smooth dough. “If you work it too long, the cookies will be too crumbly.” Scrape bowl and blend in any stray flour at the bottom with your fingers. 2. Turn dough out onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper and form it into a rough log about 10 in. long. Lay a long side of the waxed paper over dough log and set a ruler lengthwise against the log [B]; then press the ruler against the log, squeezing it until it’s smooth (it will get longer). Twist ends to seal. Chill until firm enough to handle, 30 minutes, and roll into a rounder shape. Chill at least 31/2 hours more (preferably overnight). 3. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 325°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment, or butter them. 4. Unwrap dough and roll log in coarse sugar to coat it completely [C]. Use a thin, sharp knife to cut 1/4-in.-thick slices [D]. “It’s good to use a ruler, because thinness makes a difference in baking time and texture. Also, if the dough is cracking, don’t panic. Just let it warm up at room temperature for a few minutes before slicing.” Place cookies about 1 in. apart on baking sheets.

5. Bake cookies, rotating pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through. “This is so important because the heat in ovens isn’t even.” Bake until golden brown at the edges and well browned on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. “Most people underbake their cookies. You want them to get a toasty flavor.” 6. Set pans on cooling racks and let cool completely. MAKE AHEAD At least 2 weeks at room temperature in an airtight container.

PER COOKIE 84 Cal., 60% (51 Cal.) from fat; 1 g protein; 5.7 g fat (2.8 g sat.); 7.3 g carbo (0.7 g fiber); 27 mg sodium; 12 mg chol. GF/LC/LS/V

BUCKWHEAT GINGERBREAD MUFFINS

MAKES 12 MUFFINS / 40 MINUTES

Earthy buckwheat is blended with ginger, spices, molasses, and toasty-tasting brown rice flour to make an unexpectedly light muffin that’s great with sour cream or butter. Be scrupulous in your timing with the food processor; “overprocessing buckwheat flour can make the muffins mushy,” Medrich says. For more on the ingredients, see “Power Flours” (page 84). 3/4

cup plus 2 tbsp. (110 g) brown rice flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum* 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and ground ginger 1/4 tsp. each ground allspice and salt A 11/2 by 11/2 in. piece fresh ginger (about 40 g) 2/3 cup (140 g) packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115 g) unsalted butter 1/3 cup (120 g) light unsulfured molasses 1 large egg 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. (110 g) buckwheat flour 1. Position a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 375°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. 2. In a large bowl, whisk brown rice flour,

TIP

“Use your finger to neatly cut off the flow of batter.”

baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and salt together until well blended. Set aside. 3. Peel fresh ginger. “I like to use a spoon because it gets around the curves better than a peeler. I peel toward me for the most control.” Slice ginger very thinly across the grain until you have 1/4 cup (30 g). Put ginger slices and brown sugar in a food processor and pulse into a purée. 4. Cut butter into cubes and melt it in microwave. “Cubing it helps the butter melt evenly and helps keep it from spitting as it heats.” Add hot butter, flour mixture, molasses, and egg to food processor with ginger-sugar purée and whirl 20 seconds. “Process any longer, and the xanthan gum could lose its thickening power.” Scrape bowl, add buckwheat flour and 1/2 cup hot water, then process exactly 5 seconds more.

5. Pour batter into a liquid measuring cup, then divide it among lined muffin cups, wiping your finger across the rim of the measuring cup to cut off the flow of batter without dripping all over the pan. The cups should be 3/4 full, using every bit of batter. 6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with a few dry crumbs, 15 to 20 minutes. Set muffins on a rack for a few minutes to firm up, then carefully remove from pan (tilting it helps) and set on rack to cool completely. *Find xanthan gum at bobsredmill.com. MAKE AHEAD Up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container; up to 3 months, frozen airtight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

PER MUFFIN 215 Cal., 36% (78 Cal.) from fat; 2.5 g protein; 8.8 g fat (5.2 g sat.); 33 g carbo (1.5 g fiber); 171 mg sodium; 38 mg chol. GF/LC/LS/V

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Food & Drink

CORN FLOUR and ORANGE BLOSSOM CHIFFON CAKE

SERVES 10 TO 12 / 1 1/2 HOURS

“If cornbread were transformed into a sweet, moist, fluffy golden cake, this would be it,” says Medrich. She tops it here with whipped cream and crème fraîche, and curls of candied orange zest, but she likes it plain too. You’ll need a 10-in. (10 to 12 cup) tube pan with removable bottom for this recipe. For more about corn flour and rice flour, see “Power Flours” (page 84). FOR CAKE

1 cup (200 g) sugar, divided 1 cup (120 g) corn flour 1/2 cup (80 g) white rice flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 5 large egg yolks 1/2 cup flavorless vegetable oil, such as corn or safflower 1 or 2 organic or unsprayed oranges

8 large egg whites, at room temperature 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 3 tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 cup (6 oz.) light, floral honey, such as orange blossom Generous 1 tsp. orangeflower water* Whipped cream and crème fraîche (optional; see opposite) Candied orange zest (optional; see opposite)

1. Put sugar into a large mixing bowl, then set aside 1/4 cup. “You need a really big bowl to give you enough room, later, to fold the batter without deflating it.” Weigh in or add corn and rice flours to bowl. Add baking powder and salt, then egg yolks, oil, and 1/2 cup water. Add zest of 1 orange and whisk to blend thoroughly. Set batter aside 15 minutes to hydrate corn flour. 2. Meanwhile, position a rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325°. 3. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of a stand mixer. Using whisk attachment, beat whites on medium-high until they’re creamy white and the beater leaves tracks. Slowly sprinkle in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating on high speed just until egg whites hold a firm peak when you lift the beater (they should not be dry). “If you’re in doubt, think about the egg whites as balloons. The more beaten and expanded they are, the more likely they are to break in the oven (since the heat will expand them even more). Underbeating 88

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TIP

“Beat your egg whites just until they hold a firm peak.”

DIGITAL BONUS For more gluten-free recipes, including Medrich’s pancake recipe (which can be used to try out any flours you like), see sunset.com/gluten-free.

“To avoid pith, sweep the orange over the zester; don’t scrub.” TIP is better than overbeating.” 4. Scrape half of egg whites onto cornflour batter and fold in until they are partially blended, using this gentle technique to keep from deflating the whites: “Cut down the center with your spatula, scrape under the batter and up the sides of the bowl, and then lift the batter and let it drop over on itself.” Fold in remaining egg whites just until batter looks blended. Scrape batter into a 10-in. (10 to 12 cup) tube pan with removable bottom (ungreased) and spread evenly. “An ungreased tube pan lets the batter climb the sides.” 5. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. 6. Meanwhile, squeeze enough orange juice to measure 6 tbsp. In a small bowl, stir orange juice, lemon juice, honey, and orange-flower water together. 7. When the cake is done, set the pan on a rack. Immediately slide a very thin spatula around sides of pan, and a thin skewer around center tube, to detach them. Poke cake all over with skewer and

slowly spoon orange mixture over cake, letting it sink into holes and run over the sides. Let cake finish cooling in pan. 8. To remove cake from pan, lift tube, then slide a thin spatula between cake and removable bottom, pressing against the bottom to avoid tearing cake. Lift cake off bottom: Cut a manila folder in half crosswise, then slide on either side of cake between pan bottom and cake. Or, use two metal bench scrapers. Slide your hands underneath the folders or scrapers, and lift cake off tube to a serving platter. Top with whipped cream topping and candied orange zest, and slice with a serrated knife. *Find orange-flower water at well-stocked grocery stores and online. MAKE AHEAD At least 3 days at room temperature, still in pan and wrapped as airtight as possible; up to 3 months frozen, removed from pan and wrapped well. Bring to room temperature before serving.

PER SLICE (1/12TH OF CAKE) 287 Cal., 35% (102 Cal.) from fat; 5 g protein; 12 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 43 g carbo (1.3 g fiber); 316 mg sodium; 87 mg chol. GF/LC/LS/V

WHIPPED CREAM and CRÈME FRAÎCHE

MAKES ABOUT 1 1/4 CUPS / 5 MINUTES

Crème fraîche adds a subtle tang to ordinary n_`gg\[Zi\Xd%›N_`g,fq%crème fraîche with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 tbsp. sugar until soft peaks form.

CANDIED ORANGE ZEST

MAKES 1/2 CUP / 20 MINUTES

Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Meanwhile, using a channel (cocktail) zester, zest 2 large or 3 small firm, bright oranges to make long, curly strips of zest. Or, using a vegetable peeler, cut wide strips of zest and then slice into ¼-in. strips. Boil zest 5 minutes. Drain; repeat. Put 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add blanched orange zest, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Transfer zest and syrup to a small jar, let cool, then chill overnight. Drain zest on paper towels before using. Keeps at least 2 months, chilled. SUNSET

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Food & Drink

FA S T & F R E S H

WEEKNIGHT COOKING

Recipes in 30 minutes or less

SPICY LAMB TACOS

SERVES 4 / 20 MINUTES

3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (from 1 medium head) 1 bunch radishes, sliced into half-moons 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 1/4 cup cilantro leaves 3 tbsp. lime juice Salt 1 lb. ground lamb 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano 1 tsp. ancho chile powder 1/2 to 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder 1/4 cup beer 1 tsp. cider vinegar 8 warm corn tortillas Toppings such as crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese), crema (Mexican sour cream) or sour cream, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and lime wedges for squeezing 1. Combine cabbage, radishes, cumin, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl. Add salt to taste and transfer to a serving bowl. 2. Sauté lamb, garlic, and oregano in a large frying pan over high heat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until very little pink remains, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add chile powders, beer, vinegar, and salt to taste and cook, stirring, until most liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl. 3. Set out tortillas and toppings in separate bowls and let everyone make their own tacos. MAKE AHEAD

Cook meat and prep toppings the

night before. PER 2-TACO SERVING 455 Cal., 56% (255 Cal.) from fat; 23 g protein; 28 g fat (12 g sat.); 28 g carbo (5 g fiber); 249 mg sodium; 83 mg chol. LC/LS

90

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Recipes by

J E S S I C A B A T T I L A N A , K A T E WA S H I N G T O N & A D E E N A S U S S M A N

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANNABELLE BREAKEY; FOOD STYLING: RANDY MON

EASY SWAP Any ground meat works well with the seasoning in these tacos.

Lamb makes for an interesting flavor break from beef. If you prefer less spice, just reduce the amount of chipotle powder.

ORECCHIETTE with ESCAROLE, CAPERS, and OLIVES SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES

Adding a bit of the cooking water at the end melts the cheeses into a creamy sauce that lightly coats the pasta.

GRILLED CHICKEN and KALE SALAD with TAHINI LEMON DRESSING

SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES

Grilling the kale leaves whole makes them slightly crunchy and smoky tasting. Just make sure they’re completely dry or else they’ll steam and wilt. 11/4 lbs. boned, skinned chicken breast, halved lengthwise 1 tbsp. plus 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tsp. each salt and pepper, divided 1 large bunch (10 oz.) flat kale, such as dinosaur or Lacinato, spines intact 3 tbsp. tahini (sesame paste) Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp. honey 1 garlic clove, minced 2 small firm, crisp apples, cored and chopped 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds 4 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (1/4 cup)

1. Heat a grill to medium-high (about 450°). Brush chicken with 1 tbsp. oil and season with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Grill chicken, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Grill kale until edges are charred and kale is softened, about 2 minutes. 2. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large bowl with tahini, lemon zest and juice, honey, garlic, and remaining 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. 3. Roughly chop chicken, thinly slice kale crosswise, and add both to bowl of dressing. Add apples, almonds, and dates and toss gently but thoroughly. PER 2-CUP SERVING 573 Cal., 48% (275 Cal.) from fat; 36 g protein; 30 g fat (4.5 g sat.); 45 g carbo (6.8 g fiber); 791 mg sodium; 91 mg chol. GF

12 oz. dried orecchiette pasta 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes 1 bunch (12 oz.) escarole, leaves separated and coarsely chopped 1/3 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives 1 tbsp. brined capers 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 1. Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. 2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp. oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 15 seconds, then add escarole in batches, tossing with tongs until it wilts and shrinks in the pan, about 6 minutes. Stir in olives and capers; set aside. 3. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta-cooking water. Set frying pan of escarole over low heat, add pasta and 1/4 cup cooking water, and toss to combine. Stir in remaining 1 tbsp. oil, the butter, and cheeses. Stir to combine, adding more cooking water as necessary. Serve with more parmesan. PER SERVING 492 Cal., 36% (177 Cal.) from fat; 16 g protein; 20 g fat (6 g sat.); 66 g carbo (3.1 g fiber); 1,716 mg sodium; 26 mg chol. LC/V

Food & Drink

NATURE VS. NURTURE SIP

Do you know what’s in your wine?! (And should you care?) By Sara Schneider

right? Just crush some grapes, and the natural yeast on the skins will start eating the sugar in the juice, producing alcohol. Once the sugar is gone, press the wine off the skins and seeds, let it mellow, then siphon it off the sediment and bottle it. I’m being simplistic, of course. There’s a little more to it than that. And increasingly—given the mind-boggling technological tools available—much more than that. Let’s say you’re a winemaker who doesn’t trust the natural yeast to be strong enough to see fermentation through to the end. You can inoculate with a strain of yeast that’s been commercially bred to lend a particular flavor profile. What if you think your wine is too pale? Add Mega Purple or Ultra Red; these color- and textureenhancing concentrates are derived from grapes, and therefore natural (or so the argument goes). Acidity too low? Add acid from a bag. Alcohol too high? Take some out with reverse osmosis. Wine too cloudy? Clarify it with anything from egg whites to isinglass. I’m only scratching the surface of the processes winemakers are using these days. And to be fair, they’re turning out some decent affordable wine with these tools. But where on the spectrum of manipulation does a bottle lose its connection to a particular place and time, and become the wine equivalent of a McDonald’s burger? Voices in the “natural wine” movement, especially strong in the West today, would have it that even the first step away from basic winemaking is a violation. The geek in me appreciates the argument; I love a wine full of the nuances that come through from a special vineyard in a great year. But Mother Nature is seldom a perfect nanny, and I believe that sticking with the purists’ “nothing in, nothing out” mantra is to risk making wine that goes beyond funkiness that’s interesting, to funkiness that’s downright revolting. A conversation with Santa Cruz, California, winemaker Nicole Walsh assures me that I’m not alone in my position. “I’m not an absolutist,” she says. “I’ll make simple adjustments if I have to. For myself, I could make a completely ‘natural’ wine that’s very interest-

WINEMAKING IS A SIMPLE PROCESS,

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ing even with huge flaws, but I wouldn’t be able to sell it.” Walsh’s “smart minimalism,” as I call it, is the result of a decadeplus evolution at highly regarded Bonny Doon Vineyard. Collaborating with iconoclastic proprietor Randall Grahm in the early 2000s, she threw every tool in the book at their wine, which quickly grew from a 50,000-case production to somewhere in the neighborhood of 400,000 (including the enormous Big House label). “Additive city” is how she describes those days. Almost as quickly, though, Walsh and Grahm started moving away from intervention—selling the Big House label along the way—in the quest to produce true wines of place (terroir-driven). Walsh continues to make Bonny Doon wines. But she’s also bringing a gentle touch to her own Ser Wine Company. Her approach is an anachronistic mash-up of tradition and science. On the one hand, she still loves using her feet to punch down the cap on fermenting wine. On the other, when she crushes grapes, she doesn’t just send a prayer to the gods that the natural yeast on them will start—and finish—fermentation. She cultures it to produce a strong “starter” to ensure success. Wines like Ser—every vintage different, all fascinating—are the reason my hat is off to winemakers who work hard to keep their hands off their wine but know just when to step in with simple adjustments in the cause of deliciousness.

More great picks! Get award-winning wines from the Sunset Wine Club: sunset.com/wineclub. And follow Sara’s tweets @SaraAtSunset. 92

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Six minimalist picks Bonny Doon 2010 “Le Cigare Volant”

(Central Coast; $45). Savory and earthy (violet notes excepted); plum and dusty berries layered with pepper, black olive, and cured meat.

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THE WINEMAKER AT WORK

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1. Nicole Walsh of Ser Wine Com-

pany shining a light on a Pinot Noir that’s ready to be siphoned off its spent yeast cells (“racked off the lees”). 2. Adjusting the racking arm so it’s just above the lees in the barrel. 3. Stirring Cabernet Franc rosé gets the yeast up into the juice to keep the fermentation going. 4. Checking the population of an indigenous yeast colony to see if it’s large enough to inoculate. 5. Walsh and her tools—a wine thief (to pull wine from the barrel) and a glass. 6. Checking sulfur amounts using an aeration/oxidation machine.

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“I’m not an absolutist. I’ll make simple adjustments if I have to.” —NICOLE WALSH, SER WINE COMPANY

Cowhorn 2012 Grenache 20

(Applegate Valley, Oregon; $45). Tart red fruit—juicy Rainier cherries—with crushed herbs, white pepper, baking spices, and mocha. Deovlet 2011 “Sonny Boy” (San-

ta Barbara County; $40). Earth, pepper, smoke, and mocha on the nose of this Merlot blend give way to cherry, violet, and fresh herbs. Ser 2012 Cabernet Pfeffer (Cienega

Valley; $35). Forget your Cabernet reference points—this rare variety is earthy and floral at once. Bright, spicy red fruit (cranberry, strawberry) gets a hit of pepper worthy of the name. Siduri 2012 Pinot Noir (Sonoma

Coast; $32). A velvet-packed palate of cherry, strawberry, and orange peel under intriguing cola and forest-floor aromas. Sojourn 2012 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir

(Sonoma Coast; $54). Loam and violet aromas lead to rambunctious cinnamon-cherry with hints of cola.

Photographs by

E VA K O L E N K O

Food & Drink

In the SUNSET KITCHEN

TIPS FROM OUR TEAM

KN OW -HOW

Homemade corn tortillas

SARA SCHNEIDER, WINE EDITOR

TO P TO O L

PRECISION DRINKING

W E ’ R E LOV I N G   . . .

Instant appetizers

In the Test Kitchen, we’ve found that a good jigger makes a big difference in getting precise results—for, say, a Sparkling Mai Tai on New Year’s (drink recipe on sunset.com). Our pick, the Danesco multilevel measuring jigger ($13; amazon. com), is unbreakable and marked off by the half-oz., ml., and tbsp.

These apple, pear, or citrus crisps aren’t just an upgrade on dried fruit—they’re cocktail party–worthy. Sunset wine editor Sara Schneider’s favorite combo: the apple chips ($5/15 slices; simpleandcrisp.com) with Laura Chenel goat cheese and Iron Horse Russian Cuvée 2009 ($40).

A recent visit to the Santa Fe School of Cooking (santafeschoolofcooking.com) reminded us how amazing— and easy—homemade tortillas can be (try them with our Spicy Lamb Tacos, page 90). You’ll need a tortilla press ($20; surlatable.com).

1. Put 2 cups masa harina and tsp. salt (optional) in a bowl and slowly add 11/4 cups hot tap water, stirring until dough becomes a ball. Knead a few times. Shape into 13/4-in. balls and cover with plastic wrap until needed. 1/2

2. Line a tortilla press with 2 circles of thick plastic (cut from a resealable plastic bag). Press a ball between plastic to 6 1/2 in.

COOKBOOK OF THE MONTH

Green evolution If there’s one cookbook that can hold us to our healthy-eating resolution this year, it’s Greens + Grains: Recipes for Deliciously Healthful Meals (Chronicle, 2014; $20). By former Sunset staffer Molly Watson, the book turns these nutritional powerhouses into dishes that taste anything but dutiful (here’s to you, Farro, Chard, and Ricotta Casserole ). To start, remember her rules for cooking greens: 1. Cook leaves and stems separately (stems take longer to get tender). 2. To tone down bitter flavors of sturdy greens while preserving their color, blanch the greens by boiling briefly, then cooling quickly. 3. Soften raw greens like kale by massaging with salt and a bit of oil.

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3. Toast tortilla on a lightly oiled hot griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, turning once, until speckled brown, 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Makes 10.

ANNABELLE BREAKEY (3); ILLUSTRATIONS: JOE MCKENDRY

“Apple chips echo the fruit in the sparkling wine, and they’re delicious with cheese too.”

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Food & Drink

In the SUNSET KITCHEN KITCHEN TALK

A HEALTHIER YOU This month we asked you, our Facebook friends, to tell us about the one change you want to make in your cooking this year. Add your ideas at sunset.com/ kitchenconversation.

F O U R WAYS W I T H   …

Flavored popcorn Sure, you can buy a bag of flavored popcorn, but a homemade version tastes a whole lot fresher (and steers clear of neon orange “seasoning”).

SEASONINGS

Furikake Use 3 tbsp. furikake (a mix of sesame seeds,

seaweed, and dried fish, sold at well-stocked grocery stores and Asian markets). Salt & pepper Use 1 tsp. salt and 11⁄4 tsp. pepper. Garlic & parmesan Add 2 finely shredded or minced garlic cloves to the melted butter. Season popcorn with 1⁄ 2 cup grated parmesan cheese and 2 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley. Smoked paprika Add zest of 1⁄ 2 lemon to the melted butter.

Season popcorn with 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves and 4 tsp. smoked paprika. For Indian Spiced and more fresh-popcorn recipes, see sunset.com.

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—KARINE MARCHAND

“Make meatless Monday a standing tradition. If everyone commits to just one less day of consuming meat, it would have a significant impact on the Earth.” —PAMELA FLICK

WINNING READER RECIPE

COCONUT MILK SHRIMP

from PERLLA FONVIELLE

Seattle

SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES

“I grew up with this recipe in northeast Brazil,” says Perlla Fonvielle. These days, she makes it with wild Oregon shrimp. 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks 1 tsp. red chile flakes 1 can (15 oz.) coconut milk 1 medium tomato, chopped

1 lb. shelled and deveined medium shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.) Steamed rice 1⁄ 2 cup chopped cilantro Lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, and chile flakes until onion is softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Add tomato and shrimp and cook until mixture is simmering and shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes. 2. Spoon shrimp mixture over rice and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing. PER SERVING WITHOUT RICE 369 Cal., 75% (277 Cal.) from fat; 18 g protein; 31 g fat (21 g sat.); 8.4 g carbo (1.2 g fiber); 669 mg sodium; 143 mg chol. GF/LC

“To eat more colors of the rainbow. To get my kids on board, I like to have colorthemed nights—all orange and purple meals are fun!” —KARIN ANDERSON FROM LEFT: THOMAS J. STORY, ANNABELLE BREAKEY (FOOD STYLING: RANDY MON), JEFFERY CROSS

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large pot over high heat, add 1⁄ 2 cup popcorn kernels, and cover. Shake pot often as corn pops. When popping slows to a few seconds between pops, remove from heat and let sit until popping stops. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with 4 to 7 tbsp. melted butter. Toss well to coat evenly. Sprinkle with kosher salt and seasonings (below) to taste; toss again. Makes 4 quarts.

“To take more time to eat my meals and enjoy them!”

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ASK SUNSET H AV E A Q UE S T I O N A B O U T L I F E I N T H E W E S T ? W E H AV E T H E A N S W E R S .

FIND ART INSIDE AND OUT AT LACMA.

Q: Whenever I bake brownies, I burn the bottoms. What am I doing wrong? —H.L., BREMERTON, WA

running hot (check it with an oven thermometer), there are two likely culprits. First, oven position: Don’t put the rack on the bottom rung. In most ovens, that spot gives extra browning on the bottom of food— great for a pie crust you don’t want to be soggy, but not good for brownies. (Setting a rack on the top rung will brown food more on the top—nice for a gratin, say.) The best place for brownies is in the middle of the oven. Second, consider your pan. Dark ones tend to brown food faster than shiny metal ones. Some people feel that glass pans cook faster, and they turn down the oven temperature 25° when using them or bake for a shorter time. By the way, it’s easy to overbake brownies. Check for doneness early, and take them out of the oven when a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with crumbs attached—if it comes out clean, you waited too long, and the brownies are going to be dry.

Q: For our anniversary, my husband agreed to a big-city cultural weekend trip. Where should we go? —R.D., VISALIA, CA DEAR R.D. We suggest you head down to Los Angeles. Here’s why: Through June 7, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (lacma.org) is hosting Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School, a major showing of paintings from the New-York Historical Society. After they got done painting the Hudson, member artists like Albert Bierstadt traveled West to portray Yosemite and the Rockies. The exhibit includes these unforgettable works. For a nearby place to stay, try the sleek Hotel Wilshire (hotelwilshire.com), which also has a good restaurant. And about 8 miles east, the postmodern Walt Disney Concert Hall is well worth a visit for the architecture alone (tours are available most days), to say nothing of hearing a concert by the great L.A. Philharmonic (laphil.com).

Q: Visiting the South of France,

I fell in love with the pines in Juanles-Pins. Will they grow where I live? —MELANIE WOODWORTH, NEWPORT BEACH, CA

DEAR MELANIE The trees you swooned over are Italian stone pines (Pinus pinea)—and they are magnificent, each maturing into a tall, flat-topped umbrella of limbs as broad as 60 feet across (these are very big trees). Like most Mediterranean native plants, they’ll thrive in much of the West and particularly in Newport Beach (your stretch of coast isn’t dubbed “Southern California Riviera” for nothing). Your stone pine will need little water once established and no fertilizer—however, it will require well-draining soil and lots of room.

Email your questions about Western gardening, travel, food, wine, or home design to [email protected].

SUNSET (ISSN 0039-5404) is published monthly in regional and special editions by Sunset Publishing Corporation, 80 Willow Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025. Periodicals postage paid at Menlo Park and at additional mailing offices. Vol. 234, No. 1. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 2015 Sunset Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. Sunset, The Magazine of Western Living, The Pacific Monthly, Sunset’s Kitchen Cabinet, The Changing Western Home, and Chefs of the West are registered trademarks of Sunset Publishing Corporation. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited submissions. Manuscripts, photographs, and other submitted material can be acknowledged or returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sunset, Box 62406, Tampa, FL 33662-4068, or call (800) 777-0117. U.S. subscriptions: $24 for one year.

FROM TOP LEFT: MASCARUCCI/CORBIS, DAVE LAURIDSEN; ILLUSTRATION: ERIN O’TOOLE

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