4th Annual Elf Louise Christmas Party

Sunday, December 6th
Leon Springs Dance Hall
featuring The Court Jester Band
Admission – $10 or a new unwrapped toy
Call 210.410.9539 for details
All proceeds go directly to the Elf Louise Christmas Project

Click here for more information on the Elf Louise Christmas Project.

First of all, if you are using a frozen turkey, you need to have it defrosted the day before cooking. It should sit in the brine overnight for best results. The brine gives it a nice, dark color. If you elect to smoke your turkey, as in the illustration, you can get a nice, mahogany color to bring to the table.

Technically, the turkey is not smoked, as that usually involves a long cooking time at low heat. For those who try this on the grill, you will get a nice smoked flavor to the turkey. For that matter, you could use the smoke method indoors, but it sure would really smell up the place. See the full recipe

Grandma Virginia’s dressing – if you don’t have a good dressing for your Thanksgiving turkey, I strongly recommend this one. I like mine a bit on the moist side, and I usually add more liquid.

Now, for dessert, pumpkin pie is a favorite. Besides just offering recipes, we have a Study in Pumpkin Pie, which begins with a startling announcement.

We start off in this examination of pumpkin pie with a hard truth. Most U.S. pumpkin pie is a lie.

New Years Greetings to current entries in the 2008 Big Bend Ultra 50/25!!

The Big Bend Ultra 50/25 Jan 20, 2008 race has been canceled.

Due to an insufficient number of entries, we have been forced to cancel the January 20^th, 2008 Big Bend Ultra Race. This was a very tough decision but regrettably unavoidable. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for their support over the last 3 years. It has made a difference to Big Bend National Park.

All paid entries will have two choices:

1. Donation: If you would like to donate your $100 entry fee to the Friends of BBNP, please send me an email with this request to the following address: pcarroll@fleetfeetsanantonio.com. Please respond no later than Thursday, January 10^th. This includes a 1 year Membership.

2. Refund: Do nothing. We will automatically mail your $100 entry fee back to the address listed on your entry form. An all-volunteer group will assist in processing refunds. We hope to begin mailing out refunds on January 11th, 2008.

There are no plans to hold another Big Bend Ultra 50/25 race at anytime in the future.

Again, many thanks. Please continue supporting the park and visit as often as you can.

Carroll Voss

BB50/25

Event Cancelled
It is with sadness, but a focus on the fund raising goals of the event that the 2008 Big Bend 50 has been cancelled due to a lack of participation.

To make the event viable as well as to meet it’s goals of supporting the Park, the event requires more registrants than have committed.

Refunds to all paid entrants will be forthcoming. If you paid online, there will be a few weeks delay since the sign-up service cuts checks after a holding period.

The lasting benefits of the event are reflected in last year’s donation of $3000 to the Friends of Big Bend, and $2500 the year before.

There will be a further statement later today.

In Texas, I have found a decent selection of loose teas at Central Market, Whole Foods and Sun Harvest. You have to be careful about how they are stored. You don’t want them exposed to light or air (such as in clear plastic bins at bulk purchase centers).

Much to my delight, at the occasional Kroger, HEB and Albertsons, you will find Twinnings tea in loose form in nice tins. If you take the time to compare, you likely will find that this nice English loose tea costs no more, if not less, than domestic bagged teas. When they empty, you have a nice container to hold other stuff (or future loose tea purchases that do not come in tins).

Just recently, I have started seeing loose Lipton tea at Wal-Mart, HEB and Kroger, perhaps Albertsons as well as it has been some time since I have been in one (come back to San Antonio!). I don’t know if this is due to the introduction of the iced tea maker or not. I honestly thought those machines had already come and gone.

I love a good cup of tea, but I am not a snob. Most people just want a tasty cup of tea that is not bitter as hell and doesn’t cost them arm and a leg. Most people do not want to have to perform some tea-o-phile, monastic ceremony to make a cup of tea. So, I warn you, some of the places mentioned from here on out lean to the phobic, but are worth checking out.

For those of you in the lifted pinkie department, the Dallas Morning News’ Guideline.com has a host of tea houses for traditional afternoon teas. Now, there idea of an “anytime” afternoon treat is a bit more pricey than my “anytime” price. However, there are some very interesting spots. Lavender House offers a beginning tea education on its website.

Another place I have heard of is the Gypsy Rose Tea Room.

In San Antonio, try out British Senations, both the shop and the tea room. It’s a delightful break from the routine.

If you are looking for tea and accessories and all the goodies, you might see if you have a Teavana shop nearby (Dallas-Fort Worth does). On some of the online chats I have seen mixed reviews of the stores. However, they offer teas and accessories and a payback program where 1% of their profits go back to aid tea growing areas.

They have a complete starter set with different teas and all the stuff needed, including a good conscience, all for (GAK!) $199.99 – but you are helping poor tea farmers (and probably a few well off ones as well).

You can find even more on the websites of the tea companies. My favorite is Twinnings, probably because it is the most consistent brand I have found in everyday shopping. Maybe it is because I like the tins. The site has histories, how-to’s and a host of information and, of course, teas and goodies to buy.

Republic of Tea offers a wealth of knowledge and all things tea at its site.

Adagio Teas offers up its teas, accessories and offers a live chat with a tea expert, not to be confused with its tea forums.

The Mighty Leaf offers a wealth of information about its wealth of teas. It also has a locator so you can find where its products are offered locally.

Searching also came up with The English Tea Store, Sun Rich Teas, Tea Guide (with listings of tea rooms in USA, Canada, England and – they say – worldwide) and TeaGschwendner (a German outfit, but with US locations and English website). That’s without any real trying, so there is plenty out there. Enjoy!

If you have a favorite place or source, please let us know in comments or email me.

Teapot Méxicana – Could not resist getting this for mother’s teapot collection. I picked it up at the Terlingua Trading Company in Terlingua, Texas. For pictures of the area click here.

As goofy as this might look, it is a great teapot. It’s big, but it is well balanced.

I first thought it was gaudy, but it quickly grew on me.,