MARIPOSA NEWS HOLIDAY SEASON 2016

The Ritual of Gift-Giving and

Overconsumption

By Dena Shuster

No sooner have the witch’s hats and ghoulish

hands been stored away in their plastic graves than

the winter holidays are upon us. It’s easy to be

cynical in these times of over-commercialization but

it takes a special kind of detachment not to be

moved by the warmth and joy of this season. Friends

and family, food and drink, pine-scented fires and fir

boughs drooping with berries and ornaments all lend

spice to this season that, arguably, is the most special

of the American holidays.

As October rolls into November we start to

think and talk turkey. As in years past we do have

sign- up sheets for organic turkeys, Non-GMO tur-

keys, and specialty items like duck, geese, and Cor-

nish game hens. The ordering of “birds” takes place

at the long table in the Deli. We recommend that

you sign up or call in as early as possible to assure

that you will get the type of bird that you want. The

produce department will be in full swing, rounding

out your Thanksgiving-time table with yams,

potatoes, winter squash, pumpkins and chestnuts.

We will have lots of apples and pears for pies,

sauces, and crisps. Pomegranates and persimmons

are in and the first Satsuma Mandarins should be in

this week. And, you will be able to order pies and

various bread and rolls for those of you without the

baking inclination.

The Christmas season will follow too closely, as

always, on the heels of Thanksgiving, giving up little

breathing room between the two holidays. Our gift

department is ready “big time” to help you along

with your shopping pleasure. Make sure you take a

tour through this department in the next few weeks

to ascertain all the eclectic items we have at very

Mariposa Market - 500 S. Main St., Willits, CA 95490 - Ph (707) 459-9630

The Holiday Season

Thanking and Giving

By Mary Anne

Hours Mon-Fri 8-7 Sat 9-6 Sun 9-5

With organic food sales soaring worldwide, sus-

tainable farming, good health, and conscious living

have progressed beyond being trendy—consumption

is now at the forefront of many people’s minds every-

where.

So, how can we be mindful of our foods, gift

choices, and our consumption during this time of

year?

According to Stanford University, Americans gen-

erate an average of 25% more trash from Thanksgiv-

ing to New Years than any other time of year. The

extra waste amounts to 25 million extra tons per

week. Considering we already have more trash then

we know what to do with, this extra 25 % is com-

pletely preventable with a little more of a conscious

effort. Here are a few “Earth Friendly” choices for

consumption & “Green” gift Ideas!

Live Christmas trees, though expensive, can be

used for several years in a pot and then planted out-

side, reducing the waste of purchasing a tree from a

Continued on Page 2

Continued on Page 2

Be Sure to Sign-up Or Call

For Your Thanksgiving Turkey

—

Organic or Non-GMO Options

reasonable prices. We will also have turkeys, hams, and prime rib (by special order only) for your Holiday/

Christmas meals.

Avocados are in short supply for a couple of weeks while farmers in Mexico settle their strike. The crop

has been limited, at best, this summer making the strike a set-back for consumers.

Early rains have cleared the air of dust and brought on the onset of Autumn. Creeks are running and the

smell in the air is like heaven. If it wasn’t for the sordid election time, these weeks would seem nearly perfect.

The harvests are in; a sense of relief is in the air. We have to try to remember how blessed we are to live in

a town like Willits, where citizens mostly get along and can come together to solve problems and help those

in need. Almost all of us have roofs over our heads, decent food and water, a running automobile, and friends

and family. We have a bed to sleep in and our roads are not full of land mines or our cities patrolled by thugs.

We all have much to be thankful for and we need to try to remember to acknowledge gratitude whenever

possible. And since we have so much, this is a great time of year to lend a hand either financially or bodily to

those in need. May you all have the happiest of holidays and enter the New Year with a determination to be a

better citizen of this world.

PAGE 2 MARIPOSA NEWS HOLIDAY SEASON 2016

lot which has to be burned or dumped.

Another idea is to recycle your gift wrap, bows, tissue paper & boxes. These all add up to a lot of unnec-

essary trash around the holidays. Try to reuse these items from last year, but if it’s a little too late for last

year’s leftover wrappings set your intentions to be more mindful this year. Some of the most adorable gifts I

have received and that I have remembered were the ones with creative touches and repurposed items. One

idea is a paper bag wrapped gift with fresh greens attached and a recycled ribbon. If you are wrapping for kids

the comic section of the newspaper looks amazing and fun. Bags that are looking a little used can be re-

freshed with a cut-out from a Christmas card and a little imagination.

If you are cooking for a large group of family and friends, try to buy organic locally grown vegetables and

hormone free meat, eggs and dairy. By doing so, you are supporting sustainable farming practices.

As for GIFTS…Mariposa Market tries our very best to provide our customers with the products and re-

sources to make better choices in reducing our carbon footprint. So here are a few holiday gift giving ideas

for the season.

We have a great variety of reusable beautiful baskets and shopping bags in a range of choices from locally

made bags to” fold and fit in your purse bags”. We also have, new this year, our jute Mariposa Market bags

with our beautiful mural by Marta Alonso printed on the front. Fill it up with some locally grown groceries

and a bottle of one of our Mendocino County wines and you have a great thoughtful reusable gift.

Another great gift is a reusable beverage container; we have a variety of water bottles, some with tea or

fruit infusers, some that alkalize your water, others that can keep your coffee piping hot or your drink ice

cold! YES!!! All BPA & BPS- free, these are safe and will not alter the purity of your beverage or the earth.

Candles! Candles! Candles!! We have scented & unscented, beeswax & birthday, table- top tapers, and

ones to stimulate your motivation. You choose! These are ALL clean burning, recyclable and make any holi-

day light up!

Nan and I have also carefully selected a variety of stylish recycled, repurposed, fair trade woolens from a

variety of venders such as Gypsy & LoLo and Andes Gifts, just to name a few. These make wonderful gifts,

provide style and warmth, and can be passed down for years!

We also have a wide variety of counter-worthy jars and containers that are recyclable & reusable. These

storage jars make wonderful long-lasting gifts. You can fill them up, leave them empty, or stuff a dish towel

and a Mariposa Gift Card inside. Add a bow and you have a classy present. Mariposa encourages its shoppers

to bring them back and fill them up, reducing the use of paper, plastic, and packaged items.

These are just a few gift ideas for the holidays, keeping in mind our Earth and our consumption. There is

always” THIS” holiday season to be more conscious of your choices and we at Mariposa Market are here to

Mary Anne - Continued from Page 1

Gift-Giving - Continued From Page 1

You can find reference lists on which oils fit into

which categories to assist you with the blending. Each oil has it's own therapeutic properties as well. Adding some

orange essential oil to your skin care has shown to in-crease the production of collagen and increase blood

flow. Rose oil has excellent emollient properties, and is

an anti-microbial. Dabbing it on a blemish 3 times a day can make the unsightly spot disappear! There are a few

precautions when using essential oils. Most should be used diluted, some are not safe during pregnancy and

breastfeeding, and some should be not used if a person is on a blood thinner, because they also have blood thinning

affects. And one more tip: when blending, use a drop at a time,since essential oils are very potent. This will allow

you to achieve that custom scent for the lucky gift recipi-ent!

Now that you’ve got these ingredients spread about your kitchen, you might as well make an herbal salve.

Salves are so versatile, and can be custom-made for nu-

merous purposes with extraordinary therapeutic effects. A “gardener's” hand salve is a treat for those cracked,

rough hands, and is a loving gift for your favorite farmer. 1 ½ cup of a base oil (almond etc.)

1 ½ cup of beeswax

3 Tbsp dried calendula flowers

1 tsp dried comfrey leaf 3 Tbsp cocoa butter or shea butter

Pour your oil in a jar with the dry plant material Using a double boiler method simmer for at least 3 to 4

hrs. Strain through cheesecloth into another jar, and add

cocoa butter and beeswax, and return to the hot water

Gently heat until beeswax is melted, add a few drops of lavender essential oil and pour into jars to cool!

There are literally hundreds of products you can make yourself!

Deodorants, sunblock, after sun care, foot balms, mouthwash, toothpaste, hair care, healing and pain reliev-

ing salves, foot lotion, bath salts, bath bags, vapor rubs,

sugar body scrubs and washes, facial care, makeup,

makeup remover, shaving soap, after shave, room sprays, baby powder, diaper cream, even baby wipes!

Finally, Mariposa carries a variety of containers, of all shapes and sizes to bottle your concoctions. And, if you

plan ahead and can special order what you will need, we

offer a discounted price. We also carry a few books with DIY body care recipes to give you the knowledge to cre-

ate your own apothecary, with safe and effective ingredi-ents! Have fun!

PAGE 3 HOLIDAY SEASON 2016 MARIPOSA NEWS

Homemade gifts are fun to make, and to receive.

They are thoughtful, less expensive, and generally made with non-toxic, natural ingredients.

Since so many body care products are made using similar ingredients, and the job can be messy, I recom-

mend planning on doing numerous projects at the same

time. If your gonna commit, go big or go home! A simple product to start with would be lip balms.

Lip balms are made by melting beeswax, cocoa butter, and coconut oil together. Then adding a few drops of

essential oil, such as vanilla, lemon, or peppermint and “Voila!” you’re done! You could also add a few drops of

vitamin E oil. Vitamin E is pretty standard in almost all DIY body care, as it not only is healing, but also acts as a

preservative. A dash of raw honey can serve as a pre-servative as well, and a humectant, which means it at-

tracts and holds on to water, and can be a great addi-tion. One twist would be to add some natural pigments

to make the lip balms tinted, or you could just change

the essential oils, and make a sensuous smelling solid perfume!

Body oils are super easy and a great way to mois-turize your skin during the winter. Use body oils on

damp skin after bathing, allow for drying time and soon

your whole body will be soft as a baby’s bottom! All

you need is an oil base, such as almond, grapeseed, frac-tionized coconut, or apricot kernel. I like to then blend

in some other specialty oils, ones that have a more therapeutic effect, such as avocado, calendula, rosehip

seed, or jojoba oils. These oils are a little bit more ex-pensive, but Mariposa carries them in in our bulk de-

partment in gallons, which brings the cost down and

allows you to purchase only as much as you need. Rose-hip seed oil is light and easy to absorb, great for eczema

and psoriasis, has tissue regenerating properties, and reduces the appearance of stretch marks and scars.

Avocado oil is enormously rich in vitamin E. Lastly, you probably want to scent your body oil.

Scenting your oils is a matter of personal preference.

There is, however, an art to blending oils. For example,

to find three oils that complement each other, you would look to achieve top, middle, and base notes.

“Notes”, or scent characteristics in essential oils, are based on how quickly it evaporates. Top “notes” have

the smallest molecules and evaporate the quickest, and

base notes evaporate the slowest leaving a scent that can last on your skin for days. There is also the matter

of aroma categories; floral, woodsy, herbaceous, spicy, citrus, or earthy.

DIY Natural Body Care

By Alecia

PAGE 4 MARIPOSA NEWS HOLIDAY SEASON 2016

By the time you read this, the people of the United States of America will likely have elected a new Presi-

dent, or for some of you, a new Commander-In-Chief. In the beginning we were offered a few debates among

hopeful candidates only to once again funnel down to the two choices chosen by corporate interests to repre-

sent USA, Inc. – “Billary” or “the Donald”. Like most of you gentle readers, I felt like I was presented with yet

another “Sophie’s choice” -- the lesser of two evils. Excuse me, but how can it be that We The People are pre-

sented with yet another couple of bought and paid for candidates who will not engage each other in the real

issues that matter to us most. You know, small incidentals like universal health care, food safety, climate change,

decaying infrastructure, unending war, racism, off-shore corporate tax shelters shriveling our tax base, political

gridlock, the environment, education, etc.

Well, gentles, I decided to do something different this election. Something I have never done. Something so

radical that some of my closest friends could not help but look at me with wonderment and dismay as I un-

folded my diabolical scheme to them. Something so hideous mothers held their children close and ran away to

avoid meeting my fiendish gaze. What was this outrageous act of a madman?

I am going to vote my conscience. That’s it. In the words of my detractors, I am going to “waste my vote”.

At first, I didn’t think I could do it. However, the more I thought about what the “point one percent” was trying

to shove down my throat, the firmer my resolve became. I remembered all the elections I voted in that came

down to “holding my nose” and voting for the lesser of two evils. I felt compromised. Angry. Disappointed.

Well screw that. Where has it gotten us? Well, look around. What do you think? Is Hillary Clinton going to get

things done? Is Donald Trump able to navigate being “the most powerful man on earth”?

This year I am not holding my nose. I am doing something I feel is positive and beneficial for me. I want to

say on November 9 that I slept well on the night of the election. It won’t matter who wins. When I awaken, the

good vibes I have generated from empowering myself, however temporary and changing, will be felt by others

and in turn they can “pay it forward”. This is my gift to myself and others this holiday season. I really am looking

forward to savoring what it feels like to vote/write-in the candidate whom I feel best represents the wants and

needs for myself, my family and my fellow citizens of the United States of America--indivisible, with liberty and

justice for all.

My Big Fat American Election

Kevin Copperfield

Portion

Planner

*Information for this chart was

Borrowed from: Rodale's Or-

ganic Life magazine, November

2016*

10 People 15 People 20 People

Turkey

1-1/4 lb. per person

One

12-1/2 pounder

Two

10 pounders

Two

12-13 pounders

Stuffing

3/4 cup per person 4 pints 6 pints 8 pints

Mashed Potatoes

1 large potato per

person

10 15 20

Vegetable Side

4 .oz per person 2-1/2 pounds 3-3/4 pounds 5 pounds

Cranberry Sauce

1/2 cup per person 1-1/4 quarts 2 quarts 2-1/2 quarts

Recently Jude Tillman from the Dragonfly Dispensary in Fort Bragg came to Mariposa Market to give a talk

on the medicinal properties of cannabis. This very knowledgeable woman shared a plethora of information

about the benefits of the compounds which make up the marijuana flowers. The most interesting for me was

the cannabinoid called CBD which is a has no mind-altering properties but is super effective against a variety of

ailments which so far the medical community has only been able to address with NSAIDS, chemotherapy, seda-

tives, anti-depressants, and sleep aids which may become addictive. She told us that the CBD tincture is espe-

cially indicated for inflammatory disease of any kind, and many autoimmune conditions as well. The dispensary

has been using CBD oils or tinctures for cancers, Lyme disease, Crohn’s disease, sleep disorders and arthritis

with very good results. I mentioned to her that I had been giving the CBD tincture we sell at Mariposa to my

dog who had recently had a grand mal seizure. She remarked that there was an increasing interest in the vet-

erinary community and that many of her customers used CBD’s for their pets.

Surprisingly, the New York Times published an article in the Sunday paper called "Pets on Pot". This two

page article chronicled the growing number of pet situations which are being addressed with CBD's. THC,

which is the psycho-active cannabinoid found in marijuana is contra-indicated for animals, because it is toxic to

them. But, the CBD’s have been used for a variety of conditions including cancer, seizures, arthritis, allergies,

anxiety, and a variety of other conditions. The interesting part is that when the pet owners went to a medical

marijuana clinic they had to lie and say the condition was theirs so that they could get a prescription for their

pets. I have continued to give my dog the CBD tincture twice a day and she has had no more seizures and her

arthritis seems improved. We are on the brink of a new era in medicine. Encourage your veterinarian to find

out more about CBD’s. There are no side effects.

PAGE 5 HOLIDAY SEASON 2016 MARIPOSA NEWS

Making your own deodorant allows you to avoid many very harmful chemicals most likely contained in com-

mercial products. Some of these chemical ingredients are: Aluminum; a metal linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Parabens; a synthetic preservative linked to disrupting hormonal imbalance, birth defects and organ toxicity. Propylene glycol; petroleum based material, that has been shown to cause damage to the central nervous sys-

tem, liver, and heart in large quantities. Phthalates; a class of chemicals associated with birth defects.

Do you really want this stuff in your body? I don’t think so! Here is an alternative recipe given to us by a cus-tomer who swears it is the best deodorant they have ever tried!

DIY Deodorant Recipe Warm 5 tablespoons coconut oil to a liquid state (A mason jar works well, in a double boiler, over medium

heat) Mix in:

1 Tbsp baking soda 6 Tbsp arrowroot powder

2 Tbsp bentonite clay If you want to get a little fancy, you can add some essential oils for scent, which also adds a bit of extra anti-

bacterial property to it, twenty to thirty drops will do. Store the mix in a glass jar with a lid, or reuse an old deodorant container. But beware, the coconut oil will

liquefy in heat, and so it may spill in the summer if you’re not careful. Allow a few minutes of drying time after ap-plying to avoid contact with your clothing, and enjoy chemical free, stink free day!

Homemade Deodorant For Happy Skin And Sensitive Armpits

Pot For Pets

By Mary Anne

Rodale’s Organic Life magazine has an interesting article this month on feeding your baby. Some of the

recommendations were surprising to me, but they are backed up by the National Institute of Allergy and

Infectious Disease, and by the magazine’s own research. In some ways these ideas make a lot of sense because

the medical world has recently discovered that letting your children put dirt in their mouths, and not using anti

-bacterial hand wipes significantly reduces allergies and asthma in children. So here are the new

recommendations. If you are unsure, you can always ask your pediatrician.

Bring on the allergens. Introducing such things as peanuts to infants who have a high risk of developing al-

lergies has been shown to be safe and effective 81% fewer children have developed this allergy because they

were introduced to this food at any early age. They suggest a small dab of peanut butter to start. Infants can be

started on peanuts between 4 and 6 months of age. They recommend introducing all major food allergens be-

fore one year of age. These include dairy, egg, wheat, and seafood and nuts. Never give a child under 1 year

of age honey, as it can cause botulism in infants.

Use the flavor window. Babies between 4 and 7 months are much more receptive to new flavors than

they’ll ever be again. Try a variety of flavors including mildly spice and bitter foods such as kale, cauliflower,

broccoli, and beets. They may make a face but that does not necessarily mean that they don’t like the food.

The end goal is not so much nutrition as it is introducing flavors for a long term palate. Little bits of un-

usual foods are fine.

Lean on meats. By 6 months of age, your baby’s brain is developing rapidly and needs more than breast

milk to supply the necessary nutrients. Your baby needs foods that are high in B12, B6, A and D and choline.

Good choices are egg yolks, red meat (especially liver) and fish. It is important that these food choices be or-

ganically grown, wild-caught, or pasture-raised to reduce the presence of hormones or antibiotics in the diet.

Season with small amounts of sea salt. Sea salt, or Himilayan salt, contains trace minerals, which help your

baby’s immature kidneys to process salt.

Organic matters. Organophosphates are highly toxic pesticides that are used on most commercial crops.

These pesticides can hamper the neurological development in babies and children, even at low levels of expo-

sure. If you cannot afford organic food, try at least to avoid the Dirty Dozen, foods that contain high levels of

pesticides, among them are strawberries, nectarines, and apples. To see the entire list of the Dirty Dozen

please go to www.ewg.org.

PAGE 6 MARIPOSA NEWS HOLIDAY SEASON 2016

How To Feed Your Baby

By Mary Anne

Please carry Three Trees Org Almond

Milk: Their website looks good. Unfortunately we

cannot get this through our current distributors.

Raw Cream Butter and Grass Fed Yo-

gurt: We do have raw butter, located in the freezer

next to the pie crusts. As for the yogurt, we have car-

ried it in the past and it just didn’t sell very well. Mr. Barkey’s Veg Dog Treats in bulk:

We will consider bringing in one type of bulk dog bis-

cuit. Mr. Barky’s were a slow seller, but maybe Cloud

9 has bulk biscuits available.

Please offer a tempeh option for a deli

sandwich: There are a few varieties of this product

in the freezer section. You can always purchase a

package and take to the deli, who would be happy to

make a sandwich for you. Unfortunately the tempeh

is not popular enough to keep it thawed out in the

deli.

Dutch Crunch bread for deli sand-

wiches: We have a large selection of bread in the

deli and the torpedo rolls (which are Dutch Crunch)

are much smaller than any of our other roll options.

We do put fresh torpedo sandwiches out every day

and if you wish to purchase one, we would be happy

to add any extra condiments or veggies for the cost

of the add-on.

Potato Salad has too much egg: Please try

some of our other brands, like the J.D. Hookers Po-

tato salads. Most of them to not contain eggs and

are quite delicious!

Tapioca Pudding in the deli: This product

was not selling well so we stopped carrying it. We will

bring a few in again and see how it does this time

around. ☺ Bagels (from the deli) are not toasted

enough: We have brought this to the attention of

the deli staff and instructed them to toast the bagels more before serving them.

Big Gold Star Gratitude for the

delicious reasonably priced deli food!

Thank you very much for your wonderful praise.

We always appreciate positive feedback. Be sure to

keep check for new and exciting products from our

deli in the very near future!

Omega 3 Cream Vegan Ice Cream: We have not found this through any of our

distributors, but we’ll keep trying!

Alvarado St. Bakery Seriously

Sprouted Fajita size tortillas – much bet-

ter than the other sprouted ones you carry:

We will check these out!

Up Mountain Switchel, in bulk if possi-

ble: Up Mountain is in the process of changing

containers and there is no info on when it will be

available or in what sizes.

Bring back Clausthaler NA Beer: You

may have missed it, but we do carry Clausthaler N/

A Beer.

Rebbl reishi chocolate golden milk:

We did look in to this, however our distributor has

discontinued this product.

Amy's Chocolate Cake, please carry it

again: We discontinued this product because it

was a very slow seller.

Redwood Hill Farm Plain Yogurt, small: We will trade this for the vanilla. ☺ Paleo Coconut Wrap: We have a vegan

coconut wrap that is Paleo. Look in our Interna-

tional aisle next to the seaweed.

From Our Suggestion Box

PAGE 7 HOLIDAY SEASON 2016 MARIPOSA NEWS

HOLIDAY SEASON 2016 MARIPOSA NEWS PAGE 8

I would like to bring to your attention the sec-

ond of the two mushrooms we have here in the bulk

section that deserve to be acknowledged for their

qualities and properties.

A while back an old friend of the market pre-

sented us with some beautiful wild and sustainably

harvested red reishi and chaga mushrooms from the

Appalachian region of southern Canada. He himself

harvested and dried them at low temperatures and

sliced them, readying them to do some goodness for

those looking for some good quality medicinal

mushrooms.

Using his own words, these mushrooms are

“wild gathered respectfully and sustainably in the

lush forest of the Northern Appalachian Mountains

of Quebec Canada.”

What we know as "Chaga" is actually the dense

black mass of mycelia (roughly 10" to 15" in size)

that appears on the outside of birch trees infected

with the non-toxic parasitic fungus Inonotus

Obliquus. The hard & cracked black exterior, which

looks like burnt charcoal, is called the sclerotium

(plural sclerotia). The interior is softer and has a

rusty yellow-brown color that can be seen when it's

removed from the birch tree and broken into

chunks.

Called the “King of the Medicinal Mush-

rooms”, Chaga’s health properties include:

-Adaptogenic (increases resistance to stress),

nervine (calms/nourishes the nerves; relieves ten-

sion) and anti-stress (promotes peace of mind)

-Immune modulation (balances immune system)

and tonic (nourishes/strengthens immune system)

-High antioxidant content

-Anti-cancer (induces apoptosis-the spontaneous

breakdown of cancer cells), anti-tumor and anti-

mutagenic

-Liver purification and detoxification

-Improves circulation

-Blood sugar balancer

-Anti-viral (flu, herpes, HIV, hepatitis), anti-

parasitic (removes certain types of parasitic worms),

and anti-bacterial

Chaga Mushroom

By Marta

-Cardio protectant

-Intestinal protection (good against colitis, gastri-

tis, digestive inflammation)

-Anti-inflammatory

-Anti-allergenic

-Analgesic (removes pain) and anodyne (soothes

pain)

-Can help repair damages DNA

-Kidney tonic

-Promotes balanced hormones

-Anti-platelet aggregative effects (disperses

clumped red blood cells)

-Anti-lipid peroxidative (protects fats from oxida-

tion or loss of electrons) and lowers harmful LDL

(cholesterol)

Here are a few ideas on how to use Chagas:

-Add 1 Tblsp of nuggets or powder to 1 cup of

water and simmer on low 5 to 20min. (longer for a

stronger brew). Tip: you can actually decoct/brew the

nuggets until the dark pigment no longer extracts into

the water.

-Chaga taste amazing on its own. It has a very

rich, malty coffee vanilla flavor with no distinct mush-

room flavor. If it’s too strong strait up or you want to

spice it up, try adding the infusion as a base to chai,

hot chocolates, smoothies, soups, lattes, or

cappuccinos.

Store in cool, dry, and dark space.

They can be found in the bulk herb section of the

Market and make sure you get the Appalachian vari-

ety.

As the leaves change to warmer colors of orange and gold so does the seasonal fruits and vegetables. Fall,

the harvest season, is not just for grapes, but also pumpkins, carrots, artichokes, sunflowers, and mushrooms.

As the season changes, so does our palate for wine and food. As the weather gets cool and rainy our menu

changes from light salads and fresh fruit to heartier stews, soups, roasts, and family favorites like lasagna. There

is something wonderful and cozy about enjoying a nice warm stew on a cool rainy night. Of course the meal

needs to have a nice wine to compliment it and there are many options to choose from.

Full bodied whites, and light to medium bodied reds, are the perfect complement to cooler weather and

fall harvest foods. As for reds, Sangiovese, Greneche, and Pinot Noir will pair nice with the Autumn menu.

They add some spice without overpowering the food. Try them with roasted chicken and vegetables, or with a

slow cooked stew or soup. Similarly, with whites, Viognier, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, or Reisling will be a

great addition to a seafood, chicken, or turkey dinner.

My daughter gave me her stew recipe which I have tried and it was wonderful. What she likes most about

this recipe is the fact that it is easy, tasty, and slow cooked in a crock pot, so at the end of the day when you

come, home dinner is ready. She said that good meat is the key and prefers Roundman’s or John Ford Ranch

beef. We have both here at Mariposa and they are both local.

The prep for this stew is to cut everything up and throw it in the crock pot. My kind of cooking!!

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion

4 cloves of garlic

4 stalks of celery

4 big carrots

4 potatoes

1 lb. stew meat seasoned with salt and pepper

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Put in crock pot on high for 6 hrs or low for 10 hrs.

As we work our way from autumn to winter and cooler weather and the holidays, I hope you enjoy won-

derful food, wine, friends, and family. We are truly blessed to live where we do, and to have a wonderful abun-

dance of fresh food and locally produced goods. I hope everyone enjoys these last few months of 2016.

PAGE 9 HOLIDAY SEASON 2016 MARIPOSA NEWS

Fall Colors of Wine and Stew

By Debbie Mac

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter, plus more for skillet

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2-1/4 oz (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch kosher salt

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1 Tbsp ginger liqueur (such as Domaine de Canton) or Cognac, optional

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz (2 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries

2 Tbsp finely chopped candied ginger

1 oz (1/4 cup) sliced almonds

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Directions:

Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a 12" cast-iron skillet and set on a foil- or parchment-lined rimmed baking

sheet

In a blender, combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder, salt, milk, butter, liqueur, and vanilla. Blend

until smooth and set aside

Toss cranberries with remaining sugar and place in skillet. Bake until cranberries have started to bubble,

about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, scatter candied ginger over the top, and pour on the batter. Sprinkle

with almonds and return to oven. Bake until set, slightly puffed, and brown around edges, 30-35 minutes.

Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately, with ice cream, if desired.

Note: To make individual clafoutis, use six 8 oz oven-safe dishes.

HOLIDAY SEASON 2016 MARIPOSA NEWS PAGE 10

Newsletter Design by Dragon Enterprise - Steven Hellman - Bhuggs@saber.net

Cranberry-Ginger Clafoutis