April 29, 2011 - Clayton Pioneer

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Page 16 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com April 29, 2011 INSPIRED REAL ESTATE XXXXXXXXX This enchanting 4 bedroom/3bath + Bonus studio is beautifully designed in the California Craftsman inspired style. Meticulously maintained and appointed with highest quality both inside and out. Styled in concert with the lush natural landscape and majestic oaks that surround it. TOP Orinda Schools. Offered at $929,000 www.MtRushmorePlace.com Fantastic Contemporary Cottage nestled amidst spectacular views of Mt. Diablo. 4 bedroom 2 bath single level – Updated throughout. New floors, new windows, epoxy garage floor – turn key! Wonderful private courtyard, “multi-budding tree” orchard with 14 different fruits. Great corner lot at cul-de-sac. www.CheyenneDrive.com Light bright contemporary 4 bedroom 2 bath Northgate rancher on a wonderful flat .27 acre lot! Beautiful updates inside and out. Walk to K-12. All 10++ schools within less than a mile from home. Great family home! Offered at $839,000. Pending Advertise in the Pioneer Est.1972 Smith & Bernal Roofing Tile repairs �� Reroof �� Ventilation Gutter Cleaning � Inspections � Bird abatement Free Roof Check-up in 5 days (925) 672 0138 Clayton resident Lic. Number 727021 www.OharaCourt.com Completely updated! Hardwood floor, gorgeous tile, & NEW carpet. Kitchen & bath cabinets all redone. New lighting, paint, spa shower fixture, & much more. Sparkles & bathed in natural light. Vaulted ceilings, large landscaped lot, spa, patio, lawns & grapes! Super location. Epoxy Garage Floor!! Listed at $345,000! Thinking of selling your home? Now is the perfect time to call YOUR Dynamic Realtors! May Day a European tradition LINDA WYNER FOOD FOR THOUGHT May 1, or May Day, is an ancient Celtic tradition that began in England and spread throughout most of Europe. The Beltane rituals celebrated fertility and renewal with bonfires, feasting and dancing. When the Romans conquered Britain, they brought their own tradition of the festival of Floralia to honor the goddess of flowers. The beribboned Maypole dance evolved from the mix of the two cultures. During the English Reformation in the 1600s, festivities having pagan roots were suppressed. It is not surprising then that May Day traditions did not make it to American shores with the Puritans and their kin. Elsewhere on the European continent, however, May Day remains a celebratory day marked by bonfires and festivals. In Germany, Maiwein is a traditional beverage. Young wine is enhanced with an herb, sweet woodruff. Sometimes it’s a wine punch flavored with herbs, fruits, berries and flowers. Sima, a version of mead, is served on May Day in Finland. The Finns love to celebrate May Day with tippaleivät, which resembles a miniature and lesssweet version of county fair funnel cakes. TIPPALEIVÄT 2 eggs 1 T. sugar ¾ tsp. salt ¾ c. milk 1½ c. flour ½ tsp. vanilla Oil, for frying Powdered sugar, for dusting Mix the eggs and sugar until just combined. Add the other ingredients, except for the oil and powdered sugar, and stir into a smooth batter. Heat the oil (about 2-3 inches deep) in a deep saucepan until it reaches 375°. Put the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a small-holed nozzle. Squeeze the batter in a thin band into the hot oil. Move in overlapping circles to form a nest-like cookie 3-4 inches in diameter. When the cookies have turned golden brown, remove and drain on paper towels. Dust room-temperature cookies with powdered sugar. In Italy, May Day foods characteristically have “seven” of each ingredient. For example, in Abruzzo, a soup by the name of “The Seven Virtues” is made from leftovers in the pantry. It’s basically a jazzed-up version of minestrone. MINESTRONE LE SETTE VIRTU Serves 6 7 kinds of dried beans 7 kinds of fresh vegetables (this recipe calls for onion, garlic, fennel, artichokes, fava beans, carrots and green beans) 7 freshly minced herbs (basil, sage, oregano, thyme, marjoram, parsley and mint*) 7 c. stock (made from leftover meat) 7 kinds of leftover dried pasta (1-2 T. each) Olive oil Take a Hike April is Earth-Day month, which neatly coincides with prime wildflower season on Mount Diablo. There’s no better time to get outside and enjoy your own backyard. Before you go, you might want to check out “Audible Mount Diablo,” a series of electronic field guides from Save Mount Diablo, Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association and the California State Parks Foundation. The free guides, offered by Save Mount Diablo, Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association and the California State Parks Foundation, can be downloaded to an iPhone, iPod or other MP3 player. Modeled after the best museum audio guides, “Audible Mount Diablo” combines lively inter- Salt and pepper to taste Chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese for service Soak ½ c. mixed dried beans in cold water overnight. Rinse, drain and set aside. Preheat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 T. olive oil and 1 chopped onion. Saute the onion, stirring occasionally, until TIPPALEIVÄT it is tender and translucent. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add one chopped bulb of fennel (discard the fronds) and the prepared beans. Add the stock and bring soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until beans are almost tender. See Food, page 17 Free Audible Guides for Mt. Diablo hikers Photo by Scott Hein, www.heinphoto.com Hikers look towards the Summit Loop in Mount Diablo’s Back Canyon views and music with the rush of wind and the chirps, howls, and growls of wildlife. Experts heighten visitors’ appreciation of the sights and sounds, tell tales of the mountain’s past, and suggest what to look for around the next bend. “These tours are great aids to exploring Mount Diablo,” says Save Mount Diablo’s Julie Seelen. The tours include “Introducing, Mount Diablo”, “Grand Loop Tour” and the “Mary Bowerman Tour.” The tours are all free at www.savemountdiablo.org (click on Activities, then Hikes and Trails) or www.mdia.org (click on “Audible Mount Diablo”). A GPS-enabled version of the Grand Loop tour is also available at EveryTrail.com.
April 29, 2011 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 17 Arbutus_marina There’s a list of plants I consider mom-worthy – ones I would have my own mother grow. They are sturdy, showy, simple plants that look good with minimal care. My parents travel but they like their Clayton Valley yard to look good, so here is what I have my mother grow in her landscape and garden. Cestrum Newellii, Red Cestrum, is an evergreen shrub NICOLE HACKETT GARDEN GIRL with an exceptionally long blooming season. The flowers are tight clusters of burgundy tubes that the hummingbirds can’t resist. Cestrum Newellii has dark green foliage with a touch of red. You can expect it to grow 5- 8 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide. Plant in full to partial morning sun against a fence or the home. This evergreen makes a nice backdrop and focal planting. SAGE ADVICE Yellow-blooming Jerusalem Food, from page 16 Add 2 fresh, frozen or canned artichoke hearts, cut into ½-inch dice, 1 c. blanched and peeled fava beans, 1 diced carrot and ½ c. cut green beans. Continue to simmer the soup until the rest of the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the pasta and 1 tsp. of each herb. Simmer another 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference. Serve hot with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. *If using dried herbs, use ½ tsp. each. Another May Day traditional dish comes from the Piedmont region of Italy. It, too, incorporates the “seven virtues.” These beauties belong in mom’s garden Sage is a must-have for anyone. This evergreen is incredibly sunhardy and has large, arrowshaped leaves of gray. From May to July, yellow whirls of two-lipped flowers extend taller than the foliage – creating a candelabra effect. The bloom is dramatic and interesting. Jerusalem Sage is nice planted by the poolside because bees aren’t too attracted to the yellow flowers. Arbutus Marina makes an excellent focal planting or hillside installation. It is commonly called a strawberry tree. This mini tree is robust and needs some room to stretch to its potential. It will eventually reach 12-15 feet tall and almost as wide. If you clean up the bottom third of this shrub, you will reveal its beautiful red, peeling bark. I like to call this its legs. Arbutus Marina is uplight worthy and makes an interesting specimen for a landscape. COLORS OF THE DAY Daisy-shaped Arctotis Peachy Mango is a showy groundcover with a little body. Large, circle-shaped growth can reach 3 feet wide and lends itself to larger beds and strips. Arctotis is available in many hot colors to reflect any gardeners’ personal choice. HERB FRITTATA (Frittata primaverile verde alle sette erbe) Serves 2 1 T. olive oil 2 shallots, finely minced 2 tsp. each minced sage, parsley, thyme, basil, mint, marjoram and oregano* 4 eggs, beaten with 1 T. water Salt and pepper ¼ c. Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven broiler. Preheat an oven-ready 10inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and shallots and saute until shallots are wilted. Add the herbs and saute for 15 seconds to release their aroma. Pour in eggs and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and Red Cestrum This is another sun lover that does better when occasionally deadheaded. My mom has it planted with her Jerusalem Sage and roses. It really makes a nice collection. Phormium add a grass-like touch to the landscape. Phormium Platt’s Black is a stable selection flax that reaches 2- 3 feet tall and wide. The dark, purplish-bronze foliage can really stand up to the sun. Platt’s Black adds interest and texture to shrubs and flowers. Highlight stretches of garden beds with repeated installations of this phormium, or use in containers for vertical interest surrounded with colorful Million Bell Petunias. SPIKE IT UP The tall blue spikes of flowers from Salvia Indigo Spires explode with bloom June through October. This selection of salvia is definitely mom-worthy. Bees and butterflies visit this perennial all day long. Since the Indigo Spires blooms so long, it makes for a great front-yard landscape installation. The flower is a perfect accessory to spring-blooming shrubs. Summer-flowering Crape Myrtle trees are easy to care for, have showy flowers and seasonal fall color. When supported pepper. Stir to distribute the herbs and shallots. Cook the frittata, occasionally lifting the edges and allowing the liquid egg to spill under. When the frittata is set but still moist on top, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and transfer the skillet to the broiler. Broil until the cheese has browned. Serve immediately. *Oregano is used in this recipe as a substitute for amarelle. Known as mugwort here, it is generally not recognized in the United States as a culinary herb. Linda Wyner, a local attorney and foodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet cookware store and cooking school in Pleasanton. Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com Salvia Indigo Spires with evergreen grasses or shrubs, the Crape Myrtle tree makes a perfect focal planting for a mini garden area. Petal drop makes the Crape Myrtle not pool-friendly, so install accordingly. Perennials planted in containers with drip system water bring interest to patio areas. I have learned that incorporating multiple plants in larger containers works best. This way, when one plant isn’t blooming, there is always another to take its place. Depending on the size of the container, consider yours an above-ground garden. Sunny plants that like to be grown in containers are sedum, iris, coreopsis, penstomen and kangaroo’s paw. If the container is located in more shade, use plants like hosta, impatiens, begonia, painted fern, hellebores and abutilon. I always try to include at least one thriller or tall plant, plus a couple fillers or medium-sized plants and a spiller or two to accent the container. The more you install, the greater the container will look. If plants overgrow the pot, put those in the ground. Happy Mother’s Day. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or suggestions at gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com Dentistry for Infants, Children & Teenagers Jason M. Renner, D.D.S. Richard C. Rissel, D.M.D 925-689-2800 www.diablovalleykids.com 2875 Willow Pass Rd., Concord 2010 recipient of 7 National Customer Service Awards “Over and above your expectations” Love your Pioneer? It’s FREE because we are 100 percent advertiser supported. Please support our advertisers FREE kindergarten screening Proudly serving the Diablo Valley for over 25 years – “experience counts” Less than 5 miles from Clayton 7 locations to serve you All (925) Area Code Concord Via de Mercados* 689-1739 Fremont St. 686-1739 Walnut Creek N. Broadway 210-1739 N. Main* 979-1739 Brentwood* 634-6366 Antioch 755-1739 Pittsburg* 432-9910 *Open Saturdays Towing Service (925) 822-2494
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