Key West, Florida

     Wander as far south as you may, and you will come ashore in Key West, Florida.

     Miles away from the ordinary, the lure of the turquoise waters, mingling two seas, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, brings tidings to tourists who laze on the beaches, or walk the cobbled town streets .

     In search of history and adventure, our Floridian friends suggested a Key West sojourn, and we jumped on board the Key West Express, a three hour jet-powered boat ride from Fort Meyers.  We opted for that trip version instead of the 130 mile causeway drive on the original train route of Henry Flagler who built the overseas railroad in 1905.

     Arriving at mid day, we taxied through bougainvillea shrouded streets eclipsed by banyan, kapok, live oak, and mangrove trees to our domicile, the Duval Inn.  We anticipated a tropical island stay pursuing an interesting cast of characters from writers, to Presidents, to balladeers, even treasure hunters. 

     Through all the pleasantries of this vintage village, one immediately stops to ponder the wild poultry that potter across busy streets. Free at last from a 1970s law, the black breasted red chickens are descendants of fighting cocks brought to the island in the 1800s by Eduardo Gato, a wealthy cigar factory owner.  The gypsy roosters and hens cock their heads and study tiny gecko lizards darting across sidewalks, while the out of towners stare in amazement.

      History has left a smoking statement in Key West. In the late 1800s and early 20ieth century, hand rolled cigar manufacturers were prominent.  At one time, there were eighty factories that dotted this two-mile by four-mile island.  When Fidel Castro took over Cuba in 1969, all U.S. trade was banned, snuffing out the lucrative operations. 

      Since then, tourism has become a major industry and kept this old town above ground surviving the havoc of hurricanes.  Thus it is that nature goes wild and domestic in a relaxed manner in Key West.

      Take a leisurely stroll down Whitehead Street and you can retrace the footsteps and paw prints of Ernest Hemingway’s legacy as you turn into the beautifully restored plantation house where the Nobel Prize winner wrote during his most productive years.  You will be met by Fats Waller, one of the living descendants of the Hemingway six- toed cats who roam the grounds showing up on hall tables and napping on the author’s antebellum bed.  Not minding his feline following, guide, Bob, remarked that these polydactyl cats originally came from the seaports in Europe, adding that “there are over forty of them on the property.”

     If you happen to be in Key West the first weekend of November, as we were, other novel species, like Parrot Heads show up. In town for their annual convention, the prospect of Jimmy Buffett appearing in concert sends these colorful characters to the original Margaritaville in search of libation and lyrics.  They swung out in droves on Saturday, closing Duval Street, the major thoroughfare, as several thousand were in Paradise with Jimmy singing from his specially built stage.

     As the excitement died down, the thread of our conversation turned truly patriotic and we were off to Front Street to pay respect to the Harry S. Truman Little White House.  In 1890, the U.S. Navy built an 8,700 square foot home on the waterfront to house the base commander and paymaster. It remained as such for years even becoming home to Thomas Edison while he conducted experiments and developed weapons for the U.S. Navy during World War I.  Later, in search of warm weather and fine surroundings, in 1946, President Truman turned the wooden two -story building into a retreat and functioning White House.  It was here that he enacted the Civil Rights Executive Order. Since then, the Little White House has held numerous presidential summits and peace talks.  Touring throughout the grand mansion, Dave, a Key Wester, pointed out the ever present Truman saying that remains on the past President’s desk: “the buck stops here.”

     Like the Little White House, most homes in Key West are over a century old.  Many of them were built by ships carpenters to “sway” in order to protect them from hurricanes.  Some stand on stilts as beacons to the strength of the past.  Yet, many ships navigating to Key West have not survived the tidal winds and waves and shipwrecks and salvaging has been a most profitable venture.  According to legend Key West became the richest city in the U.S. in the 1860s, rescuing shipwrecks and bringing people claim to everything on board.  American treasure hunter, Mel Fisher, is best known for finding the 1622 wreck of the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Senora de Atocha with an estimated $450 million dollar cache of gold, silver, and Columbian emeralds.  Mr. Fisher realized that the discoveries were too important not to be shared with the world, and in 1982, he founded the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and Museum which contains an extensive collection of artifacts from the Atocha and other seventeen century shipwrecks.  The 85,000 artifacts are too numerous to describe, however, of particular note, is the rare gold plate and gold cup that was used to detect poisoned wine.

     After some time of soaking up the island’s veritable valuables, along with the glowing sunset, Key Lime Pie is a delicious ending to a perfect Key West visit.  But, don’t look for it to be green.  Made from the fresh juice of Key limes, and offered in most restaurants, the very finest slice has a pale yellow filling with whipped cream or meringue topping.  We just had to have two versions: one from Kermits Key Lime Shop and one from Café Sole.

If you go: Duval Inn (B&B), 511 Angela Street; wwwduvalinn.com

                  Hemingway House, 907 Whitehead Street; www.HemingwayHome.com

                   Harry S. Truman Little White House, 111 Front Street; www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com

                   Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, 200 Greene Street; www.melfisher.org

                   Kermit’s Key Lime Shop, 200 Elizabeth Street

                   Café Sole, 1029 Southard Street; CafeSole.com

Notre Dame Travel story

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — On a cloudless October day, the Notre Dame campus, which is steeped in a storied grid­iron tradition, comes alive.

The lore of the Fighting Irish dates back to 1842 when a young French priest, Father Edward Sorin, used $310 to start the University of Notre Dame du Lac in three log buildings in Indiana.

It’s a football tradition that includes the story of ultimate underdog Rudy, the Four Horsemen and the famous words of George Gipp, “Win just one for the Gipper.”

And so it was, with the luck of the Irish, that I was able to purchase a friend’s tickets to the recent Notre Dame-Air Force game as a Christmas present for my husband, and myself.

Even with tickets in hand, there are still plenty of logis­tics to work out when it comes to attending a Notre Dame game. Already by July, hotels were booked and air­fares were sky high.

What my friend had said about Notre Dame football was obviously correct.

“It’s a three-day event unlike anything you’ve ever experienced in the Big 8, the Big 12, the NFL, or the AFL.” Two days before Saturday’s kickoff, we arrived at our hotel, greeted by a reception­ist wearing a pink Notre Dame jersey. She presented us with a bag of gifts includ­ing Notre Dame stationery, football banners and campus maps.

As we explored the 1,250­acre campus, we encountered many of the traditions that lead up to kickoff. There’s the midnight drummer’s cir­cle at the Main Building, the devout kneeling in reverence in the Grotto, and the rush through the tunnel, the same fabled walk that every Irish player has taken for the past 80 years.

Fans wave and cheer as the football players in suits and ties are driven across cam­pus to be introduced at a pep rally. The entire team attends Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, then players move through applauding crowds to the stadium.

“If you could find a way to bottle the Notre Dame spirit, you could light up the uni­verse,” former Irish quarter­back Joe Theisman said.

Led by three drum majors, and closely followed by the Irish Guard, 10 6-foot-2 colle­gians dressed in Irish kilts of Notre Dame plaid emerge from the south tunnel, lead­ing the way for the Band of the Fighting Irish.

Next there was an Air Force B-2 bomber passing over the field.

The whistles blow and play begins with 120 Notre Dame players donning their hel­mets, freshly painted and dusted in gold, replicating the golden dome that tops the University’s Administration building.

Notre Dame is one of four independent collegiate foot­ball teams that opted out of joining a conference and remains independent. For 21 consecutive years, they have had a contract with NBC Sports to broadcast home games. The partnership has been valuable for both the university and the network.

Revenue from the contract has provided millions of dol­lars in financial aid to Notre Dame’s students.

On this day, Notre Dame dominated, beating Air Force 59-33. The teams’ combined total of 92 points was the most in Notre Dame Stadium history.

After the game, players joined arms with students and fans to sing the Alma Mater, and then raced to the Air Force side to serenade their opponents.

Perhaps alum Regis Philbin sums up the whole experi­ence best.

“There’s a feeling of good­ness at Notre Dame, not to be seen in any other part of the world.”

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Thad Suits- The Music of Language

Great Falls 09/02/2011, Page L01

THE MUSIC OF LANGUAGE Classical musician teaches Arabic at MSU-Great Falls By POLLY KOLSTAD For the Tribune A cellist for the Great Falls Sym­phony, Thad Suits understands well the language of music. He plays in the Cascade Quartet, and he and his wife Su make up the Mistral Duo. He also teaches students how to play the cello at his Great Falls studio. Next month Suits will speak an entirely different language, one that he also will share with students. On Sept. 13, Suits begins his sec­ond year of teaching an Arabic lan­guage class at MSU-Great Falls Col­lege of Technology. Suits has studied Arabic for eight years and vacationed in Morocco a few years ago, where he immersed himself in the language. His taxi driver became his guide and com­panion and refused to speak Eng­lish. Suits watches Al-Jazeera televi­sion and reads Arab newspapers. He remains pen pals with acquainta nc­es he has made in Arab countries. An Egyptian girl who lived in Alexandria translated some Arabic comic books for Suits, and the two stay in touch. Now living in Canada, she offered Suits an insider’s view of the Egyptian revolution. “She gives me an earful,” Suits said. Word of mouth led Suits to MSU-Tech and a teaching position. “With so much going on in the Middle East and so many of our peo­ple over there, the study of the Ara­bic language has grown in populari­ty,” said Deb Richerson, who works in the Outreach and Continuing Edu­cation Department. Along with teaching the basics of the language, Suits’ also offers an Arabic cultural segment in which he delves into music, the arts and architecture. The semester ends with a sampling of Arabic cuisine. “(The class) helps us better understand the Arab cultures and the language,” said Jana Carter, who took Suits’ course last year. Reading Arabic was especially challenging. “I felt like I was going crazy at times going right to left,” she said. “The language was difficult in that some of the sounds aren’t in English or in the Romance languages.” There are 28 Arabic letters, none of them vowels, and some are diffi­cult to pronounce, with no English equivalents. Arabic dates back as early as the alphabet itself and is used by 150 million people world­wide. Because she loves languages, Alexandra Ferriera took the begin­ning Arabic class last year and is signed up for the next course. “The Arabic language is difficult to get used to, but I liked it very much and I will continue,” Ferriera said. As a kid, Suits remembers sitting around the dinner table and listen­ing to his father use foreign phras­es. His father spoke some German, which inspired Suits to study that language in high school and take a semester in college. The two wars in Iraq encouraged Suits to learn Ara­bic. “It’s like looking at the code and wanting to break the code,” he said. Suits’ class is offered through MSU-Tech’s continuing education program. Registration is under way for the one-credit class. For more information or to regis­ter, visit outreach.msugf.edu. Great Falls Symphony cellist Thad Suits begins teaching an Arabic language class at MSU-Great Falls College of Technology later this month. TRIBUNE PHOTO/LARRY BECKNER Powered by TECNAVIA Copyright (c)2011 Great Falls Tribune 09/02/2011

First CMR Four letter female athlete

Senior athlete breaks new ground

Pyette becomes first girl to letter in four varsity sports at CMR

By POLLY KOLSTAD

For the Tribune

At 5-foot-1, Lexi Pyette has proven that being small doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish big things as a high school athlete.

Entering her senior year this fall, Pyette is the first C.M. Russell High School female to letter in four varsity sports, earning accolades in golf, soccer, basketball and tennis. This feat is not only a testament to her athleticism and tenacity but also her abili­ty to manage an incredibly busy schedule.

“Lexi is a phenomenal athlete that could do well at any sport,” CMR golf coach Brian Halverson said. “She’s athletically tal­ented, works hard and never complains. In August, she moves from my practice to two a days in soccer. She’s a positive example.”

Pyette is planning to major in medicine when she graduates next spring and has maintained a 3.85 GPA, despite missing as many as one to two days of school a week during her busiest sports seasons.

She can count on one hand the days she’s had off from practice in the past school year — the week between the end of soccer season and the beginning of basketball.

Pyette began playing soccer at age 7 and is a for­ward on the CMR squad, averaging almost a goal a game. She helped the team advance to state last sea­son.

She plays point guard for the CMR basketball team and said the intense workouts are the hardest practices of the year. Pyette, who averages close to six points a game, does­n’t seem to mind that she’s the shortest player in the program.

“I like to play against the taller girls,” she said. “It makes me work harder.”

Up until this spring, about the only activity missing in Pyette’s reper­toire was tennis. But a round of golf one day with CMR tennis coach Deb Erwin changed that.

“She encouraged me to go out and play,” Pyette said.

And that’s all it took. Erwin taught her the basics of the game and was impressed with how quick­ly Pyette picked it up.

“She was just an incredi­ble find,” Erwin said.

Pyette was already in shape from her basketball conditioning, but said the move to tennis wasn’t the easiest transition.

“All those quick change basketball drills really helped,” she said. “I hate to lose so I would keep chug­ging along until I won.”

She played No. 3 singles and won three matches at divisionals.

Summer is her time to relax and play golf with her dad, Willie, which she has done since she was 4.

Pyette’s sports strength and conditioning routine includes the Results class with Dan Groux and Jamey Galbraith at the Benefis Orthopedic Center.

Galbraith has worked with Pyette since she was 12 and said she’s a very “coachable kid.”

“She gives it her all and works hard no matter what,” he said.

Pyette keeps her energy level high and her weight stable by eating lots of pro­tein and avoiding most carbs. She drinks plenty of water and gets eight to nine hours of sleep a night. “It feels good when you are in shape and can push your body to the limit,” she said.

Apples are healthy

Apples- Fitness for September

    We have all heard “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  

     While it may take more than a daily apple to keep you healthy, it is a step in the right direction. 

     Apples are tasty, an easy snack to carry along, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and not expensive.

      Apples are for everyone. They’re nutritional treasure: an apple contains only 81 calories, with almost no fat.  Apples are a source of fiber: soluble and insoluble.   The soluble fiber, help prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of arteriosclerosis and heart disease.  The insoluble fiber provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.

     As a source of dietary fiber, apples help aid digestion and promote weight loss.  A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals.  Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert food that’s good for you.    

      It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin.  Almost half of the Vitamin C content is just underneath the skin.  Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content.  Most often apple’s fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.

      Recently seen eating a juicy red Gala variety on their front porch, Quincey Borggard, age 12, and brother, Kellen, age 9, declare: “We love apples!”

      Kids who eat apples may be gaining in the classroom.  Eating apples could be the smart thing to do.

An apple a day now has new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity.  It is especially important as we age.  New research from the   University of Massachusetts suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.  Although more research is needed, these brain health findings are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying  mentally sharp as they age.

      Apples also contain hefty amounts of boron, a mineral believed to boost alertness and help curb calcium losses that lead to osteoporosis.

      Apples can combat cancer, stroke, and heart disease and help lungs.  New Harvard research finds 20% less heart disease in apple eaters.  In test tubes, apple antioxidents slowed the growth of human cancer cells 50%.  The peel has the most antioxidants.

     No surprise that apples make the list of protecting lungs.  Chances are you never knew that eating an apple a day is particularly good for your lungs.  All the more so if you smoke.  In a study presented before the American Thoracic Society British researchers said that apples were more effective than other fruits and vegetables in reducing the risk of developing serious disease including lung cancer.  In another study, Dutch scientist found that smokers who ate an apple a day were half as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

      In recent years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies.  A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells.  A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 per cent.  The National Cancer Institute has reported that food containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent.

    New research suggests that both apple pectin and apple juice extracts may enhance the body’s ability to protect from colon cancer. German researchers found that components of apples and apple juice react in the colon and help to slow the growth of precancerous and tumor cells.  This study is published in the scientific journal, Nutrition (April 2008).  Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the components in both apple pectin and apple juice actually enhance biological mechanisms that have anticarcinogenic effects in the colon.

Rugby in Iceland

‘First you beat on each other, then go to a party’

Great Falls natives experience the world by playing rugby internationally

Susan and Don Hamilton of Great Falls recently flew to Iceland to see their sons, Chuck and John, play one of the first rugby matches on that country’s soil.

The Hamiltons play with the Thun­derbird Rugby Old Boys, a team com­prised of graduates of the Thunder­bird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.

The Old Boys are made up of play­ers from around the world.

“Our inaugural international tour took us to Cuba in 2003, followed by Argentina in 2005,” said Chuck Hamilton, who coaches Illinois’ Northwestern University rugby team. John Hamilton lives and works in Hong Kong and regularly plays for the Pot Bellied Pigs, but travels to join the Thunderbird team.

Both brothers played football for C.M. Russell High, a sport that led them into college rugby.

Chuck’s rugby career began when he was a graduate student at the Thunderbird School of Global Man­agement. John played at Stanford University, where he captained the team. Together they have 45 years of rugby experience.

“In American football there is a lot of protection worn but there is also a higher probability of being hit from the side or from behind,” John Hamil­ton said. “With rugby, there is no pro­tection, but because of the rules — no blocking, no forward passing — you usually go into a tackle prepared for the hit.”

Reykjavik, a city of some 200,000, has a team of young guys, expats and locals who have played rugby in the United Kingdom and Europe. They practiced twice a week, and were excited to host an official 15-man match on their pitch.

The Americans were welcomed for a week of activities leading up to the game, at the Valdur Sports Club. They saw the “Smoky Bay” area of Reyk­javik, where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and provide geo­thermal energy to heat the local homes.

“Iceland was an amazing destina­tion with a haunting landscape,” Chuck Hamilton said. “A week’s visit does not do it justice. Reykjavik is easy to explore on foot with many nightlife options, and amazing food.”

The Icelanders won the match 45–27.
“The Raiders were well-drilled, and had some speed on the corner,” John Hamilton said. “What they lacked in experience, they made up with youth. “What we lacked in youth we made up for in weight.”

After a match, the Hamiltons and their teammates often go to the host’s rugby club — usually a bar — where they party with their opponents.

“In no other instance I can think of do you get muddy and sweaty with a group of people native to that nation, beat on each other, then go to a party,” Chuck Hamilton. “Often, they take you around town to places tourists don’t frequent.”
On his rugby journeys, Chuck has downed mojitos and smoked Cuban cigars on a hot steamy September night on the roof of the old U.S.

Embassy in Havana, had tea at an old Scottish manor on the shores of a loch, eaten tapas on the back streets of Barcelona and lunched at a moun­tain top microbrewery in Patagonia.

He has walked the shores of Con­nemara, Ireland, and sipped lattes overlooking the Mediterranean in France.

“This is why I can’t give up rugby,” Chuck Hamilton said. “I recognize it is the best way to see and experience the world.”

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‘First you beat on each other, then go to a party’

Great Falls natives experience the world by playing rugby internationally

Susan and Don Hamilton of Great Falls recently flew to Iceland to see their sons, Chuck and John, play one of the first rugby matches on that country’s soil.

The Hamiltons play with the Thun­derbird Rugby Old Boys, a team com­prised of graduates of the Thunder­bird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.

The Old Boys are made up of play­ers from around the world.

“Our inaugural international tour took us to Cuba in 2003, followed by Argentina in 2005,” said Chuck Hamilton, who coaches Illinois’ Northwestern University rugby team. John Hamilton lives and works in Hong Kong and regularly plays for the Pot Bellied Pigs, but travels to join the Thunderbird team.

Both brothers played football for C.M. Russell High, a sport that led them into college rugby.

Chuck’s rugby career began when he was a graduate student at the Thunderbird School of Global Man­agement. John played at Stanford University, where he captained the team. Together they have 45 years of rugby experience.

“In American football there is a lot of protection worn but there is also a higher probability of being hit from the side or from behind,” John Hamil­ton said. “With rugby, there is no pro­tection, but because of the rules — no blocking, no forward passing — you usually go into a tackle prepared for the hit.”

Reykjavik, a city of some 200,000, has a team of young guys, expats and locals who have played rugby in the United Kingdom and Europe. They practiced twice a week, and were excited to host an official 15-man match on their pitch.

The Americans were welcomed for a week of activities leading up to the game, at the Valdur Sports Club. They saw the “Smoky Bay” area of Reyk­javik, where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and provide geo­thermal energy to heat the local homes.

“Iceland was an amazing destina­tion with a haunting landscape,” Chuck Hamilton said. “A week’s visit does not do it justice. Reykjavik is easy to explore on foot with many nightlife options, and amazing food.”

The Icelanders won the match 45–27.
“The Raiders were well-drilled, and had some speed on the corner,” John Hamilton said. “What they lacked in experience, they made up with youth. “What we lacked in youth we made up for in weight.”

After a match, the Hamiltons and their teammates often go to the host’s rugby club — usually a bar — where they party with their opponents.

“In no other instance I can think of do you get muddy and sweaty with a group of people native to that nation, beat on each other, then go to a party,” Chuck Hamilton. “Often, they take you around town to places tourists don’t frequent.”
On his rugby journeys, Chuck has downed mojitos and smoked Cuban cigars on a hot steamy September night on the roof of the old U.S.

Embassy in Havana, had tea at an old Scottish manor on the shores of a loch, eaten tapas on the back streets of Barcelona and lunched at a moun­tain top microbrewery in Patagonia.

He has walked the shores of Con­nemara, Ireland, and sipped lattes overlooking the Mediterranean in France.

“This is why I can’t give up rugby,” Chuck Hamilton said. “I recognize it is the best way to see and experience the world.”

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Reply Sydne George to me show details Mar 2 (5 days ago)


To: sydnegeorge@hotmail.comSubject: Great Falls Tribune e-Edition ArticleFrom: noreply@newsmemory.comDate: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 20:09:34 +0000
sydnegeorge@hotmail.com sent you this article.

Great Falls 03/02/2011, Page L02

Arizona growers: ‘Fresh olives give you fresh oil’
By POLLY KOLSTAD For the Tribune
A Detroit auto parts business­man looking for warmer weather and new adventures has found both in the Sonoran Desert.
In 1998, Perry Rea and his wife Brenda discussed buying a small farm, planting some olive trees and starting a business.
The result is a grove of 2,500 olive trees in Queen Creek, Ariz., southeast of Phoenix.
“I knew nothing about olives,” Rea admitted, but he was inspired by his parents who were born in Italy and loved cooking and growing.
The young couple bought 100 acres at the base of the San Tan Mountains, planted an olive grove, labored and waited.
Five years later, 800 trees matured and produced their first harvest in 2004. The Reas run the Queen Creek Olive Mill, the only olive oil-producing company in Arizona.
Rea is the master blender while Brenda makes olive oil body products in her kitchen . Her creams and lotions now are avail­able commercially.
One of the couple’s trees pro­duces between 50 and 200 pounds of olives. One ton of olives will yield 40 to 60 gallons of olive oil.
Their olives are pressed within 24 hours of harvest.
“Fresh olives give you fresh oil,” Rea explained.
In Arizona, olive trees blossom in mid-April. Pollinator trees planted throughout the orchard pollinate the olive blossoms, and by May, olives have formed and grow throughout the summer. Because of Arizona’s warm cli­mate, they are not bothered by the olive fly or olive tree molds and there is no need for pesti­cides.
The fruit is harvested in the fall by gently raking the olives from the trees. Then, stems, twigs, leaves and olives are removed with a defoliator. A hammer mill grinds the olives, crushing the pits, seeds and flesh into a coarse paste. The pit and the seed of the olive add distinctive characteris­tics to the oil.
The paste is blended slowly in a large mixer in a process called malaxation, which allows the small oil droplets to combine and form into bigger ones.
Next, a centrifugal decanter spins the olive paste at a high rate of speed, separating the heavier flesh, pits and most of the water from the oil.
At this point, signature oils are created through a blending process by the master blender. The oil is then transferred to an oxygen-free stainless steel stor­age decanter.
In the blending process, Rea, the master blender, puts together different flavors including grassy, peppery, fruity, bitter or buttery from his varietal trees to create his signature style of pure oils. Citrus, garlic, vanilla and choco­late flavors are added to his infused oils. Their newest infused oil is the chocolate, which can be drizzled over ice cream or added to make double chocolate cup­cakes.Besides extra virgin olive oil, Queen Creek Olive Mill processes and bottles many varieties of olives, including garlic/Vermouth; feta/cheese stuffed; parmesan/stuffed jalapeno; and ginger wasabi.
Their products are available online at www.queencreeko­livemill. com or by calling 480-888-9290.






.POLLY KOLSTEAD PHOTOS
ABOVE: The Queen Creek Olive Orchard in Ari­zona.
LEFT: Perry and Brenda Rea, owners of the olive orchard.


Powered by TECNAVIACopyright (c)2011 Great Falls Tribune 03/02/2011



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Food and Music: composer Richard Pearson Thomas

Great Falls native’s cantata a big hit in the Big Apple

By POLLY KOLSTAD For the Tribune
During a recent trip to New York City, my husband and I sank our teeth into the tasty musical talents of Great Falls native Richard Pearson Thomas.
We were invited to his ninth premiere, “Know Thy Farmer,” a cantata celebrating music and food.
As part of this visit, Thomas later escorted us to Blue Hill at Stone Barns Restaurant in Pocantico Hills to enjoy the food of Dan Barber, a two-time James Beard award recipient, with whom Thomas collaborat­ed for his cantata.
Seated next to us in the full audience of “Know Thy Farmer” at Merkin Concert Hall, Thomas’ mother, Marillyn, recalled her son’s youthful days when she and his sister, Marlie, would sing songs to his piano accompaniment. To him the results didn’t always turn out quite right.
“He had his own rendition; he was already composing in grade school and just kind of rolled his eyes,” Marillyn said.
As a teenager growing up in Great Falls, Thomas was the organist for Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and played for the Virginia City Players in Virginia City.
He’s had works performed by the Boston Pops, Houston Grand Opera, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and River­side Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. His songs have been sung in Carnegie Hall, the Lin­coln Center, the Kennedy Cen­ter, Merkin Concert Hall and before the U.S. Congress.
He’s currently on the faculty of the Teachers College/Colum­bia University and is a compos­er- in-residence at the Gold Opera Project, Young Audi­ences in New York. In that capacity, he has composed nearly 90 operas with students in New York City public schools
See CANTATA, 4L

Cantata: Food and music mix successfully
FROM 1L
and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clin­ton for this work.
Two years ago Tobe Malaw-i­sta, president and artistic direc­tor of Mirror Visions, presented Thomas with the opportunity to pair music with food. She sent him menus from Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant, challeng­ing him to write about sustain­able food.
“I looked at the menu and put stories in my mind, picturing all these things blooming,” said Thomas, a graduate of the East­man School of Music and Univer­sity of Southern California.
The concert a la carte played out with the help of three singers, violin, violoncello and piano.
“If you love food, if you love music, you’re in the right seat,” tenor Scott Murphree said.
Malawista called it an “extraor­dinary experience, to see a mere thought transformed into thrilling music.”
Thomas’ work only made us more hungry for the tasty ingre­dients that were his inspiration.
A fortnight later, we took the train from Grand Central Station to Tarrytown, a lovely half-hour ride along the Hudson River. Taxis then carried us through the rolling hills to Blue Hill at Stone Barns on land once owned by the Rockefeller family.
At Blue Hill, more than 200 varieties of crops are grown year­round, many of which are served in the restaurant’s elegant dining room. We strolled through the fields and barns of the farm before being treated to an amaz­ing evening of creatively pre­pared food. Chiogga beets, romano beans, purple cauliflower, honey, Berk­shire pork, eggs from their resi­dent hens, and handcrafted breads made from exotic wheat varieties are just a handful of the foods produced on this farm.
Back in the city, we had tickets to two Broadway plays and the opera, “Carmen,” at the Metro­politan Opera House.
But no performance was more emotionally rendering than Thomas’ presentation of his orig­inal composition, “Race for the Sky,” at the Philoctetes Center in Manhattan.
After 9/11, the local historical society commissioned Thomas to put to music memorials left by people in the streets near Ground Zero. He chose a poem by Hilary North, which expresses how her life would never be the same. Thomas was joined by violinist Stephanie Chase and vocalist Hope Hudson.
After the last note was played, Chase reflected on the evening.
“I’m unable to think about the words, because Richard’s music is so powerful,” she said.
“In a way, it is so healing for me,” Hudson said. “Long after I’m gone, I hope people sing the American song tradition. Richard has written 16 songs for me, some not premiered yet.”
Since 9/11, Thomas’ “Race for the Sky” has been sung in many places, including Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center.
His busy schedule keeps him hopping.
We had barely packed to leave New York when he was off to Boston for another performance of “Know thy Farmer.”