Dr. John Mack guest speaker at Nov. meeting

 El Tovar, Harvey Company and Atchison,Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad played a pivotal role in creating the dominant mythology of the American Southwest. As guest speaker at the November 6 Historical League meeting, Dr. John Nathan Mack gave us a fascinating view into the post-Civil war period when national attention shifted to the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest.

Thanks to Pat Grogg for the great educational programs this year.

Thanks to Bonnie Newhoff (who said his talk was Great) and Mary Perona for wonderful photos of the presentation.

Pat Grogg thanks Dr. John Mack

Riordan Mansion on Flagstaff tour

Lobby entrance is in the original 6 car garage

Two brothers married two sisters and built a customized duplex so both families could live together in 1890's Flagstaff, AZ.  Each side had their own entrance but was a mirror image of the other side.  With 13,000 square feet, each half is about 6,000 with a 1,000-square-foot room in the middle joining them together. They hired the same architect that built El Tovar at the Grand Canyon to design this Craftsman style home using pine from the surrounding Ponderosa forest. It even had electricity accommodating 16 watt light bulbs (they owned the electric company).
Touring the Riordan Mansion on the November Historical League bus tour, we learned so many interesting facts and stories about the family, the logging business, the economy and life in that era.

Ready to begin the tour with guide Rebecca

Originally a drive-through six car garage, it was converted to lobby entrance.

League Tour organizer Cindy Tidwell-Shelton presents our guide Rebecca with Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Tools of the robust logging trade in 1890.

Multiple brick fireplaces in the home but they were stuccoed as was the fashion at that time.

Very tall Tim and 5'1" bride Caroline Riordan

Big Thank You to Arizona author Cobe Frobes

An Arizona history supporter, we are so glad to have Cobe Frobes sharing the history and stories in Tastes & Treasures cookbook. As the author of Streets of Forest Highlands, she appreciates a good read. She has sold over 70 cookbooks since March 15.

When asked how she does it, "It is a beautiful book and it sells itself. 
         I do explain that it is helping the Arizona Historical Society. People like that. Then I explain how you divided the state into three sections and selected historic restaurants from each section. I mention El Tovar at the Grand Canyon, Garlands in Sedona, The Camelback Inn, El Chorro's sticky buns, The Arizona Inn and the Copper Queen because I think those might be familiar to them. I tell them the history of the restaurants is included so it's a great book just to read and look at.
          Sometimes I mention that I am friends on facebook with Marshall Trimble and lately he has mentioned the cuts the government has made to the budget.
          (Many of these folks just winter down here from other places.) I like to show a couple [any] of the beautiful pictures because they are all wonderful. Sometimes I mention that a friend of mine once served a dinner party for the family of just salads with recipes that came out of this book. Then I tell them they make wonderful gifts. One friend has 3 daughters-in-law so she bought 4.
           Most of our parties are pot lucks + BYOB. They are at an age where they are not acquiring 'stuff '.  In fact they are trying to get rid of stuff...but they know a value when they see it."

El Tovar's Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Using the Corn Salsa recipe from El Tovar's Luncheon menu, Zona treated us to a delicious dish at the April Historical League meeting. Black beans are a great ingredient to add lots of color and taste.

Corn Salsa
found on page 33 Tastes & Treasures
Ingredients:
1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 ½ cups roasted corn (about 2 large ears)
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup vegetable juice cocktail
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt to taste

Directions:
Combine the jalapeno chiles, corn, bell peppers, cilantro, onion, tomato, sugar, vegetable juice cocktail, lime juice and salt in a large bowl and toss to mix.
Makes 3 ½ cups

Salmon Croquettes

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has several great salmon recipes. My favorite is Salmon Tostada on page 32 from historic El Tovar at the Grand Canyon.

This recipe calls for canned salmon but we had leftover from the grill and it worked very well.


Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients:
1 can (1 pound) salmon, drained and flaked
1 cup corn kernels, canned or cooked
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash ground black pepper
3/4 cups soft bread crumbs 

Direction:
Combine flaked salmon with corn kernels, beaten eggs, ketchup, onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Shape mixture into 12 patties. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet; fry salmon croquettes for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until croquettes are golden brown.
Serves 6. If desired, serve with cucumber sauce or cheese sauce.

Parsley-Chive Sauce for Salmon

Grilling fish is one of my favorite dishes. Topping it with a lovely, colorful sauce makes the presentation so nice and brings the flavors out. El Tovar at the Grand Canyon serves a Salmon Tostada (page 32 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook) that looks so pretty with the Corn Salsa (page 11 in Tastes & Treasures).

This Parsley-Chive Sauce is another unique blend for enhancing fish.

Parsley-Chive Sauce

1 ½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 scallion, coarsely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 5-ounce skinless salmon filets

Put the parsley, scallion, chives, oil, lemon juice and mustard into the small bowl of a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon water and ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Season the salmon with remaining salt and black pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes a side for medium, or to desired doneness. Transfer filets to a plate.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the parsley sauce onto each of 4 serving plates. Top each with a salmon filet.

Serve with vegetables. Note – we used fresh Steelhead Trout. It looks very similar to salmon and grills very much the same way also.

Corn Salsa from El Tovar luncheon menu

Ready to add tomato and vegetable juice cocktail, this salsa is so easy and a popular item for a party. Black beans are a favorite extra to add lots of color and taste.

Corn Salsa from page 33 Tastes & Treasures
1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 ½ cups roasted corn (about 2 large ears)
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup vegetable juice cocktail
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt to taste

Combine the jalapeno chiles, corn, bell peppers, cilantro, onion, tomato, sugar, vegetable juice cocktail, lime juice and salt in a large bowl and toss to mix.
Makes 3 ½ cups