You Are What You Eat

Lisa and Sam Bracken own The Canebrake, an upscale eco-resort on Lake Fort Gibson near Wagoner. They're not just hands-on owners -- like the hokey-pokey, they put their "whole selves in."

Jack and I were there this week as I was researching for an article in an upcoming issue of Slice Magazine. I'll be writing about the wonderful facilities, the spa, the yoga classes and much more there -- and I'll get to write about the food, too, but space for both text and photos is limited so I wanted to share what Sam and his staff prepared for us for our evening meal.

My favorite feature of the dining room was the open kitchen -- we sat at the counter where we could watch the action and visit with Stacy Jordan, the garde manger, Sarah Leavell, the sous chef and Chef Sam himself.

Sam graciously fixed us small plates of a number of menu items starting with a salad of chablis-poached beets, house pickled red onions, baby spring greens, carrot curls and balsamic vinaigrette. Stacy proudly told us, "I worked eight months perfecting the brine for the pickled onions!"

The Canebrake specializes in local and organic products and is vegetarian-friendly. The vegetarian soyrizo empanadas featured a veggie-based chorizo substitute and queso fresco baked in pastry accompanied by a grilled fruit-habanero salsa (with just the right amount of heat) and lime cilantro crema.

Rather than the regular ten-ounce serving of Oklahoma steak, Sam sized ours down! The meat, cooked just like we like it, was served on grilled asparagus with crispy, thin-cut pomme frites. That's not a slice of salami on top, although that was my first thought; it's a round of cabernet-roasted shallot butter, good on both steak and asparagus.

This was followed by a single lamb chop (an entree-sized portion features a whole rack of juniper-rubbed, roasted lamb), roasted sweet potato mash and crisp fennel and snow pea saute. Sarah put a new spin on the usual mint jelly accompaniment to the meat -- she created fennel and mint preserves, a fresh idea, great taste! Sam used the bone sticking out of the chop to serve as a skewer for some delicate, fried onion rings.

Stacy was responsible for the rich clover honey-pistachio tart and she garnished it with a twist of blood orange, fresh whipped cream and blood orange creme anglaise.

Since we were served different desserts, Jack and I split and traded so we each got to sample two sweets. His was an apple trio -- apple cider sorbet, warm apple cinnamon oat crisp and apple cranberry pie served with a butterscotch sauce.

We were full and happy campers -- until I hit Weight Watchers this morning. Even with small portions, the calories can add up! Even a taste goes to the waist! But it was worth every bite!

Restaurant sans Rival

One of the pleasures of my job is eating in some of the country's finest restaurants. What a treat to find one in my own backyard! Oh, there are many fine restaurants in the Oklahoma City area but Friday night I dined (not ate -- dined) at a spot that exceeded all my expectations.

I was scheduled to speak on Saturday morning at the Norman Public Library. Having to make the trek, I decided to do some research in the process. Jennifer Tregarthen at the Norman CVB made arrangements for me to stay at Whispering Pines Inn. The owners, the Kchao family, also extended an invitation to dinner -- including a companion -- in their restaurant. I'll be writing about my stay in the Edmond Sun's next weekend edition but for this post, I want to concentrate on dining.

The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Reservations are required -- they time the baking of their home-made yeast rolls based on the number and time of reservations. Everything is from scratch and the presentation is sheer artistry. Let me describe the meal.

The Whispering Pines main house is a large, Victorian-style structure. There are three dining areas. Two of the three rooms have fireplaces. The lighting is subtle; the linens crisp and white. The seating is limited but, unlike many restaurants, they've provided ample space so you won't feel crowded. And it's quiet. Everything is planned to enhance the dining experience -- to provide an atmosphere of serenity and elegance.

My friend, Billie Lee, and I each started with a glass of wine. We were brought a basket with rolls and dishes with honey/dill butter. I could have made a meal on the rolls alone! But we were in for more pleasures. The soup du jour was lobster bisque -- rich and rosy and garnished with a scribble of cream.

We cleansed our palates with a tiny scoop of citrus sorbet in an icy dish.

Billie ordered salmon and I chose filet mignon. I'm a when-Harry-met-Sally kind of a steak orderer -- "I'd like it medium -- on the rare side -- but not medium-rare" -- and it was absolutely perfect. Billie let me taste her salmon and it, too, was just right -- flaky, moist and flavorful.

Our entrees were served with fresh vegetables -- carrots, yellow squash, zucchini and asparagus spears. Rather than being cut into the usual bits, the vegetables (except the asparagus) were cut into little spheres -- a colorful confetti-look on the plate. Twice-baked potato was piped into a swirly design and browned. And there was a rosebud garnishing the plate -- not just any rosebud. This one was carved out of potato. I've seen tomato roses and radish roses but the potato rose takes the prize! The food was so good that no embellishment was necessary but the hallmark of the Kchao's is the attention they pay to the tiniest details.

In a fit of self-control, belated though it was, we decided to split a dessert. Our choices included a creme brulee, something chocolate and -- cinnamon raisin bread pudding with a scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream and fresh raspberry puree. Oh, died and gone to heaven!

The service was impeccable -- attentive without being obtrusive. The price? My steak, at $33, was one of the most expensive items on the menu. Our entire meal, with wine, was about $100. Given the ambience and the experience, it was a bargain.

Whispering Pines is located at 7820 East Highway 9, southeast of Norman. Call 405-447-0202 or 888-876-0202 for reservations.

Top Attraction

I've been to Discoveryland! to see Oklahoma! a couple of times and I've seen the movie and other productions of the play more times than I can count. So, while I knew I'd have a nice evening, I wasn't really expecting to be so swept away by the whole experience. Needing photos for a future assignment, this was just another job.

My friend Bev Schmoyer and I were guests of Discoveryland! founder Bill Jeffers. He treated us to the ultimate evening -- dinner, dessert, popcorn, soft drinks, all the pre-show activities, the Territory Review before the main production, and the musical. The dinner was tasty -- I had the chopped beef sandwich and Bev had the rib-eye steak sandwich. These were accompanied by corn, potato salad, baked beans and garnishes.

We visited with Bear O'Field, a Cherokee-Creek Indian, who danced for visitors and watched the Pony Express ride off with post cards purchased at the Trading Post. Then we got our dessert -- ice cream topped with strawberries -- yum!

Before the regular show starts, there's a variety show with lots of singing and dancing. Hmmm, those singers were really good and the dancing was skilled and enthusiastic -- actually extraordinarily good. I was getting an interesting vibe -- this evening was becoming more than I expected.

Next came the Overture. Discoveryland! doesn't have an orchestra -- they use recorded music but the system is top-notch and the sound was just fine. Carol Lavelle Snow as Aunt Eller came on stage and eased us into Oklahoma Territory. Coming through the trees and over a bridge, Eli Budwill -- Curly -- rode onto the stage and began the beautiful "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'."
Tall, good-looking, and great voice -- definitely above the average. And the play just got better and better.

I'd bet this cast and this production would be comfortable on Broadway or in London's West End. Yes, I'd seen the play before but Eli, Ally Ridley (Laurey), Carly Casey (Ado Annie), Levi Lawson (Jud Fry) and the rest of the cast made the production fresh and new. As my grandkids would say -- they owned it!

After the show, we met some of the cast members -- five of them are students at the University of Central Oklahoma in the Music Theatre Department, and one, Brett Rottmayer, is a graduate of the school. Auditions are held in many areas of the country and competition to appear at Discoveryland! is keen. These UCO performers aren't here because they're local but because they're so good.

Bev and I had a great evening and what started as sort of a duty quickly became a real treat. Thank you Bill Jeffers, all the friendly people at Discoveryland! and especially the talented cast for a memorable evening. Saturday night is the last show of the season. I wish I'd come earlier so I could come again this year! But I will be visiting again in the future -- and I'll be bringing more friends. Friends don't let friends miss Discoveryland!

"You Gotta Know The Territory"

The Territory is a lovely golf/residential community on the west side of Duncan. Eventually, it will be totally private but right now, non-members can enjoy the facilities. So Jack and I and Pat and Ray Potts headed south Wednesday afternoon. We'd planned on a two-hour drive, but it was much closer to an hour-an-a-half. Since we were early, we detoured in Marlow to see the Marlow brothers monument. Wow, what a wild, wild west story -- but that's for another blog. We took advantage of The Territory's Stay and Play special -- and found ourselves in a lovely home -- 2400 square feet -- with all the latest in decor and technology. Our biggest problem -- we never did figure out how to work the TV, which was on satellite. Anything involving more than one remote is 'way over my head!

I got up early the next morning to catch the sunrise -- and it was spectacular. We all snacked on goodies from Panera's for breakfast then opened the front door to discover two golf carts waiting for us. The course was gorgeous -- and challenging. Since the disparity between Ray's handicap and mine is about 82strokes, we played our own scramble and had a great time. Memberships in the club a very reasonable -- by country club membership standards -- so, if golf's your thing and you don't mind a bit of a drive, you'll find a wonderful course, not crowded and a real feeling of getting away from it all!

Magnificent Mozart

It's been tough blogging lately because I've been on the road so much. I'm home for a bit, so I'll try to catch up. If there's no picture on this blog, please check back later. I'm going to spend some time this morning downloading photos from my latest trip -- Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for the Oklahoma Mozart Festival.


First off, I usually avoid festivals -- I hate crowds and especially dealing with parking -- so when I had an opportunity to go on a press trip where I could let someone else deal with the details, I jumped on it. Second, Mozart may have his name on this festival but the music ranges from bluegrass to contemporary and everything in between plus lots of other activities -- storytelling, jewelry making, art shows, tea parties, architecture tours.


What did I discover? For most activities, crowds are easily accommodated and, let's face it, crowds of people who come to these events are not exactly the unwashed masses (okay, that sounds snobby but I'm not a big fan of hanging around with big, hairy, sweaty guys in undershirts and sloppy women with strings of sticky, whiny kids). The only parking problems came at the outdoor concert and that event, held at Woolaroc, was such fun that even I would be willing to deal with it!

Since this was a press trip covering more than just the festival, I only went to a few of the many events available to the public. The first of the concerts I attended was a masterworks concert conducted by pianist Barry Douglas and featured a Bach violin concerto, and Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony and a Mozart piano concerto which he both conducted and played -- magnificent. The outdoor concert was a real kick -- lots of light classic faves, medleys from musicals and movie hits -- William Tell Overture, West Side Story, Pirates of the Caribbean and much, much more. The encore -- Theme from Superman -- topped off with a fireworks display. The last concert, the grand finale, featured Frederica von Stade. Brava!!!!!
Next year is the 25th anniversary year for the festival -- I guarantee I'll be there.

Drumming Up Business

The state of Oklahoma just hosted a major press trip. Over two dozen journalists from all over the country spent five days trekking across the state. As an Okie, it was gratifying to me to hear all the oooohs and aaaaahs. We all know Oklahoma has an image problem -- the lack of an image. There are still people who think of us as a dust bowl state with residents still riding horses to school and shopping at the general store. The trip provided a wonderful combination of history, heritage and contemporary living. One of the featured stops was the Chesapeake Boathouse here in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City has become a favorite spot for rowing and other boating competitions. The USA Canoe and Kayak Flatwater Sprint Olympic Trials will be held here next April. For our visit, our hosts put a dragonboat in the water. It takes between 15 and 20 rowers to power the long, slender craft, which sports a dragon's head on the bow. To keep the rowers together, a drummer sits on a small seat mounted on a platform in the bow -- no legs in the boat, no security blanket, just a little seat perched atop the boat. That was me!!!! I was exceedingly brave -- and didn't look down. The big plus -- a position of power and I didn't have to row! What fun!

Oklahoma: Where the wind comes sweeping across the Midlands

According to "TimeOut Shortlist: Manchester," "If a giant pinata were to explode in Manchester (England), the results might resemble Oklahoma." Of course, I had to see this shop for myself. Pink flamingos jostled irreverant holy cards for space and Betty Boop looked over a selection of lunch boxes. Oklahoma, the shop, elevates tacky to an art form. I asked why the name Oklahoma was chosen and no one could really tell me. The closest they got to an answer was, "Well, it sounds American and, well, OK." I loved the shop and now I'm going to explore its namesake. I'm leaving today on a press trip -- right here in Oklahoma. Tourism should begin at home and I'm looking forward not only to seeing some more of the state but in seeing the reactions of journalists from other parts of the country. I'll keep you posted.