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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 27, 2020)
B Tuesday, October 27, 2020 The Observer & Baker City Herald BETWEEN THE ROWS An Orchard Favorite, Baked In Your Kitchen WENDY SCHMIDT Science of scarecrows It was shocking this morning to see half of the leaves gone from the persim- mon tree. It happened overnight. My fi rst thought was that we had had a freeze overnight, as the leaves had yellowed. On close examination, I noted that there were many half-leaves and bite marks. Dang deer! This is a bad sign. They’re hungry and winter not started yet ... Scarecrows may sort of work for birds, but deer are more diffi cult to frighten. I found an article concerning the use of scarecrows. It started as an idea of scaring birds with their own feathers. This could have been the very fi rst scarecrow: a potato stuck with feathers erected on a stick. Then their were bird kites: silhou- ettes of a bird of prey suspended on a wire. This system worked well only when there was a breeze to make the kite look more real. The fi rst written account of a scare- crow dressed in a farmer’s old clothes dates from the 16th century. The farmer would use his old clothes on a pole with cross-arms outstretched. Just like a crucifi x — looking and feeling like a human sacrifi ce. Some say the scarecrow is not effec- tive unless accompanied by loud noises, such as a musket blast or recordings of baby birds in distress. In Britain, the scarecrow is known by various names. In Somerset he is a mommet. In Devon, he’s a murmet. On the Isle of Wight, he’s a hod- medod. In East Anglia, a mawhini. When placed in potato fi elds, scare- crows are tattie bogies or bouies. Garden Chores • Continue watering, especially evergreens if soil is dry. • Fall color is past its peak. • Remove and/or compost all yard debris to prevent diseases. • Root crops such as carrots, rad- ishes, turnips, or Jerusalem artichokes store well in the ground. Just before the ground freezes, bury these crops under a deep layer. Harvest as needed during winter by pulling back this protective mulch. • Mulch strawberries for winter with straw. Do this after several nights near 20 degrees but before temperatures drop to the teens. Apply straw thick enough to hide foliage, but loosely. If you have garden questions or com- ments, please write to greengardencol- umn@yahoo.com Thanks for reading! Dreamstime/TNS Baked apple cider doughnuts. A PPLE C IDER D OUGHNUTS F INE W ITHOUT F RYING In the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the mer until it has cooked down to 1/3 cup. Note: If you don’t have doughnut pans, you can paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Mix on high until light and use a muffi n tin. Among the highlights of visiting an apple fl uffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, Makes about 2 dozen 2-inch doughnuts orchard are those hot, crispy apple cider mixing well after each addition. doughnuts. After a day of picking apples, they Add the cider, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix on are a treat. There’s no need to wait until the FOR THE DOUGHNUTS low speed, then add the fl our mixture until well next apple-picking season to enjoy these fall 1 1/2 cups all-purpose fl our combined. 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder favorites when you can make your own. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or large 1 teaspoon salt Many recipes call for the doughnuts to be zipper bag with a corner snipped off, and pipe 1 teaspoon cinnamon fried. We’re taking a simpler approach with into the prepared doughnut pans, about 2/3 a rich cake batter version, then baking them 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg full. Zest of 1 lemon in specialty pans. They can be brushed with Bake until the doughnuts spring back, about butter, then dredged in cinnamon and sugar, 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 10 to 14 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack. Brush 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed or dipped in glaze. with melted butter, then dip in cinnamon sugar. Cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg usu- 1/2 cup granulated sugar Serve warm. 2 large eggs ally hold court for that nostalgic apple-cider — Adapted from “The Barefoot Contessa” by doughnut fl avor. You can also consider anise, 1/3 cup apple cider (See headnote) Ina Garten 1/4 cup buttermilk By Jamila Robinson The Philadelphia Inquirer ginger, allspice, and cardamom. For more depth of fl avor, you’ll want to simmer the apple cider into a reduction. Of course, just like at the apple orchard, the doughnuts are best served warm, or eaten on the same day. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract FOR THE CINNAMON-SUGAR DIP: 4 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon GLAZE • Vanilla: Whisk 1 cup confectioner’s sugar with 1 teaspoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon va- nilla extract until well combined. APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray doughnut • Maple: Whisk 1 cup confectioner’s sugar For more apple fl avor, reduce 1 cup of fresh pans with nonstick baking spray. with 1 teaspoon milk and 2 teaspoons maple apple cider to 1/3 cup by heating in a small In a separate bowl, combine fl our, baking pow- syrup until well combined. Spoon over dough- saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a sim- der, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest. nuts. Tropidera added character to historic building By Ginny Mammen The building at 1106 Adams Ave. is given the historic name of I.O.O.F. (International Order of Odd Fellows) Bldg./Post Offi ce. The National Register of Historic Places states that it was constructed in 1892 as a 2-story building. A Sanborn Map of 1893 shows this building as the Post Offi ce on the fi rst fl oor and a “Hall” on the second fl oor. The newspaper ran an arti- cle on Jan. 14, 1898, reporting that “The dedication of the Odd Fellow’s new building will take place on Saturday afternoon. The ceremony will be public.” For 20 years this remained the home of both the Post Offi ce and the Odd Fellows. Then in February 1913 the Post Offi ce moved to the new Federal Building. (In a previ- ous article I stated incor- rectly that the Post Offi ce had moved from the I.O.O.F. in. During that summer and fall of 1913 the building facade was being remodeled to make it “one of the most modern structures of the city.” The remodel included the installation of large display windows on the street level. The Observer reported that the Hub manager stated, “We can sell goods and accommo- date our trade during these summer months without any front in the building ... for it is Fred Hill Collection the goods at the right prices The building at 1106 Adams Ave. in downtown La the people want.” Grande was a rather nondescript place until the mid- The Hub was called a 1950s when Lou Carpenter and her dad, Elmer, opened “sample store” where samples the Tropidera there. from successful manufactur- ers were sold at prices nearly Building on the corner of moved into the space after cut in half. It carried clothing Washington and Depot to the I.O.O.F. left. The Sanborn for the whole family. the new Federal Building.) Map of 1920 still listed the For example women’s Then, just about 2 years third fl oor as a Lodge Hall. white canvas button shoes later during December 1914, The ground fl oor of the sold for only $1.95, tan calf the I.O.O.F. moved to its new building didn’t remain empty button shoes for $3.45, and location at the northeast cor- for long. Only 4 months after house dresses from 85 cents ner of Washington and Elm. the Post Offi ce vacated its to $3.45. It is unknown to me at this space, a Northwest chain Men were also able to time as to what, if anything, store called the Hub moved fi nd wonderful bargains. Ties were 19 to 35 cents and pants 45 cents for lightweight khaki to $1.95 for cashmere. Those prices look pretty good until you realize that the average income at that time was roughly $1,300 a year or $25 a week. The third story was added to the building, with blond bricks being installed on the facade, sometime between 1913 and 1916. Things began changing in the mid-1920s. About 1925 “Hub” was printed at the bottom of the newspaper advertisements for the store while the name C. J. Breier & Co. began showing up as the offi cial name of the store. This was a larger dry good chain, operating over 50 stores in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, that had acquired the Hub stores. In January 1938, dur- ing the great recession of 1937-38, C. J. Breier & Co. announced a closing out sale. It was a rough time for businesses and buildings and for at least the next 5 years the lower part of the building stood empty. There was occa- sional activity of a rummage sale by various organizations and at one point there was a week of Chautauqua Lec- tures on the Bible, but other- wise the building remained closed. During signifi cant events various organizations created exhibits in the front windows. This is one of those build- ings where no personalities seemed to emerge during these early years. It was all business and building. But by the mid-1950s personality was no longer lacking when Lou Carpenter and her dad, Elmer, opened the Tropidera. Who could forget the black velvet paintings, the yummy mashed potatoes in ceramic potato shells or the lady known as Lou? Keep looking up! Enjoy!