Page 4C
EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE
East Oregonian
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Ho, ho, ho, Yosemite: A magical winter destination
By DON BABWIN
Associated Press
YOSEMITE NATIONAL
PARK, Calif. — Yosemite
National Park might not
seem like an ideal winter
destination, particularly if
you’re from a part of the
country where you’d like
to trade in road salt for rim
salt on your margarita and
leave the words “wind chill”
behind.
But Yosemite in winter is
magical, as I discovered last
year on a trip there with my
family just after Christmas.
There’s snowboarding and
skiing, both downhill and
cross-country, as well as
sledding (pick up a plastic
saucer at a sporting goods
store on the way). You can
also ice skate at a rink in the
shadow of the famed granite
formation known as Half
Dome. Park rangers also lead
snowshoe walks (free with
$3 suggested donation).
Many
of
Yosemite
Valley’s shops and restau-
rants remain open. And at
the Majestic Hotel, one of
the country’s most storied
national park lodges, there
are holiday decorations and
a seven-course dinner with
costumed performers called
the Bracebridge Dinner.
The wood-and-stone hotel,
formerly known as the
Ahwahnee, opened in 1927
and has hosted everyone
from Presidents John F.
Kennedy and Barack Obama
to Queen Elizabeth and Walt
Disney.
Winter can also be a time
to enjoy the park’s scenery
without summer’s crowds.
But the weather can pose
challenges as well. Here are
some details.
The scenery
Naturalist John Muir once
wrote that Yosemite was
“full of God’s thoughts.”
Driving in, thick forests
of snow-dusted pine and fir
trees block your view at first
of the park’s famous granite
monoliths towering over
Yosemite Valley. But there’s
nothing like that first glimpse.
El Capitan rises 3,600 feet
from the valley floor, more
than twice the height of the
Kristal Leonard/Yosemite Hospitality via AP
This undated photo shows the Majestic Hotel in Yosemite National Park in California in winter. The park in winter
is less crowded, offering solitude, scenery and activities like skiing and snowshoeing.
Yosemite Hospitality via AP
NPS Photo via AP
This undated image provided by the National Park Service shows
the famous Half Dome granite formation in Yosemite National Park in
California in winter.
Empire State Building. On
the other side of the valley is
Half Dome, rising 4,700 feet
off the valley floor.
In winter, the options for
seeing these landmarks from
anywhere other than the
valley are limited, as some
roads in the park are closed
until the snow thaws. The
This undated photo provided by Yosem-
ite Hospitality shows a scene from the
annual holiday-themed Bracebridge
Dinner at the Majestic Hotel in Yosemite
National Park in California.
cables that climbers use to
ascend Half Dome are also
removed for the season.
But there are walking
tours led by National Park
Service rangers that explain
how these huge chunks of
granite came to be. They’re
not just the result of erosion,
but were also formed by
melting glaciers and forces
under the ground that over
the millions of years pushed
them higher and higher. It’s
a way to understand the
massive forces that formed
the earth itself.
Visitors can also follow
the footsteps of famed
photographer Ansel Adams,
who made his home here
for a quarter century. You
can even snap your own
pictures from where Adams
stood when he took some of
his most iconic photographs.
Classes cost about $100 but
the Ansel Adams Gallery
also offers free camera walks
on certain days (tours fill up;
reserve ahead).
Getting there
Getting there can be
a challenge on roads that
are potentially snowy and
icy. Car rental places may
tell you — as they told me
— that snow chains aren’t
necessary. They are, to be
blunt, lying.
“California law says if
you are entering a chain
control area, you have to
carry chains,” said Scott
Gediman, a park ranger and
a public affairs officer in
Yosemite. “Everybody needs
to have chains, even if you
have four-wheel drive.”
Rangers don’t enjoy
checking car trunks for
chains and cables but they do
it and they will send you out
of the park if you don’t have
them.
The good news is that
chains are not that expen-
sive, costing as little as about
$40, and can be purchased at
any auto supply store nearby.
Snow chain technology
has improved dramatically,
making it far easier to put the
chains on than it used to be.
But if you still feel like you
can’t do it, there are services
along the road that will put
the chains on for you for $30
or so.
Yosemite Valley is about
210 miles from San Fran-
cisco. But if the winter drive
sounds intimidating, use the
YARTS bus service which
runs year-round between
Yosemite and Merced, a city
located about 130 miles from
San Francisco.
Smoky lentil soup gets depth and flavor without meat
By MELISSA D’ARABIAN
Associated Press
Courtesy of Laura Agra via AP
LEMON CURD
Makes about 2 cups, or about 16 servings
Start to finish: 3 hours (30 minutes hands-on
time; includes 2 hours 30 minutes of chilling time)
• 1 large egg
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 6 pieces
• Pinch kosher salt
In a large, heavy pot, whisk together the egg,
yolks, sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
Place the pot over medium heat and whisk
frequently until the mixture is warm. Continue
whisking frequently until the mixture thickens and
turns buttery yellow, about 7 to 10 minutes. Adjust
the heat as needed to make sure the mixture does not
simmer, but stays hot. When the mixture coats the
back of a mixing spoon, it is done. You can also use
a candy thermometer to measure the temperature,
which should be between 170 and 175 degrees F.
Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the
butter one tablespoon at a time, until each addition of
butter is melted and incorporated. Whisk in the salt.
Transfer the lemon curd to a glass container.
Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top (this
prevents a skin from forming) and allow to cool.
Seal the container and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Nutrition information per serving: 107 calories;
51 calories from fat; 6 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g
trans fats); 71 mg cholesterol; 22 mg sodium; 13 g
carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 1 g protein.
AAA predicts record travel
over Christmas and New Year’s
(AP) — Comforted by
a strong economy, more
Americans than ever are
expected to travel over the
Christmas and New Year’s
holidays.
Auto club AAA said
Thursday that 107 million
people will travel between
Dec. 23 and Jan. 1, a 3.1
percent increase over last
year.
It’s the ninth straight
increase in Christmas travel,
according to AAA.
Most will travel by car —
about 97 million — despite
higher gasoline prices. More
than 6 million are expected
to fly, and AAA says nearly
4 million will take trains,
buses or cruise ships.
While the national
average gas price of $2.47
is 28 cents higher than
last December, airfares
and mid-range hotels are
cheaper, according to AAA.
Rich bean soups are
classic winter comfort food.
They are filling, healthy, and
inexpensive, making them a
worthy addition to the menu
rotation. The downside to
dried bean cookery is the
time it takes to soak and then
cook beans. Canned beans
are a reasonable substitute,
although they cost more than
three times the price of their
dried, bagged counterparts.
An easy, money-saving
solution is lentils, which
you can find easily at any
grocery store, next to the
dried beans. Brown lentils
— the type you’ll most
likely find in inexpensive
bags next to the rice —
don’t require any soaking
(although a good rinse is
recommended), and are
cooked to tender perfection
in about a half hour. Green
lentils are a little thicker and
firmer than brown lentils
(and often a little pricier),
so they take a few minutes
more to cook. Red lentils
are softer, holding their
shape less, so are best used
for sauces or stews where
you are seeking a thicker,
creamier texture — for
instance, when you are
making an Indian dal.
Don’t let the cheap price
fool you: the everyday
brown lentil is a nutrition
powerhouse. One serving
has over 8 grams of filling
fiber, 9 grams of protein and
a nice array of vitamins and
minerals, including over
half the daily requirement of
folate and nearly 20 percent
of our daily iron.
Lentils themselves
have an earthy, mild
flavor, so they easily take
on the flavors of other
ingredients. Today’s recipe
for Smoky Lentil Soup is all
plant-based, which means
it’s truly jam-packed with
health-boosting foods but
it’s also full of flavor. It gets
its smokiness from smoked
paprika instead of the
traditional ham bone, and
little bit of cumin.
Melissa d’Arabian via AP
Lentil soup.
SMOKY (VEGAN) LENTIL SOUP
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 45 minutes, including
cook time
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups
chopped)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped (about ½ cup
chopped)
• 4 ounces white mushrooms, finely
chopped (about 1 cup chopped)
• 1 ¼ cup cubed butternut squash
(1/2-inch cube) (or substitute chopped
carrot)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb
seasoning (or dried oregano)
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2-3 cups water
• ½ pound dried brown lentils, rinsed
and picked through (about 1 1/4 cup)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (or
wine vinegar)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, if needed
Finely chopped mush-
rooms add meaty depth of
flavor, and I use small cubes
of butternut squash instead
of classic carrots for just a
touch of sweetness. A bonus:
In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or
Dutch oven, soften the onion, celery and
mushrooms in the olive oil over medium
heat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring
frequently. Add the squash, garlic, cumin,
smoked paprika, chili powder and Italian
herbs and cook for another five minutes,
stirring frequently. Onion should be quite
soft now.
Add the stock, 2 cups of the water, the
lentils, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer
over medium high heat. Reduce heat,
cover partially with a lid and let simmer
until lentils and squash are tender, about
25-30 minutes. If the mixture gets too
thick, add up to another cup of water.
Once soup is cooked, remove 1-2 cups
of the soup to a blender and very carefully
blend on low until somewhat smooth. Pour
the thickened, blended soup back into the
pot and stir. Stir in vinegar and taste for
salt. Add the salt only if needed.
Chef’s Note: green lentils may also be
used, but add about 10 minutes of cooking
time.
Nutrition information per serving: 155
calories; 22 calories from fat; 3 g fat (0
g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg choles-
terol; 328 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate;
7 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 8 g protein.
the entire dish cost about
$10 to make, and you’ll
probably have leftovers.
Meatless Monday fans, this
may be your new favorite
dish.
Food Network star
Melissa d’Arabian is an
expert on healthy eating on a
budget. She is the author of
the cookbook, “Supermarket
Healthy.”