Louisburg Cidermill ,Cider Fest.

I have never seen so many people in Somerset. Thousands!!!!! I went there to take pictures and thought, "There is no need for economic stimulus." This is what we as a nation need; Americans thinking and creating local prosperity. You should go to the Louisburg Cidermill to see the pumpkin field and the Corn Maze. I was watching the small children with their families picking out pumpkins, and really enjoying the outdoors. Halloween is just around the corner, and each child wanted the spookiest pumpkin! This Ciderfest is a real family event. The bands were playing and the children singing, real family fun. It give me a good all over feeling.

Tom and Shelly Scheirman have brought this fun time to Miami County for over 30 years. My friend, Jim Howell, told me all about when the Cidermill started out really small, and now they are the icon of the county. Greg Bevelin from the Hillsdale Bank Bar-b-que said that the Ciderfest brought business to his restaurant in Hillsdale.

This is where you and your family need to be next weekend. Check out their website at

www.louisburgcidermill.com It will create family memories that will last a lifetime.

Mike

Blake and Grant.

Blake has been one of my best friends for so long. His brother Grant is the football star. They are the Grandsons of Elsie Penn. She brags about them so much. I am telling you, when you are around these two very polite young men you really appreciate them. They will be the leaders of our future. Especially when they learn how to speak Spanish. They came out to the house to visit yesterday. Grant couldn't believe that my son Josh hit golf balls off of the roof..

So much is happening at the Italian Villa. It is worth the drive. Christine and I are there most Wednesdays and Sundays. Come by for a tour and to visit.

16315 West 287th st. Paola, it really should be Somerset, Kansas, however. Somerset used to be a town with a Post Office until the '70s.

The house is a mile from The Louisburg Cidermill. http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/, and also a mile from the Somerset Ridge Winery http://www.somersetridge.com/

It is all here in Somerset.

Limoncello, Applecello so many choices in life.

I was introduced to limoncello in Italy on my first visit. Laura Caponetti gave me the recipe after I tasted enough to know I was in Love. http://www.caponetti.com/ My family in Italy.

I bought the perfect china tray and 4 little shot like glasses with, of course, a matching decanter filled with limoncello. It was dark blue with lemons all over it. I have made many gallons since learning this about 10 years ago, and have enjoyed them with friends.

The recipe that was shared with me by Laura Caponetti consists of Everclear alcohol (the large bottle), add 10 lemon peels. Let this sit for 10 days. At the end of 10 days, add equal amounts of water and sugar. It is easy and then ready to sip.

Now I have met the Creator of Applecello and Limoncello in Kansas City. It isn't Jasper Mirabile the 2nd, but Jasper Mirabile the 3rd. He is every bit as creative as his Grandfather and his Uncle. He came up with the Applecello idea by using the cider from the Louisburg Cidermill. http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/ He has 2 separate menus for Cello drinks, both Apple and Lemon. If you have not tasted either it is a must try! We in Kansas City are so lucky to have a family like the Mirabile's, who pass on the old Italian recipes of generation after generation, and continue to create new ones as well!

Jasper the 3rd is so creative in the kitchen, he has really added his mark to the recipes and food you enjoy, using his Grandfather's original recipes. He will share some, but some are only passed from Jasper to Jasper. http://www.jasperskc.com/ I have been fortunate enough to watch him in the kitchen, he is constantly working on new and old recipes to please his customers. His Grandfather would be proud.

Jasper sent this recipe to me, that one of his favorite customers shared with him. I made it for a special dinner, and I would have eaten the whole thing, but I had to fight my daughter-in law Beatriz for an extra piece. She is my favorite Daughter -in -law at this time.

Limoncello cake, it is so easy and soooooo gooood!!!!!

Limoncello Cake

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding
1/2 Cup Corn Oil 1/4 Cup water
3/4 cup BERBIGLIA LIMONCELLO HERE
4 Eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup lemon zest

Mix all ingredients and bake in a well greased bundt pan at 325 F for 1 hour. Pour glaze over cake immediately out of oven.

Limoncello Glaze
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup of BERBIGLIA Limoncello HERE
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp lemon zest

Place all ingredients in pan, bring to a boil and stir constantly. Poke holes in bundt cake and pour over top.

Jasper's Notes: My friend and customer Bonnie Knocke loves limoncello and she developed this cake recipe for Jasper's. Bonnie brought me this cake one day before dinner service and I swear I must have eaten the whole cake, I DO NOT REMEMBER. Grazie mille Bonnie!

Harvest at Somerset Ridge Winery

You know life is about Friends and Family.

Christine and I arrived at the Somerset Ridge Vineyards about 9:30 on Sunday morning, and the first person I saw was Katie Van Luchene. We have been friends for a few years. We both are "Foodies" of KC. I was so surprised to see her and her friend Jan Tracy; happy, but surprised. This was their first time to harvest grapes at the Somerset Ridge vineyards. They were in for a real treat. We met many times in the vines that day. Our paths crossed as we heard Dennis and Cindy Reynolds send us from one yineyard to another vineyard to pick cabernet franc or cabernet sauvignon grapes. They have so many vines now, compared to 9 years ago when I met them for the first time.

Katie is the executive editor of KC Luxury magazine. I was reading just the day, about her and her husband Jerry, and all of the charity work that they do. Just ask her about their Harley. http://www.midwestluxe.com/

We completed the day's harvest, had some great Somerset Ridge wine, and a wonderful french lunch by Chef Kay. She makes a delicious cassoulet!

The Louisburg Cidermill Festival is this coming weekend, be sure to come and bring your friends. http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/ Read about all of the events. Louisburg has their city wide garage sale then as well. Somerset Ridge winery is only a couple of miles away from the Cidermill. Go west on 68 highway and turn left at Somerset Road. The paved road turns into gravel, but it is worth the drive! They have a great tasting room.

You can enjoy the fruits of all of our labor :) :)

Mike

The house at the highest peak

Josh, my son, told me last Friday, "Dad you can't believe how far you can hit golf ball off the roof of the house."

I told him I would never find out.

He put an American Flag on the roof. I found out Sunday, from my friend Mariann Vandenburg, that when you finish the peak of the roof, you put a flag or Christmas tree on the highest peak. Wow, Mariann knows some of the neatest things!!! Mariann has a travel agency. Check out http://www.travels-with-taste.com/ Mariann is the best on trips!

I am sooooo excited about the home we are building. Last Sunday we invited some of our friends out to the building site to see the progress of the house. Quite a few of our friends came to see what we had going "out South". It is still a constuction site, which means it is not "pretty", but you can see what it is going to become. We are usually out there on Sundays. Come by if you would like to take a look. We would really love to show you!

The house is growing ,are we going to eat well?? Wine? Friends? Parties? Get ready!!!!

The Stairs to the Top

I got to the house at 5:30 tonight and Jason was working on the stairs. I asked if they could be in by the weekend. The house is moving along, the roof was put on this week. Jason says the stairs will be finished tomorrow. No more ladders!!! Christine will love that.

Come out this Sunday and see it. We will be there from 1pm till 3pm. This is going to be the place to be in 6 months. Friends, Family, and good times. Visit our vineyard. Bring a bottle of wine from Somerset Ridge and sit and talk with us for a while.

We will pick grapes in the morning at Somerset Ridge Winery,with Cindy and Dennis Reynolds.. Later, we will visit the Cider Fest at the Louisburg Cidermill with Tom and Shelly, what an event. All in Miami county.

Read about the events the next several weekends.

http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/

http://www.somersetridge.com/

The House for Friends,RAIN and God

Elsie said "You have the most blessed life." You planted the grape vines in May, and it rained every third day for six weeks. Then, the first of August you pumped out 500,000 gallons of water from your lake over the Dam to be able to dredge the lake. After that, the weather dried out. The lake got really low, and the fish were in the deep section. Then Tuesday of this week, you had the lake dredged to remove excess silt, as you can see. And now it is raining again!

We have mounds and mounds of the richest, BLACK, dirt you ever have seen.

If anyone wants any call me, it is for sale, for a price :-):-)

I can't believe how much Rain we have gotten!!!!! It is still coming, and the lake is filling up. Elsie was right, (I really didn't say that did I!!) :-):-) She is the hardest working person I have ever known. You have to love her. She is wonderful.

More Rain coming.

Mike

Heading for Ft.Scott tomorrow. Another adventure for Christine!!!

Somerset Ridge Winery Harvest

We got there early on September 7th, the crowd started to form. This was my 5th year to harvest at Somerset Ridge. I look forward every year to the harvest. There were about 60 volunteers. They came from miles away. We make so many new friends every year. You can see Christine hiding in the vines.

I think it was six years ago that Patti Armstrong told me about local Somerset Ridge wine. I told her there was no winery in Somerset. Somerset is a vanishing town. Well, I went to the Paola Chamber office to ask about the winery and they got busy. About three hours later I got a call from them, and they had found it. It is only a mile from my house!! The Chamber gave me a phone number and I called Dennis, he was in western Kansas at a ballgame. We talked and a wonderful friendship began.

I have brought many friends and family to pick and enjoy the wines over the years. It is where Jasper and I became close friends. Where we talked of the Slowfood movement, and how this is the type of vineyard that Slowfood is about. It is about local small producers. I remember Jasper saying "This is just like being in Italy". http://www.jasperskc.com/ And I agree.
You come out to the winery and pick grapes during harvest and then have a wonderful lunch on the hill top.

Dennis and Cindy Reynolds have worked so hard to make their dream come true. They are living the American dream. Even if it looks like Italy.

Dennis is my mentor. He is teaching me all about wine grapes and vineyards. We have only 400 vines right now, but I love each and every one of them.

Chef Kay,From Somerset Ridge Winery

What a day at the Somerset Ridge Winery!!!!

Chef Kay was on hand to serve a GREAT meal!! This week was a German Feast after the harvest. We had the best hot german potato salad, I have had in soooooo long. The Brats were perfect. And what would a German feast be without Sauerkraut. ???

You could tell that Chef Kay was running the show, by bringing this wonderful meal that brought everyone together. It reminded me of a Slowfood dinner in Italy. After the main course, I got one of Kay's delicious apple bars. Christine told me I couldn't have anymore, but well, she will have to get over it. I have an inside line with Chef Kay. This is the time of the year for fresh apples, and Kay knows what is the best recipe to use to bring out the tastiest desert.

Dennis and Cindy are so lucky to have a Chef like her. She really brings out the taste in their wines. http://www.somersetridge.com/ Delicous German Food and great wine and friends. Next week is French cuisine! This is what I believe Carlo Petrini believed would be the Slowfood movement wherever in the world small growers would bring friends and family back to the table. http://www.slowfood.com/

Mike

"A Tree Grows in Paola"

That could be a great title for a movie. My friend of over 24 years, Karen Blanck, planted a Royal Empress Tree on the 4th of July. It was from http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/ She has been sending me pictures of it all along. It is incredible.

Little did she realize how fast it would grow. This tree when mature will be 40 to 50 feet high and 30 to 40 feet wide. It will flower with purple blooms in the spring. It has a great fragrance between gardenia and jasmine.

It is one of the most environmentally beneficial trees in the world. It is like a giant air filter. This is great for the green movement. We all know we have to plant more trees to make up for those that are being taken down daily.

If you want to watch it grow, drive by 102 Waterworks Rd and Old Kansas City Rd in Paola. Karen has such a green thumb. She is the one who got me going on building my house, after seeing her delight in her new house.

I am going to have to plant some of these next year. Someone said it is just like watching Jack and the Bean Stalk.

Mike

Kansas City Irish Fest - a family event

Last Sunday we attended the Irish Fest at Crown Center. It was quite warm, but it was a very friendly, and lively venue. There was plenty of Irish music and dancing.

Mike, his son Joe, daughter-in-law Beatriz, grandson Thomas, and I descended on Crown Center about 1pm. You had to purchase tokens in order to buy alcohol, so we did. Beer was flowing freely, and they had a decent cabernet. We shopped for hats and shirts to wear then, and also on St. Pat's Day. I got Thomas a green Ireland baseball cap. It was a child's size, but he will have some growing room! Joe whisked Thomas off and surprised us all with the little tattoo on his arm! Mommy was worried, but after Thomas stopped crying, all was fine! A good time was had by all!!!!!

Christine

Casa Somerset Moonlight Romance

As you can see, they are framing the 3rd floor now. Christine and I went up on the 3rd floor and had a glass of wine to watch the sun set. It was such a delight!

It was the right night and the moon was wonderful. Just perfect. The evening picture was taken from across the lake.

Casa Somerset is all about Romance. This is a destination. The yineyard, the paddle boats floating across the lake with the one you love, and with a bottle of Casa Somerset Norton Cabernet. This is in the future, as the vines mature. It is just a dream now. The house is in progress. Everyone is doing a great job.

Don't forget that down the road this Sunday, we will be picking grapes with our friends Cindy and Dennis Reynolds. http://www.somersetridge.com/

There is soooooo much to enjoy in Miami County!!

Michael (the Dreamer)