home the for h olidays - los altos town crier · dawn pankonen at [email protected], janice fabella at...

Home Holidays for them a g a z i n e

November 20, 2013

A Los Altos Town Crier Publication

Tree-trimmingtraditions

A merrymenu

Hanukkahmemories

Holiday home tour

| Home for the Holidays | November 20, 2013

Home for the Holidays | November 20, 2013 |

Los Altos Town Crier138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022

948-9000losaltosonline.com

Editor Bruce Barton Magazine Editor Diego Abeloos Designer Mary Watanabe Writers Diego Abeloos Anne-Marie Gambelin Eren Göknar Michael McTighe Christine Moore Copy Editors Joan Garvin Colleen Schick Photographer Ellie Van Houtte Sales Staff Janice Fabella Kathy Lera Dawn Pankonen Janice Torrecampo Ad Services Director Chris Redden Ad Services Assistant Leverne Cornelius Production Staff Mary Watanabe Marilyn Winans

Publisher Paul Nyberg Associate Publisher Howard Bischoff

Cover photo: Marian and Cyndel Podich of Los Altos spend more than a month preparing their 19-foot tree for Christmas.

Town Crier FiLe PhoTo

Magazine Staff SSSS

Circulation: 16,500. Mailed directly to households in Los Altos, Los Altos hills and select areas of Mountain View. hundreds of subscribers receive the Town Crier in neighboring communities as well as out-of-state. The Town Crier can be purchased at newsstands in Los Altos, Mountain View and Palo Alto.

Upcoming 2014 MagazinesCamps

Publishes: Jan. 29

Family SpotlightPublishes: Feb. 26

Living in Los AltosPublishes: March 26

© Los Altos Town Crier Company Inc., 2013.All Rights Reserved.

Home for the Holidays is published once a year. For advertising information, email Kathy Lera at [email protected],

Dawn Pankonen at [email protected], Janice Fabella at [email protected] or Janice Torrecampo at [email protected].

For editorial information, email Diego Abeloos at [email protected].

m a g a z i n em a g a z i n e

Hanukkah Traditionshanukkah falls on

Thanksgiving Day this year, inviting local families to

meld holiday customs.Page 10

Deck the HallsMother-daughter pair Marian and Cyndel Podich of Los Altos go all out decorating their nearly 19-foot Christmas tree each year.Page 4

Silicon SipsColumnist Christine Moore crafts a holiday menu, complete with wine, in the northernCalifornia style.Page 17

Home TourThe 25th annual Christmas

at our house holiday home Tour benefiting St. Francis high School features four

local showplace residences.Page 26

Holiday FundThe Town Crier’s annual holiday Fund raises money for area nonprofits that support children and families in need.Page 40

Turkey TimeGive turkey a new taste by

brining it, a culinary method designed to produce a moist,

tender and juicy bird.Page 46

Seasonal GreenGo green this holiday season by following a few tips that promote environmental sustainability.Page 48


Deck the halls

A tree tradition like no other

Podich family continues christmas ritual nearly as old as los altos itself


The Podich family Christmas tree features approximately 3,500 ornaments, including several that have been enhanced with other elements throughout the family’s 50-plus-year tradition.

By Diego Abeloosstaff Writer/[email protected]

T he act of selecting and decorating a Christmas tree requires more than just a string of lights, a few or-naments and a couple of hours of free time for Los

Altos residents Marian and Cyndel Podich. when it comes to this mother-daughter duo’s annual family ritual, the use of a large pickup truck and a group of eight – if not more – strong, able-bodied friends is typi-cally required. That’s because the Podiches annually se-lect a tree tall enough to rival the white house tree at 18- to 19-feet tall. The entire operation, according to the family, includes the use of a pulley system to hoist the tree into place inside the family’s art studio. what’s more, the family’s efforts to decorate the tree can take nearly a month to achieve, as the two women work to hang nearly 3,500 ornaments – some created by them, others gifted by friends. Cyndel said the operation requires more than 1,100 feet of 19- to 22-gauge steel wire

to stabilize limbs to bear the weight of elaborate holiday vignettes accumulated by the family throughout nearly six decades. The annual tradition is an art form in itself for the two women, who spend countless hours creatively mapping out the tree’s overall look each season. “it takes a while to get going. … we negotiate, visu-alize, argue, fantasize and then agree on, ‘oh yeah, let’s start with this,’” said Cyndel, who runs her own sculpting and painting art studio. “we have color flow, and we think about balance when it comes to size, shape and color. es-sentially, we create a Christmas sculpture every year. it’s a three-dimensional Christmas sculpture where you utilize pretty much the same elements, but in different places (on the tree) every year.”

A modest beginning The Podichs’ tradition is a far cry from its more humble beginnings in 1957, when Marian and her husband, nick, built the family art studio as an add-on to the home they


Deck the halls

purchased two years earlier. There was only one problem – the studio’s street-side window offered little to no pri-vacy for the family. “There was no window covering, so we got the tree for 75 cents the day of Christmas eve, late at night,” said Marian, an 88-year-old local piano teacher. Unlike the family’s formal Christmas tree in the home’s living room, the studio tree also offered Cyndel and her brother, Marty, the opportunity to use their artis-tic talents and decorate it to their hearts’ content. “we called it the ‘fun tree,’ as opposed to our formal tree,” Cyndel noted. “over time, the cost of trees went up to buy two, the interest in the fun tree increased and it just made sense to only have the fun tree.” And while the tree gained popularity among family members, it also gained height – and an increasingly elab-orate setup to boot. “over the years, the tree kept getting a little taller and a little taller, until it touched the ceiling,” said Cyndel. “The trees started to get really large in the 1960s. The orna-ments started to get really large in the 1970s.”

An event for all These days, the family’s tradition has taken on a life of its own. Around mid-november each holiday season, the mother-daughter pair and a group of more than a dozen

Continued on Page 6


For Marian and Cyndel Podich, decorating the family Christmas tree entails three weeks of daily work.


friends and family take an annual trek to the Santa Cruz Mountains and make an entire day out of selecting a tree. The event itself – which includes a picnic at the same tree farm the family has patronized for more than 40 years – has also become a ritual. “For many people, it’s not only the start of the holiday season, it is their holiday thing,” Cyndel noted. “i have a friend living in Arizona who comes and spends Christmas with us every year. This is her Christmas. other people don’t buy a tree – they just come and enjoy ours.” Marian added that the group usually contains someone new to the tradition. She distinctly recalled chatting up friends she’d made on a cruise several years ago about her Christmas tree tradition. Lo and behold, she noted, those new friends drove up from Los Angeles to “join the party” soon after. For Cyndel, seeing the reactions of first-time viewers makes the three to four weeks of preparation worth all the trouble. That includes Marian’s piano students. each year, the duo races against the clock to complete the tree ahead of Marian’s annual piano recital held at the studio in mid-December. “it’s a labor of love for ourselves that we enjoy shar-ing,” said Cyndel, who in recent years created a watering system to accommodate the large trees, including using

Deck the halls

Continued from Page 5

Continued on Page 8


A tree of dolls collected over several decades is among the Podich family’s Christmas traditions.


several feet of PVC piping and a baby video monitor. “i so enjoy looking at somebody’s face when they come in to see the tree for the first time, because you can tell some-body it’s 18-and-a-half feet (tall), but it doesn’t register. … People are just dumbstruck.” “it’s a big deal for them to be able to see it,” Marian added. The nearly monthlong task of decorating the tree with decades-old ornaments, figurines and other elements also affords the women a chance to reminisce about the fam-ily’s past – including recalling memories of nick and Marty Podich, who have since passed away. “when do you get to spend three weeks with your fam-ily reliving, enjoying, reminiscing?” Cyndel asked. “it’s when you pick up something that somebody gave you once – and maybe that person is no longer alive – and you say, ‘remember when so and so gave us that ornament?’ You reminisce, and the whole history of gathering all of the elements gets relived.” Marian and Cyndel said they plan to continue the tradi-tion for the foreseeable future. “As long as we’re breathing and still moving around, that’s the plan,” Cyndel said. “it will be a really sad day when we can’t do it.”

Deck the halls



Marian and Cyndel Podich use a pulley system to hoist the family’s 18- to 19-foot tree upright each holiday season.


Deck the halls


Cyndel Podich, a sculptor and painter, transforms a collection of ornaments into colorful vignettes.


hanukkah traDitions

Potato latkes meet Tom turkey

how local residents celebrate when hanukkah lands on thanksgiving Day

CoUrTeSY oF ConGreGATion BeTh AM

Rabbi Sarah Weissman of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills highlights the history of Hanukkah and how it brings “light to the darkest time of year.”

By Eren Göknarspecial to the town crier

H anukkah this year falls on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in more than 100 years, under-lining the fact that the Jewish holiday is not just

the “other Christmas.” The juxtaposition of the holidays has some people cry-ing foul. “i’m not thrilled,” said Sue rinsky, who with her hus-band, Art, hosts an annual hanukkah party for 75 guests. “i think a lot of people aren’t thrilled.” The rinskys, members of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos hills, invite their adult children, Carrie dewitt, Lauren and Joel, and four grandchildren for potato latkes the first night of the eight-day holiday. rinsky likes to decorate with dreidels, and each grandchild brings over his or her own menorah to light.

“we usually give just the kids – not the adults – a big present,” she said. “Then, we’ll give them smaller items like PJs or books on the other nights.” This year, rinsky will depend on her well-honed orga-nizational skills to host Thanksgiving dinner for 20 fam-ily members as well as all the hanukkah events. “i always make about 160 potato latkes and freeze them, then heat them up for the party,” she said. Growing up, the Dallas native said hanukkah didn’t compete with Christmas as much. She recalls receiving gelt – chocolate coins wrapped in gold – or a small gift.

Hanukkah history hanukkah has a unique story of its own and under-scores important themes. Among them, rabbi Sarah weissman of Congregation Beth Am ranks “bringing light to the darkest time of the year, standing up for and

Continued on Page 12


being proud of our Jewish identi-ties and the importance of reli-gious freedom.” Led by Judah the Maccabee, a group of Jews in Judea revolted against Antiochus, who had op-pressed the Jews and turned the Temple of Jerusalem into a pagan temple. After tremendous fighting, the Jews captured and rededicated the temple “hanukkah,” which means “dedication” in hebrew. They celebrated for eight days and nights, to mirror the fall festival of Sukkot, which they had missed while in combat. According to tradition, there was only enough oil available to light the temple’s menorah for one night, but it miraculously burned for eight days, until a new supply arrived. weissman said Talmudic rabbis later added the bit about the small amount of oil lasting for eight days, but, like the Santa Claus story, many children believe in the miracle. “This year, as Jews and Americans, we get to give

thanks for our religious freedom in celebrating both holi-days at once,” she said. weissman said hanukkah occurs on different days – but the same season – every year because “the Jewish

hanukkah traDitions



CoUrTeSY oF The KAPLAn FAMiLY

Jake Kaplan of Los Altos lights the family menorah. The Kaplans celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas, melding holiday traditions.


calendar is lunisolar, meaning it relies mostly on the cycle of the moon.” So the holiday can be in late november or early De-cember, but it’s always in winter. According to weissman, the last time hanukkah would have fallen on Thanksgiv-ing was 1861. President Abraham Lincoln, however, didn’t formally establish the holiday until 1863. This year, the feast day falls on the fourth Thursday, nov. 28, Thanks-giving Day, which is also the first night of hanukkah. “This year, hanukkah falls very early, beginning the night before Thanksgiving. The last time Thanksgiving and hanukkah coincided was in the late 1800s, and, ac-cording to some calculations, the next time it will happen is in almost 80,000 years,” said weissman, one of Congre-gation Beth Am’s four pulpit rabbis.

Melding menus This year’s timing not only gives entrepreneurs ex-cuses to market products like the “menurkey,” a menorah in the shape of a turkey, it also poses menu opportuni-ties. hanukkah potato latkes and applesauce could mingle with turkey and cranberries. Los Altos resident Paige Kaplan helped plan Congre-gation Beth Am’s oct. 27 hanukkah cooking class, a sa-lute to the dueling holidays. Beth Am teachers Susan Allen and Dawn Kepler of Building Jewish Bridges created the menu: Cranberry Challah rolls, Sweet Potato Latkes, Cranberry Chutney and Pecan Pie rugelach. Kaplan and her husband of nearly 20 years, Mike, have three children, Zach, 14, Abby, 12, and Jake, 6. raised a Presbyterian, she is in the process of converting to Judaism. Mike, a Stanford Graduate School of Business alumnus, grew up in new Jersey and the Bronx, where his orthodox mother and reform father kept a kosher home. Paige prac-ticed health-care law but now manages the home. “i’ve been living a Jewish life since Mike and i met,” said Paige in an interview at Mike’s State Street office, where he’s managing director at Altos health Manage-ment. Paige noted that the Jewish religion revolves around

home life. “on hanukkah, you don’t have to go any place – it’s not like on Christmas, where you go to Midnight Mass,” she said. The Kaplans also celebrate Christmas to honor Paige’s extended family. This year is unusual, because hanukkah falls earlier than Christmas, when the Kaplans go skiing or to hawaii for the holidays. They won’t be using the pewter traveling menorah they usually pack along with presents. Like many baby boomers, Mike recalls hanukkah be-ing a secondary holiday. he and his siblings usually re-ceived a small present each night.

hanukkah traDitions


CoUrTeSY oF ConGreGATion BeTh AM

Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Maccabees and the subsequent liberation and rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem.

eren GöKnAr/SPeCiAL To The Town Crier

Rabbi Sarah Weissman of Congregation Beth Am said Americans can give thanks for their religious freedom as Hanukkah falls on Thanksgiving.



“hanukkah is not a major holiday, but it’s become widely celebrated in the United States since it often falls close to Christmas. when i grew up, we didn’t make a big deal out of hanukkah,” Mike said. “we did get some presents, but it wasn’t every night, and they were mostly small things.” The Kaplans distribute presents every night of hanukkah. The first night, they give their children gifts, and the sib-lings also exchange presents. For the next seven nights, the children open presents from relatives. “There’s one night where they just get books and read,” Paige said. To instill a sense of generosity, the Kaplans have insti-tuted “Pick a Cause” night, during which each child picks a nonprofit organization to which their parents contribute. They often choose the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or sports-related groups. Paige shares the hanukkah story annually with her children’s classmates at Gardner Bullis School. “i’ll go into the classroom with a menorah and show them how to light it,” she said. “Teachers welcome me, because they think it’s like a history lesson.”

Fond memories Leslee Adler, a Beth Am congregant, formerly coached Mountain View high School’s color guard and directed the

SCore! educational centers in Los Altos and Cupertino. Adler grew up in Thousand oaks, where she attended hebrew school hanukkah parties every year. her mother “would go all out decorating our house with blue lights and all sorts of blue and silver metallic streamers,” Adler said of the traditional hanukkah colors. She even had a hanukkah stocking. Adler recalled that playing the dreidel game was “a big deal.” An only child, she wrote out directions for the four-sided spinning top on little cards “to give out to the non-Jewish neighbors so that we would play together.” She opened one present a night, unless she chose to splurge and open the small gifts all at once. As a 5-year old, Adler suddenly became “really jealous of all my friends who had beautiful, decorated Christmas trees. So my mom decided, just for that year, we could have a hanukkah ‘bush.’” There is no such thing, but Adler got a tree anyway. now mom to 3-year-old Melanie and 17-month-old evan, Adler tries to maintain the same traditions. She and her husband, robbie, light the candles and say the hebrew blessing with help from their daughter, who now attends hebrew School, too. “i only hope that my kids’ memories are as fond as mine,” she said. Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, has scheduled a number of Hanukkah events. For more information, call 493-4661 or visit betham.org.

hanukkah traDitions



silicon siPs

Gatherings, grapes and paella

celebrating the holidays northern california style

By Christine Moore

I n California, our seasons seem to blend into one another. i recall as many calm and quiet winters as i

do blustery, rain-soaked ones. But visit a farm, orchard or vineyard and you’ll see firsthand winter’s embrace on our part of the world. one of my brothers manages a vineyard, and i am fortunate enough to CoUrTeSY oF ChriSTine Moore

Christine Moore’s Christmas Eve menu this year includes the Spanish dish paella, which combines chicken, chorizo and seafood.Continued on Page 20

Silicon Sips


spend time there during winter. The year’s Pinot noir harvest is undergoing malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, and the Chardonnay is beginning its aging process in steel. workers have a well-earned break from the early-morning to late-evening schedule of autumn. Among the barren vines, there is peaceful rest. The canopy of leaves is long gone, highlighting the sky’s endless expanse, and the vines rise and sprawl out haphazardly like dreams waiting to be remembered. The first morning light makes frost on the vines glisten and sparkle. it’s months before bud break, and the plants are doing just what they ought this time of year – waiting. They are hunkering down into the sumptuous ground and sinking into their roots in anticipation of what is to come. As i consider the importance of the vines’ rest, i can’t help but think about how their slumber reflects our own actions during winter. After all, isn’t it this time of year that we sink into our roots by partaking in the holiday customs of our cultural heritage? The frantic pace of work, school and life slows tempo-rarily and we settle into the celebrations of the season. we toast the successes we’ve had in the preceding months, reflect on the life we’ve lived, rejoice with our

silicon siPs


CoUrTeSY oF ChriSTine Moore

Holiday culinary customs evolve over time and place, with heritage factoring in to food and wine selections.Continued on Page 22


loved ones and contemplate peace. Like the vines, we are resting and preparing for new beginnings. our heritage is brought to life in the food we eat during the holidays. i am irish-American, so Christmas Day is a feast of traditional fare but also reflects how California has shaped us. we serve prime rib, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings beside honey-drizzled rosemary carrots and peas, brightened by a sprinkling of the still-growing mint from my mom’s herb garden. Throughout the meal, we tumble wine made with my brother’s hands into our glasses. The dinner is joyful, abundant and essential, encapsulating our family and our traditions. it is what we’ve eaten on Christmas for as long as i can remember, and it is not to be edited in any way. we’re not the only family to serve cherished meals. i’ve been fortunate enough to taste some of the holiday traditions of my friends and loved ones. i’ve rolled rugula and prepared latkes, attended an italian seafood feast,

enjoyed the labor of homemade tamales, marveled at how British Christmas pudding is prepared and savored Southern-style cornbread dressing. These meals each brought insight into my friends’ lives. They’ve also inspired me to create a new culinary tradition for my family. So, with an untouchable Christmas Day menu, and the desire to stake my claim to a meal over the holiday season, i looked to Christmas eve. i wanted to make something that brought together many of the aspects of the foods i’d shared with friends throughout the years: simple and nourishing, using seasonal ingredients, with exotic flavor and bountiful enough to accommodate an extra mouth (or four) at the table without advance notice. i landed on paella. Paella is a savory and rustic Spanish dish that can be as elaborate as you’d like it to be. it’s the kind of one-pot meal that can be finessed depending on mood and time

silicon siPs



• 6 cups Quick Seafood Broth (recipe follows), warm • Generous pinch saffron threads • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (preparation follows) • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 4 Spanish chorizo sausages, sliced thickly • 1 yellow onion, diced • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (set some aside for garnish) • 1 10-ounce bag frozen, cubed butternut squash, defrosted • 4 cups paella rice • 1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed • 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled (shells reserved) and de-veined • 1 pound bay scallops • 1 cooked and cleaned Dungeness crab, claws removed but body intact • 1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed • 3 whole roasted red peppers from jar, sliced thinly • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper • Lemon wedges, for serving

one hour before cooking, prepare chicken and clean shrimp (reserving shells to make seafood broth) and refrigerate.

Prepare Quick Seafood Broth • 6 cups water • reserved shrimp shells • 1 onion, quartered • 3 garlic cloves, smashed • 1 bunch parsley • Large pinch of whole black peppercorns

Place all ingredients in large pot over medium. Bring to boil, then reduce heat so that broth is just simmering for 1 hour. Strain broth, discarding shells, onions, garlic, parsley and peppercorns. return broth to stove, add generous pinch of saffron and salt to taste, keep warm on lowest temperature.

Prepare chicken thighs • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika • 1/2 teaspoon oregano • Kosher salt to taste

Cube chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, sprinkle with paprika, oregano and kosher salt, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Combine ingredients heat oil in paella pan over medium-high heat. Brown chorizo, remove and reserve. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. remove from pan and reserve. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add parsley, garlic and butternut squash and sauté for 5 minutes more, or until mixture is caramelized. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fold in rice and stir to coat grains. Pour in broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Using handles, slowly rotate pan during cooking time to ensure that broth is evenly absorbed (do not stir). Add reserved chorizo and chicken. Add clams, scallops and shrimp, burying each slightly into rice. Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until shrimp is pink. Using handles of pan, vigorously shake paella and let it continue to simmer for approximately 15 minutes (do not stir). During last 5 minutes of cooking, when rice is still slightly al dente, add peas, sliced roasted red peppers and crab, plac-ing claws throughout and laying body in center. when rice becomes fluffy and moist looking, you’ll know paella is done. Crank heat up to high for 30 seconds to toast bottom of rice (toasted rice, also known as socarrat, is critical to a perfect paella). Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges and serve in pan.

Christine’s Christmas Eve Paella


availability. i’ve adapted my recipe over the years and created what i consider to be a uniquely Californian ver-sion. A year or so ago i was gifted traditional paella forks. The gift felt monumental, like a badge or addition to our family’s coat of arms: we eat paella on Christmas eve, and we have the flatware to prove it. i’m sharing my Christmas eve Paella recipe and information about the wines i’ll be serving with it. Make the cooking a fun affair by enlisting help from your guests and serving a platter of Spanish cheeses, olives, dried figs and quince paste during prep time. i hope your holiday celebrations include time around a table with the people and food you love.

silicon siPs


Paella and wine

Paella is a down-to-earth dish, so keeping the wine simple makes sense. i like to

serve Spanish wines, but California rosés or Syrahs would be wonderful with it, too. This year, i’m serving Martin Códax 2011 Albariño from the rías Baixas region. Albariño is a Spanish white varietal. The crisp minerality, fresh aromatics and juicy tropical notes of the Martin Códax is just right with the seafood-laden paella. For red, i’ll serve Las rocas 2009 Gar-nacha from Calatayud. The hints of dark cherry and blackberry make this well-struc-tured and light wine a wonderful comple-ment to the rustic flavors of the rice dish. Chill slightly before service. A Cava would be fun to serve, too, and don’t forget some sparkling pomegranate cider for the nondrinkers.

– Christine Moore

A platter of Spanish cheeses is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. CoUrTeSY oF ChrSTine Moore


home tour

st. Francis holiday home tour celebrates 25 years

By Anne-Marie Gambelinspecial to the town crier

T he days grow short on sunshine but long on nos-talgia as the holidays near and St. Francis high School prepares for its 25th annual Christmas at

our house holiday home Tour, scheduled Dec. 5-7. Beginning with the Twilight Tour and followed by a Christmas party, home tours and a tea, luncheon and boutique, the annual event spans three days and provides multiple avenues for fundraising for construction of new school facilities for St. Francis’ expanding student body. over the years, Christmas at our house has raised more than $2 million for the school. Founded in 1988 by Ann Morey, vice president of St. Francis’ women’s Club, the first Christmas at our house

St. Francis High School’s annual Christmas at Our House fundraiser showcases holiday place settings.

Christmas at Our House


tour featured four homes in the South Bay. Christmas at our home has become the women’s Club’s largest event, attracting help from a wide range of local resi-dents, from the volunteers running the event to the guests who attend. St. Francis students play an integral role, draw-ing sketches of the homes, entertaining tour-goers as stu-dent musicians and staffing the event as volunteers.

Homes on the tour This year’s home tour showcases four residences reflec-tive of different architectural styles. • A newly constructed new england-style home that provides a warm and welcoming environment for a busy St. Francis family. The three-story home features inte-rior design by heidi Menard of Ambiance interiors in its wine lounge, chef’s kitchen and downstairs entertainment room/gym. Architect Jim redman of elements Land-scape designed the backyard landscaping. • A home with an interior layout modeled after the tra-ditional ranch houses of old Los Altos. Although the exte-rior finishes of the home are more reminiscent of the east Coast – with white siding and stone – the owners envi-sioned building a house that blended into the neighbor-hood and looked as if it were built over time. The house, built by general contractor and former St. Francis teacher John Komo and his daughter, St. Francis alumna Jennifer

home tour

Continued on Page 30CoUrTeSY oF BernArD AnDre PhoToGrAPhY


Paulson, boasts a traditional foyer, formal living and dining rooms, a wood-paneled office, four en-suite bedrooms and a children’s playroom above the three-car garage. interior designer Julie Brown of Brownhouse Design helped select the finishes. Situated on a large, flat lot, the 6,500-square-

foot house includes a large patio for entertaining, a pool, a pool house, a parterre garden, a small apricot orchard – a nod to early Los Altos – and a number of other fruit and pepper trees. • A two-story Monterey-style remodel, a well-preserved

home tour



The 25th annual Christmas at Our House Holiday Home Tour includes the 6,500-square-foot home built by former St. Francis teacher John Komo.CourTeSy of BerNArd ANdre PhoTogrAPhy


home tour

example retaining nearly all of its original exterior design features. Among other highlights, the mul-tipane glazed wood door with hand-wrought iron hardware, the metal door-bell with pull and the ornamental relief panel adjacent to the front door offer hints of the home’s history. Constructed circa 1933, the home was listed in 2008 on the Los Altos historic resources inven-tory. • A Tuscan-style villa in Los Altos hills sits on a hill, with a quarter-acre vineyard, reminiscent of the italian countryside. Large living room win-dows frame the expansive


CoUrTeSY oF BernArD AnDre PhoToGrAPhY

Homes on the annual Christmas at Our House tour feature holiday-themed decorations. This year’s tour highlights different architectural styles.Continued on Page 38


view. The backyard boast three fireplaces and unique seatng ar-eas.

Tickets • Christmas Par-ty and Tour tickets, $125, include a hosted cocktail buffet and boutique at Fremont hills Country Club in Los Altos hills 7-10 p.m. Dec. 5. Tour tick-ets may be used 4-7 p.m. Dec. 5 or 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 or 7. Tickets are limited. • home Tour tick-ets, $40-$45, include tours 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7. Groups of 10 or more are eli-gible for a discount. • elegant Luncheon Buffet tickets, $30, include a lun-cheon and boutique at Fremont hills Country Club 11

a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6. For tickets and more information, visit sfhs.com/par-ents/womens-club/christmas-at-our-house.

home tour


CoUrTeSY oF BernArD AnDre PhoToGrAPhY

Guests on the 25th annual Christmas at Our House Holiday Home Tour, scheduled Dec. 5-7, can view the holiday collections of four local homeowners.


holiDaY FunD

Town Crier Holiday Fund assists 20 organizations in 2013

Town Crier Staff Report

F or the 14th consecutive year, the Town Crier holi-day Fund has hit the ground running. The annual fund supports numerous Silicon Valley area non-

profit organizations whose work directly benefits children and families in need. The fund has raised more than $2 million since its in-ception in 2000. This year, the Town Crier aims to top its 2012 fundraising effort, which exceeded $230,000. The 2013 campaign launched earlier than usual this year to extend notice to potential donors. Like 2012, the 2013 holiday Fund will assist 20 non-profits, including ALearn; Bayshore Christian Ministries; Career Closet; Child Advocates of Santa Clara County; the Children’s health Council; the Community health Awareness Council; the Community Services Agency’s fresh foods program; the Community School of Music and Arts’ program for autistic children; Downtown Alum rock College Prep; the east Palo Alto Kids Foundation;

help one Child; hidden Villa summer camps; Jeremiah’s Promise; the MeriT program at the Krause Center for innovation; Music for Minors; Partners for new Gen-erations; reach Potential Movement; rotaCare; Sunday Friends; and the Veterans resource Center at Foothill College. All contributions to the holiday Fund are tax deduct-ible and processed through a donor-advised fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The foundation provides letters acknowledging the contributions to do-nors. Members of Town Crier staff will present grant funds to the aforementioned nonprofit organizations shortly after Jan. 1. readers can find articles outlining each organization’s mission, goals and program needs in the Town Crier. To donate online, visit siliconvalley.org/holidayfund. To donate by check, make checks payable to the SVCF/Town Crier holiday Fund, and mail to 2440 w. el Cami-no real, Suite 300, Mountain View 94040. For more information, visit latcholidayfund.org.


turkeY time

Practice makes perfecta dress rehearsal for your turkey

BrandPoint

T he holidays are approaching, and before you know it, you’ll be thinking about that daunting

task of cooking a turkey. This holiday season, make sure that your bird impresses all your guests and relatives by conducting a dress rehears-al. More than 88 percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, accord-ing to a national Turkey Federation survey. But before doing so, why not do a dry run and prepare a turkey, or try a smaller bird like chicken, using a brining technique that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser? it’s the hot new culinary trend that’s got everyone from celebrity chefs to home cooks buzzing. But even though

PhoTo CoUrTeSY oF BrAnDPoinT

A dress rehearsal for this year’s Thanksgiving turkey may include brining your bird overnight first.Continued on Page 40


turkeY time

brining may be the latest technique to sweep kitchens, it’s hardly new. Mankind has been brining since ancient times. it probably started out, hundreds of millennia ago, as a way of preserving seafood with sea salt. The tech-nique has come a long way since, and now food lovers everywhere, in typical what’s-old-is-new-again fashion, are rediscovering the benefits of brining. Think you don’t have the tools to brine? Chef helen roberts, director of culinary development at Kikkoman, has perfected the turkey brine. The brine is simple: salt, sugar, water, dried spices and the magic ingredient – soy sauce. Pull out your refrigerator drawer or a large, deep bucket to brine your bird. After you’ve stirred your ingre-dients and placed your turkey in the liquid, let the brine work its magic overnight. what’s the secret to brining? Brining has a tenderizing and moisturizing effect. The brine is absorbed and dif-fused throughout the meat as it soaks overnight. in addi-tion, roberts explained that soy sauce has a savory effect that seals in the turkey flavor and moisture. “Brining makes a big difference when you’re roast-ing meat. You’ll have the juiciest bird you’ve ever tasted,” roberts said. Turkeys became a Thanksgiving staple after the na-tive Americans introduced it to the pilgrims back in 1621 during the first Thanksgiving meal. As you prepare to celebrate the holidays, try the following brining recipe to keep turkey juicy and moist.

Brining: More than meats the eye

Brining isn’t just for meat. Brine veggies for a rich, sa-vory taste. Perhaps one of the trendiest veggies, brussels

sprouts, are a prime candidate for a soy sauce brine. Sick of the same old side dishes? now that you’ve brined your turkey, get creative with your side dishes, too. Put a spin on classic mashed potatoes with the wasabi Mashed Potatoes recipe found at kikkomanusa.com. The spice and heat will balance out the creamy texture of the mashed potatoes. if you have leftover turkey, try a completely new dish in-stead of just reheating. Keep enjoying your juicy turkey by adding to a stir fry, include in a salad or in a tetrazzini. For leftover mashed potatoes, use panko to transform into crunchy, warm Panko Mashed Potato Cakes.

Savory Turkey Brine • 16- to 24-pound turkey • 2 gallons cold water • 10 ounces soy sauce • 1/2 cup kosher salt • 1/2 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons dried sage • 2 tablespoons dried celery seed • 1 tablespoon dried thyme The night before roasting, remove giblets and turkey neck; rinse turkey inside and out. in large stock pot or 5-gallon bucket, mix water with remaining ingredients. Stir well until all salt is dissolved. Place turkey in pot, cov-er with lid and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. remove turkey from brine, rinsing well. Follow regular cooking instructions.


seasonal green

By Michael McTighe

D ecember means the holidays – a time of year to reflect on past deeds and wish good will to all. As much as i make an effort to be kind, consid-

erate and conscious of the environment, December is a checkpoint to renew my ways and review how i am doing. i find the month a great time to change behavior so that the new year is a continuation of what i have been doing the month before. i find this process to be an ideal way to honor others and myself while adding to the holiday spirit. For those wanting to be more conscious about their environmental footprint, the national Audubon Society’s website (audubon.org/bird/at_home/holiday_Greening) offers valuable tips on greening the holidays. Although i try to embrace all the suggestions, the following are espe-cially easy to apply.

Reuse paper as wrapping According to the Audubon Society’s website, “a vir-tual forest goes into wrapping gifts and sending cards each holiday season. For example, Americans send nearly 2 billion holiday cards annually (hallmark). That adds up to a mountain of paper and an enormous vat of chemi-cal inks. Fortunately, there are many ways to share good wishes and cheer with friends and family and to do your part for trees and wildlife at the same time.”

Celebrate the gift of

sustainability

eLLie VAn hoUTTe/Town Crier

This holiday season, consider reusing old newspapers or brown paper bags as gift wrapping.


seasonal green

i reuse brown paper bags and newspaper as my wrap-ping material. if i have time, a box of crayons makes a great addition to beautifying my present. i find that most people pay little attention to the wrapping paper and ap-preciate the creative efforts. Besides, who said coloring had to stop after kindergarten?

Consider a living Christmas tree Audubon’s website notes that “each year, more than 35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States, as are 10 million of the artificial variety (national Christ-mas Tree Association), which consist of metal and plastics made from nonrenewable petroleum. Consider how you decorate and dispose of them – real trees can give back to wildlife, but both kinds will last for centuries in a land-fill.” i am not one to decorate the outside of my home and have a collection of blow-up figures on my lawn. A few years ago, i purchased a living pine tree and keep it in a pot year-round. My kids tease me that the tree looks like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. however, i have lots of fun looking for unique orna-ments from thrift stores. Last year, i bought some LeD lights to string around the tree limbs and am proud of the festive look. The tree may not be picture-perfect, but its


eLLie VAn hoUTTe/Town Crier

Potted trees purchased at a local nursery can serve as living Christmas trees at home.


unique character and appearance bring a special glow to my heart.

Throw a green holiday party The Audubon Society reports that “between Thanks-giving and new Year’s, 25 percent more trash is produced in the United States than at any other time of year (Use Less Stuff report). This year, cut back on the excess waste – not the guest list – while entertaining.” i enjoy making home-baked goodies to bring to parties. Most people appreciate the effort, not to mention the deli-cious morsels. A plethora of online sources offer a wealth of information and easy-to-follow recipes. By making fin-ger foods, there is no need for utensils, and paper plates are easy to compost. i especially like serving popcorn as a tasty treat to share with guests.

Give the gift of memories “Consumers are projected to spend more than $457 bil-lion (national retail Federation) on gifts and other goods this holiday season,” according to the Audubon website. “Think of how much money could be diverted to envi-ronmentally responsible organizations and businesses by choosing your gifts wisely. And imagine how much money you could save by giving the gift of your own time.”

in our community, most people have everything they could ever want, so my favorite gift is giving an expe-rience, especially to my kids. every year, i plan a night out in the San Francisco, complete with staying at a nice place. riding the cable cars, looking at the Christmas decorations and eating a wonderful meal all add up to a memorable experience. Being big baseball fans, my kids also enjoy going to special places. Last year, my son enjoyed a father-son weekend in Phoenix for spring training. he had a blast seeking autographs and seeing major-league players up close. My daughter, who attends college on the east Coast, enjoyed a day game at Boston’s Fenway Park with seats behind home plate. The tickets were easy to acquire and we had a great outing. Both of those experiences were priceless. The holidays will soon be upon us and some things are sure to be the same – such as the challenges of parking downtown. however, i’m looking forward to wrapping the comics around a special gift, bringing my pine tree inside and decorating the limbs, trying out a new recipe to bring as a treat and, of course, enjoying the creative process in planning this year’s gift of an experience. December truly is a magical time of year. Los Altos resident Michael McTighe is chairman of the leadership team at GreenTown Los Altos. For more information, visit greentownlosaltos.org.

seasonal green


home the for h olidays - los altos town crier · dawn pankonen at [email protected], janice fabella at...

Documents