ranch & reserve vol 1 issue 1

THE LONG-AWAITED, INAUGURAL ISSUE

Merry

CHRISTMAS!

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Photo Credit: Woody Hibbard

Editor & Publisher, Spring Sault

Art Director, Same

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Business &

Editorial

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4 WelcometotheRanch5 R&RInspiredGifts7 GreatGuestRanchHolidays13 SicilyCalling:Kathy

ChiavolasUpcomingDocumentaryProjectFor2016

19 Voluntourism:MelissaSaultVisitsAfricatoLendaHelpingHand

23 InthePourHouseR&RsHolidayWineGuide

27 Top10CountryChristmasCountdown

31 EpicureanAdventuresSayitWithSweets!

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Publishers Note

Welcome to the RANCH By Spring J. Sault, Publisher

his year, I have several reasons to celebrate. My brother has moved back home after six years of being away, and I thank goodness for

having him, my sister and both of my parents, close family and friends, alive and well. My sister-in-law has announced shes expecting their familys third child, and my husband and I are enjoying the fifth year of our marriage, just as this inaugural issue of Ranch & Reserve is rolling off the presses.

What is Ranch & Reserve? Its not just a title for a magazine; its a way of living. Its pages are designed to captivate and charm. The R&R experience embodies an enthusiasm for a simple, well-lived lifestyle, with emphasis on great music and even better food. It has a distinctively North American flavor; one that I believe will entice an international appeal. As readers, my hopes are to attract foodies, country music and wine lovers, travelers, collectors of western and North American Native artisanship, outdoorsmen and women - all devoted to experiencing their passions.

The collection of articles and photos in this magazine, and in issues yet to come, pay tribute to the stars of fine craftsmanship - both past and present. They highlight contemporary notables in western and Native American artisans together with the benchmarks in authentic leatherwork, the wares of fine silversmiths, not to mention visual and decorative art.

Theyll celebrate, a million times over, country music and the artists that value the art form and hold it to a standard that many modern day hopefuls can only aspire to accomplish.

And theyll bring nothing but the best in wine, food, travel and entertainment/events to an ever-growing audience, who enjoy few things in life more than a lifestyle that is not just a clich or a fad. Its a place in your heart that has a uniquely guiding principle; work hard, love your family, and live your life the best way you know how.

My intent is to grow this publication from a small niche to an internationally distributed title. This year marks the launch of Ranch & Reserve magazine, honoring western swing and Native flare, mouthwatering meals, tantalizing cigars and a glass of something strong. If you like buckling down and later putting your boots up, loud stock cars, quiet horses and evenings spent around a roaring fire, images of the North American West, and music that can bring a tear to your eye as quick as a smile to your face, then immerse yourself in these pages. Take pleasure in all that you see and read. Live the life youre meant to live, even if its vicariously through Ranch & Reserve magazine. All the best!

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Photo Credit: C Lazy U Ranch

An oasis of serenity and beauty in any season, a holiday vacation at a guest ranch could be just what the doctor ordered for a family that finds itself in all parts of the country, needing a place to reconnect. Whether youre dreaming of a white Christmas or long to go where its sunny and warm, ranch traditions during the holidays can add a touch of home-away-from-home to your busy travel plans. Magnificent accommodations coupled with chef-prepared delicacies are often the order of the day at many modern guest ranch accommodations. Marry that with horseback riding or horse-drawn sleigh rides, tree-trimming parties, Christmas cookie baking and telling stories around a blazing fireplace (or bonfire for that matter) and youve got a recipe for a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical! The simple, luxurious appeal of a guest ranch as a place for friends and family to meet up and enjoy the Christmas and New Years festivities together is a stress free solution with a unique and sincere backdrop for special memories to be made. Ranch & Reserve Magazine takes a look at five ranch holidays that would make anyones spirits bright!

Ranch

THE HOLIDAYS ARE OFTEN SPENT AT HOME, BUT FOR SOME, A LUXURY GUEST RANCH RESORT IS THE

ULTIMATE ZEN AT A TIME OF HUSTLE AND BUSTLE

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he C Lazy U Ranch in Granby, Colorado is the stuff that white Christmas holiday dreams are made of. If youve ever wanted

your own Norman Rockwell-esque, old time setting with your family near, and dear, being given their choice of quintessential Christmas or New Years activities, then this is the place to go. C Lazy U offers sleigh rides, sledding and tree-trimming in the heart of the Rocky Mountains!

Photo Credit: www.equitrekking.com Their accommodations are elegantly appointed rustic suites complete with a Christmas tree and decorations. And if snow is what you long for, then snow is what youll get! Cross country skiing, tubing, ice skating and winter trail rides are only a handful of the added activities that you and yours can enjoy before warming up in their 12,000 square foot riding arena, getting pampered in the Lazy You Spa, or enjoying a gourmet meal prepared by their resident chef. Speaking of gourmet, since stays at the C Lazy U are all-inclusive, that applies to the masterful, hearty meals that Executive Chef Denis Kaniger ensures are prepared to perfection. For Christmas, each family is served a turkey to carve, together with all of the traditional trimmings. Following dinner, Christmas carol singing takes place around a grand

piano and a warm fire, and Santa stops by in a horse-drawn sleigh!

Everything about the C Lazy U at Christmas is designed with the guests in mind. New Years Eve at the ranch is just as superb. Dance your night away to a live band at a traditional western swing dance, or you can ring in the new year with torch-lit ice skating or a moonlight cross-country ski tour! To learn more about the holiday season in Granby, Colorado, visit the C Lazy U Ranch website (www.clazyu.com) or call 970-364-0411. The word ranch seems synonymous with Montana, and at Montanas Lone Mountain Ranch, booking the winter packages and holiday specials will make you synonymous with Santa! Not only does Lone Mountain have some of the best alpine and Nordic skiing in its vicinity, it also plays favorites with avid snowshoers, winter fly-fishers, and snow-coach tourists of Yellowstone Park.

Photo Credit: C Lazy U Ranch

Photo Credit: Lone Mountain Ranch

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Photo Credit: Pinterest Each cabin accommodation includes a wood-burning stove and the holiday packages are inclusive of meals and refreshments (including a sleigh-ride dinner to legendary North Fork Cabin and a Christmas Day feast), gingerbread house making with Chef Nick Steen, Christmas Eve dogsledding and trailside brunch, live music in the saloon and skiing both with Santa as well as Nordic gear and access to the trail system and an alpine ski concierge and shuttles to Big Sky Resort. If you prefer to toast your toes by a fire, you can do so after treating yourself to a massage or yoga classes, or post-dining on one of the farm-to-table features prepared by their executive chef. Finally, kick up your boot heels to some live music at the best saloon in Big Sky while sampling some of the Lone Mountain Ranch feature wines, craft cocktails and local brews. Christmas packages include tree trimming, caroling,

cookie-decorating for the kids and a visit from Santa on Christmas Eve. The ranch also provides stockings in all of the cabins and several holiday feasts to enjoy. If outdoor pursuits interest you, moonlight snowshoeing and backcountry skiing into Yellowstone are a highlight, and on your return, dont be surprised if you get caught up in a spur of the moment holiday sing-along! For questions or booking, contact the Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Montana via their website (www.lonemountainranch.com) or by calling 1-800-514-4644. For those desiring a relaxing hacienda feel for their holidays, Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Arizona is a dude ranch in the Sonoran desert where you can kick your boots off and call it a day. This historic dude ranch resort has been family-owned and operated since its beginnings in 1948 and

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they pride themselves on friendly and genuine hospitality. During the holidays, guests can enjoy Christmas tree decorating, caroling and a Christmas Eve Cowboy Cookout consisting of good old fashioned barbeque! Enjoy a cup of eggnog while admiring the southwestern style furnishings, Saltillo tiles and colorful dcor that accent the accommodations and outbuildings. Listen to a cowboy balladeer serenading guests at the cookout (as well as the saloon for the adults), before getting the kids ready to put out their Christmas boots - yes boots, not stockings. It all makes for a fantastic rustic western holiday in a warm and inviting place.

Photo Credit: Rancho de los Caballeros And at Rancho de los Caballeros, Santa doesnt fool around. Since theres no snow for his sleigh and eight reindeer, he gets the job done himself and arrives on horseback something that you and the kids can also do at the ranch. Round off your holiday stay with horseback riding, guided ATV and Jeep tours, a day at the spa, cooling off in the pool or taking part in one of their many scheduled events or activities. Your family will love star-gazing in the desert night sky, hiking, golf, tennis, trap and skeet shooting. Relax, knowing that your Christmas and New

Years holidays were spent in a warm and friendly atmosphere where your family can reconnect and find the time for each other that is so rare. If you would like more information, contact Rancho de los Caballeros via their web address at www.ranchodeloscaballeros.com or via email at [email protected]. Named the Best Dude Ranch in Arizona in 2012 by Arizona Republic, as well as a Top Ten Family Resort by the Travel Channel since 2007, the Tanque Verde Ranch Resort in Tucson takes its green Christmas very seriously with four 16-foot Christmas trees,

the ranch and surrounding areas festooned with thousands of feet of lights, and nicely appointed poinsettias throughout the property. Established in 1868 and located on 60,000 acres of awe-inspiring Sonoran desert landscape, the ranch lies within the Rincon Mountains, adjacent to Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest. With several all-inclusive guest packages, your familys Christmas and New Years holidays will be anything but dull. Offering plenty of warm-weather activities to choose from, Tanque Verde specializes in riding lessons from basic to intermediate, including horsemanship fundamentals. There are also

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several scheduled rides, ranging from breakfast to sunset as well as a Harmony with Horses experience, tailored for each individual to learn extensive horsemanship skills, improved riding ability and a better self-understanding. For Christmas the ranch holds carol-singing and a Christmas cactus cookie decorating party. Santa makes an appearance on Christmas Eve for all the girls and boys, and parents can rest assured theyll sleep soundly through the night after being tired out by swimming, mountain biking, hiking and tennis, not to mention learning things at the on-site nature center! And Santas not the only special guest over the holidays rumor has it that the great Wyatt Earp (or someone bearing a very good likeness to him) makes an appearance for a poker game at the Doghouse Saloon! And after youre done spreading your wealth around the poker table, you might have time to kick up your heels at a cowboy dance in Cottonwood Grove a rustic outdoor entertainment area at Tanque Verde featuring a dance floor and all-natural wood deck for entertainment, an old fashioned chuck wagon bar, a wood-burning stove and a mesquite grill, surrounded by a

stand of soaring Cottonwood trees. The experience at Tanque Verde Ranch Resort is one for the record books as you spend your holidays in warmth and sun, in one of five distinct lodging choices ranging from Roadrunner Ridge (with scenic views of the Rincon Mountains) to Quail Hollow, Javelina Heights and Desert Garden (nestled among the mesquite trees) and finally to Mountain Vista (with amazing sunrise views.) And while the kids are enjoying onsite daytime activities you can be enjoying time at La Sonora Spa and who wouldnt want some R&R for the holidays? Contact the Tanque Verde Ranch and Resort via their website (www.tanqueverderanch.com) for more information, or by calling 1-800-234-3833.

Photo Credit: Equitrekking

Photo Credit: Tanque Verde

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Music

WITH A KEEN SENSE OF HISTORY AS WELL AS AN EAR FOR MODERN, LILTING MUSICAL APPEAL, KATHY CHIAVOLA TALKS

FAMILY AND MUSIC AND HER STRONG LOVE OF BOTH

Article Photo Credits: Lorenzo Sammito

hen singer/songwriter/vocalist Kathy Chiavola tells you her new project is a documentary, your eyebrows lift and your ears perk. Kathy is an

accomplished musician and vocalist with numerous credits to her name. To pigeonhole her with a formal job title in the world of art and music would be akin to baptizing a cat it wont work! Being her own boss has enabled Kathy to follow her heart, and in doing so, shes covered a lot of artistic ground. When Kathy and I first met in 2004, our conversation hinted at experiences that were yet to befall Kathy. She explained how she learned in college that her Sicilian last name, which she had always pronounced Shi vo lah, was correctly pronounced Key ah vo la. In 2014, during another telephone conversation, she proceeded to unravel a story that she was the perfect person to tell; a story of warmth, love and reconnection to her Sicilian roots. Lets backtrack just a bit to 2009 Each summer, four distinguished descendants of immigrants from Ragusa, Sicily, are awarded the Ragusani nel Mondo Award in recognition of their accomplishments. Ragusa has approximately 75,000 inhabitants, and is the capital of Ragusa Province. The award show, held in the main square in Ragusa, is widely attended and broadcast on television and radio. Past recipients include jazz musicians Michael and Roberto Occhipinti of Toronto, ON, Canada, and Susan Sarandon, Academy Award winning American actress. Kathy, whose grandfather was born in Ragusa, was honored in 2009 for her extensive musical career. It wasnt the first time Kathy had set foot on Sicilian soil. Several of her distant cousins emailed after finding her website in the late 1990s. Since Kathy was told she had no living Chiavola relatives in Sicily, it was a huge surprise when she heard from these cousins. They began a correspondence and, in 2000 while Kathy was visiting Rome, her cousin Monica invited her to Ragusa. Kathy jumped on a plane to Sicily not knowing what to expect. During her visit, Monicas family introduced Kathy to fifty distant cousins who embraced her like the long lost family member that she was.

Kathy explained that when she was growing up in Kansas City, MO, information about the old country was difficult to find. She asked her relatives about Sicily, but they didnt reveal much. They were more focused on becoming Americans.

It was a profound experience visiting Sicily for the first time. I met fifty cousins and we embraced each other. Since then, our families have bonded. The entire experience of visiting my ancestral homeland, discovering our distant family, and being honored with the Ragusani nel Mondo Award was so deep and profound, I decided I must document it not only for my family and other Italian-Americans, but for all descendants of immigrants. Kathy credits the internet for making this wonderful reunion possible, giving her family the opportunity to connect. Our generation is the first to have the technology to find our distant relatives, build relationships, and learn about our genealogy and history. Many beautiful things have happened to me as a result. She found Ragusa to have a very traditional culture, which reminded her of her family in Kansas City. She felt a belonging, and a feeling of home. Long before visiting Sicily, Kathy wrote her prophetic Italy Calling, which appears on her CD entitled Somehow. She performed it on the Ragusani nel Mondo award show and it is now the theme song for her aptly titled documentary Sicily Calling. Kathy admitted to initially having no idea how to make a film, but with the help of director Ann Cates, she found the courage to begin. Kathy, Ann, and cinematographer Alex Hall joined forces with a crew in Sicily for a week of filming. They 16

interviewed Kathys cousins, Sicilian historians, and completed three music videos. The films soundtrack features Kathys recordings of her original songs, bluegrass, country music and Sicilian songs. She sings a lullaby in Sicilian dialect with her cousin, Mattea Musso, and will relay stories such as how Italian-Americans helped to save Sicilian vineyards from ruin. She will also describe her volunteer work with Hands-On Sicily, which creates scholarships and educational opportunities for Sicilian children. Sicily Calling will highlight the incredible culture and beauty of Ragusa (recognized as the only place in Sicily which has never had mafia ties) and its proud people with close-knit families. Kathy has been working tirelessly on the feature-length Sicily Calling, targeted for submission to film festivals in the fall of 2016. She will also submit it to PBS and HBO. She is about to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for editing, marketing and promotion, and in the meantime, you can find her doing session work, teaching singing, and performing. Kathys music is soothing to the soul, much like its singer and

composer. Her artistic goals are inspired, and it is anticipated that her documentary will be deeply transformative.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.

Marcel Proust

Photo Credit: Beverly via Flickr

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he year 2012 was when I first heard of the Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Melissa Sault was making the trip alone from her home on the Mississaugas of the New Credit First

Nation, in Ontario, Canada to the 25,000 ha. game reserve to have a safari of a lifetime (quoted from the Shamwari website). My interest; however, was not in this magnificent location, with its African wildlife viewing, spa treatments and sanctuaries. My interest was in the amazing fact that she was making this voyage of her own volition, in an effort to make a difference. In 2014 she repeated the journey for the same voluntourism, as she has called it. Melissa had heard about the Shamwari Conservation Experience via her online efforts to investigate the ability to volunteer and have an impact with animals in an authentic and ethical manner. Where in many instances, game compounds or so-called sanctuaries

in Africa deal mainly in baby lions, with an eye for releasing them for canned hunts, Shamwari differs in that there is no handling of animals unless a veterinarian is on site, in efforts to ensure that the animals do not become acclimated to human contact and subsequently their wild nature is preserved. When asked what made her first decide to become

involved in this type of activity, Melissa identified that it was her love of animals that drove her along this path. As a child, I always wanted to go to Africa on safari. It had been a life-long dream. And now she was living it twice! She felt in awe of the experience, noting that Shamwari is two-fold in its surroundings and offerings: it can be a top-dollar resort with great accommodations, pampering services, and excellent meals, or it can be a fairly basic place, like a camp,

with actual one-on-one interaction with a guide, allowing for behind-the-scenes experiences as opposed to planned and scripted animal interaction.

Travel

Voluntourism MELISSA SAULTS VISITS TO THE SHAMWARI GAME RESERVE UNCOVER

AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE IN DRIVE AND PASSION

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Since her voluntourism experiences, Melissa has been asked to speak in local schools about her visit, the conservation activities she volunteered for, and the significance of places like Shamwari. She emphasizes the importance of the work, with a keen eye for highlighting volunteer availability in whats called the gap year, for students completing high school and entering into post-secondary training and education towards their careers. And shes spoken to the plight of the rhinoceros, or rhino, which in 2013-2014 saw triple the amount of poaching and ruthless killing than in previous years. Coveted for their horn, which is bought and sold on the black market for use as a valuable ornamental dagger handle, and in powdered form for traditional Chinese medicinal purposes, the rhinos population has dropped by 90 (ninety) percent since 1970. Its current estimated numbers for white rhino specifically (one of the two species found in Central and Southern Africa the other being black) range at 18,500 (eighteen thousand, five hundred) across game reserves, parks and private land ownership in Southern

Africa. Noting that on this continued path, the species will be near extinction by 2024, Melissa makes it her personal goal to inform and assist in fundraising efforts, get word out, and get schools on board the Rooting for Rhinos initiative. Whats driving Melissa on this path? Passion is, of course. You can hear it in her voice when she comes to the realization in our interview of how sad it will be for todays youth to venture to Africa in the future to not be able to see a rhino, wild elephants, or lions. The concept is not foreign but the volunteer time, fundraising, public support and effort is meek in comparison. Those that are heavily involved have often been so on the basis of their experiences in a place like Shamwari. On her second trip, Melissa connected with one lady, Angie Goody,

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who has continued to pursue her efforts for animal conservation since her stay on a nearby game reserve in 2012. This lady witnessed the horror of rhino poaching first hand and as a result has initiated Thandis Fundraiser, which has raised money over the past two years to strengthen anti-poaching initiatives. Melissa continues to support Shamwaris individual programs in her own efforts to remain involved. In previous visits, she has taken childrens clothes, small books and puzzles, as well as beads for a fundraising project spearheaded by a coordinator at Shamwari. On future trips, she intends on taking items that have been listed on the Shamwari Conservation Experience website and blog. People attend the Shamwari Game Reserve from all over the world. Through her two trips, Melissa has met and made friends with individuals from Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, France, South Africa and Britain, and continues to maintain their friendship through Facebook and email. The experience that ties them altogether is that thing good or bad that happens when youre out there working in the wild, knowing youre making a difference. For them, the connections remain long afterwards. In the end, its ensuring that the Africa that we know, and that weve read about as kids, is maintained, and its wildlife is free to roam and live unencumbered by man, that pushes Melissa to continue enlightening students and teachers, friends and family on the virtues of the action and the message. Wildlife can be maintained. Sustainable growth can be managed in safe circumstances. And conservation is a goal, not a dream, which can be accomplished. If Melissas journey speaks to you, your Africa, or your rhino may be a different place or a different species, but that doesnt mean that your voluntourism could be any less meaningful. For more information on this experience contact Shamwari Conservation Experience (www.shamwariconservationexperience.com) or contact Melissa Sault directly ([email protected]) to come and share her experiences with your school or group.

Photo Credit: Presiosa Ornela

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he choices of trimmings for a Christmas or New Years turkey dinner will be, to many, just as important as the turkey itself.

Deciding with whom and where to eat can also cause undue anxiety. One thing you wont have to stress over, however, is what wine to pair with the appetizers and meals youll be enjoying over the holidays, because R&R has a wine for that!

Photo Credit: Ken Hawkins

First, determine how your turkey will be cooked. If its traditional, then likely it will be roasted, but other options include deep-fried or smoked. And the possibility that the bird will turn out dry becomes tenfold if an over-zealous dinner hosting newbie puts it in to cook too early! Just know that for as many styles of cooking, there are an equal number of delicious end-results, but ones that vary greatly from each other in taste and texture.

Next, consider the easy rule of thumb: white wine with white meat and red wine with red. Its a good rule to have, but in the wine world, rules can easily be broken. There can be quite a few delicious exceptions and these merely tasteful suggestions are only a sampling of what your local vineyards and wine stores have to offer! If your family favors oven-roasted, a full-flavored Pinot Noir has our blessing. With its name derived from the fact that its bunches resemble a pine cone in shape (pinot in French), this is THE red wine grape which has been embraced in regions around the world. As the patriarch of the Pinot family of grape, its derivative wine is guaranteed to be smooth, handsome and reasonable unlike the date you brought to last years family dinner!

Photo Credit: Derek E-Jay

Reserve

IN THE POUR HOUSE RANCH & RESERVES HOLIDAY WINE GUIDE

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Photo Credit: Dominic Lockyer

Sad but true, occasionally a dry turkey cannot be ducked (no pun intended). Dont be alarmed, for out of the dust comes a dry ros! Ironic? Yes. Disappointing? Never! A Mourvdre Ros is made from a grape variety grown in many regions around the world (including France, Spain, and the US) that can produce a wine with an excellent bouquet, coupled with intense fruit flavors and often hints of blackberries. It will charm the dew off the roses (or ros in this case) and hopefully drop it somewhere in the vicinity of a parched turkey connoisseur. When smoked, a turkey remains tender and absorbs its fumes flavor including the seasonings and spices that are added. This slow cooking method allows the beautifully browned turkey to truly be the centerpiece it

was meant to be. Pairing this with a delectable Petite Sirah will ensure this meal is something guests will talk about for years to come. A Petite Sirah grape adds structure, color and a tannic backbone to its wine, which again, is probably more than can be said for the date you brought to last years family dinner! (What were you thinking?) Similarly, a red Zinfandel will complement a smoked turkey in that its primary flavors are all said to burst in a candied fruit savor with a subsequent spice and tobacco-like smoky finish. And finally, the red-headed stepchild of the storya red sparkling wine. Red sparkling wines, to some bougie beverage drinkers, can equate to what deep frying is to roast turkey dinner aficionados uncouth. However, kicking that old adage in the can, You are

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what you eat, (or drink in this case), a good glass of bubbly contains the same healthy benefits as a glass of red wine, with fewer calories and still as many polyphenols (antioxidants) as a cup of hot chocolate. Translation: its as good for you as a cup of cocoa, and probably a lot more fun! Subsequently, pairing a red sparkling wine with a deep fried turkey dinner will go a long way towards earning you the toasts to your good health you so greatly deserve! But since these are simply suggestions, why not tour some wine stores or vineyards and bring a wine to dinner that will bolster the meal and add to the witty repartee that goes along with itunlike the date you brought to last years family dinner!

Photo Credit: Justin Fincher

Photo Credit: Cathy T on Flickr

In the Pour House will be a monthly feature in Ranch & Reserve Magazine, featuring wine suggestions, pairings and general good tasting humor. For comment or questions, please email: [email protected]

Photo Credit: Andrew Smith

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R&RSTOP10COUNTRYCHRISTMASCOUNTDOWN

I Only Want You for Christmas Alan Jackson The first Christmas album and fourth studio album by Alan Jackson, Honky Tonk Christmas was released in 1993. I Only Want You for Christmas together with the title track both charted on Billboards Hot Country Songs, proving that some spend the holidays singing traditional carols, and some still enjoy a festive honky-tonk song!

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RCA

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Arista

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Beautiful Star of Bethlehem The Judds Released in 1987 and certified platinum, the album Christmas Time With the Judds featured several standards, including Winter Wonderland and Away in a Manger, but their signature harmony on Beautiful Star of Bethlehem is what places this song on the R&R top 10 list of country Christmas music. A more harmonious holiday song, youll be hard-pressed to find.

MCA

Merry Christmas Strait to You George Strait Released in 1986, Merry Christmas Strait to You! was the first Christmas album by George Strait. Reaching #17 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and certified double platinum by the RIAA, it featured its original namesake recording a toe-tapping Christmas tune for the country music lover in all of us.

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A Holly Jolly Christmas Burl Ives Burls rendition of A Holly Jolly Christmas has become a country Christmas holiday staple in many households. His chart-topping 1965 pop release hit was a re-recording based on its successful feature in the 1964 holiday classic animated TV production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, launching it as a Christmas standard.

Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy Garth Brooks A new star in country music at the time, Garth released his first Christmas album in 1992, at the height of garthmania. Titled Beyond the Season, it featured many Christmas standards, not the least of which was a spirited rendition of Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy, previously covered by the late, great Buck Owens.

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MCA

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WarnerBrothers

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Meet Me Under the Mistletoe Randy Travis Randy released his first Christmas album in 1989, titled An Old Time Christmas. It featured such classics as Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Winter Wonderland but the true shining star was an original track entitled Meet Me Under the Mistletoe a lighthearted song about a couple finding time for each other in the busy holiday hustle and bustle.

Liberty

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Rockin Around the Christmas Tree Brenda Lee No party is complete without the country great, Brenda Lee, singing Rockin Around the Christmas Tree. She was all of 13 when she recorded this track in 1958, which climbed to no. 14 on Billboards Hot 100 chart. Since then, the tune has been covered by dozens of artists from all genres.

Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms Helms recorded the original version of Jingle Bell Rock in 1957. Since then, it has been covered by hundreds of artists, with no one version as well-known as the original. The song receives frequent air time world-wide each Christmas, and since then, Helms re-recorded it throughout the 1960s-1980s, ensuring the classic would live on as a favorite of many for years to come.

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Decca

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RCAVictor

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Blue Christmas Elvis Presley Ernest Tubb originally made this song a hit, but Elvis Presleys 1957 version transformed his record into the top selling Christmas album of all time. Often imitated but never duplicated, Elvis Blue Christmas has played on the record players, 8-tracks, cassette decks, cd players and now electronic devices, of country Christmas music fans the world over. Now thats staying power!

Decca


#1Columbia1953

Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane) Gene Autry Originally written and performed by the great man himself, with music composed by Oakley Haldeman, Autrys original Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane) was a top-10 hit on both the pop and country charts. He first got the idea for the song after riding his horse in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade in Los Angeles, where parade-goers were heard chanting Here comes Santa Claus! He first recorded the song in 1947, released as a single by Columbia Records, and in it, pronounces the dear old man in question as Santy Claus. He re-recorded it for Columbia in 1953, and once again for his own Challenge Records label in 1957. The song has been featured in several Christmas movies most notably National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989) and continues to play in the soundtrack of company Christmas parties and household holiday gatherings throughout the years, making it a country Christmas mainstay and number 1 on the list!

Photo Credits: Flickr

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Photo Credit: HipMomma

EpicureanAdventures:SayitWithSweets!The gift that keeps on giving is highly overrated. There are hundreds, perhaps millions, of gift

truisms, tips and quips to help you figure out what to give, to whom, and just how to give it. But

happiness can be as simple as homemade cookies wrapped lovingly in a Christmas tin, coupled

with one of your favorite cookbooks, a packet of coffee or tea. Do not stress over whether your

macarons really do mesh well with your meringue tart, or that the icing on your family sugar

cookie recipe dripped all over the Rice Krispies squares you lovingly pressed with waxed paper the night before... Your friends will stop, drop and drool for one of these doubly delicious holiday

delicacies!

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Photo Credit: Theodore C

SnowballCookiesAdept at satisfying a sweet tooth, these little melt-in-your mouth miracles make a fanciful addition to any

cookie platter!

Yield: 2 Dozen Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar, for coating

Directions: Preheat your oven to 350F. In a bowl, mix butter until

creamy and blend in the powdered sugar and salt. Next,

mix in the vanilla and slowly add the flour, mixing just

until combine. Stir in the walnuts. Scoop the dough out

1 tbsp at a time and roll it into a ball. Then place the

balls on greased baking sheets and bake in your

preheated oven for 16 - 18 minutes, until bottom edges

are lightly golden.Remove them from the oven and allow to cool several minutes. While the cookies are still warm, pour

the powdered sugar into a bowl and roll each of the cookies in it to coat. Transfer them to a wire rack to

cool, and once cooled, roll them a second time in the powdered sugar to generously coat. Store them in

an airtight container.

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Photo Credit: m01229 via Flickr

PeanutButterKissesKnown for tempting your taste buds with a vengeance, these little beauties have an appeal like no

other coupled with a mouthwatering flavor. Grab your cocoa for a double chocolate whammy!

Yield: 3 Dozen

Ingredients: 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Additional granulated sugar

36 Hershey's Kisses chocolates, unwrapped

Directions: Preheat your oven to 375F. In a large bowl, beat 1/2

cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, butter

and egg with a mixer on medium speed, or with a spoon,

until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking

powder until dough forms. Shape the dough into 1-inch

balls and roll in additional granulated sugar. On ungreased

cookie sheets, place the balls approx. 2 inches apart. Bake

8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate kiss in the

center of each cookie. Move from sheets to

cooling rack.

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Yield: 5 Dozen

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

SugarCookiesDirections:

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugaruntil smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt and then cover and

chill the dough for at least one hour (or overnight). When ready to bake, preheat your oven to

400F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface approx. to -inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with any cookie cutter. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to

8 minutes and let them cool completely before decorating.

Photo Credit: Dan McKay

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Photo Credit: Moyan Brenn

Gingerbreadcookie not only serves as a great dessert or gift, it can double as a home for wayward cookie families.

Help someone out and build one today!

Yield: 6 Dozen

Ingredients: 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 cup water

1 tbsp ground ginger 1 egg

1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup shortening, melted and

cooled slightly

1 cup molasses

Directions: Sift together the flour, baking powder,

ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon;

set aside. In a medium bowl, mix

together the shortening, molasses, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth.

Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, until

they are completely absorbed. Divide thedough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 inch thickness, wrap in

plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Preheat oven to

350F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch

thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies

1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12

minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet to cool on wire racks. Let

cool completely before decorating.

Perfect for dipping in coffee, or lighting up the face of a

miniature muncher just after supper, the standard gingerbread

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Photo Credit: Alison and Fil ChocolateGingerbread

Wait, what?! Yes, with these little guys you get the best of both worlds! Not only are they tasty,

but they may just be the happiest family you see all holiday season! Ok not really, but you might be

that happy too if you were made of yummy, gooey chocolatey pastry. Pair them with your favorite

coffee or wine or yes, even share them with the kids.

Yield: 20 Large Decorating Cookies or 40 Small Plain Cookies

Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 tbsp ground ginger 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 lrg egg at room temperature

1 tsp ground cloves 1/2 cup molasses

1 tbsp baking soda 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1/2 tsp baking powder and cooled

1 tsp salt

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Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cocoa powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground

cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the

paddle, beat the softened butter with the shortening at medium speed until the mixture is smooth,

about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg to the

cookie batter and beat until incorporated. Beat in the molasses and then the melted bittersweet

chocolate. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating between additions. Divide the dough into 3

equal parts. Shape each part into a disk, then wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate the

cookie dough until chilled, about 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line 2 large baking sheets

with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 part of dough 1/4 -inch thick.

Using 4- to 5-inch cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes and transfer to the prepared baking

sheets. Re-roll the dough scraps and cut out more cookies. Bake the cookies approx.. 7 minutes,

rotating the pans halfway through baking until the tops are dry. Let the cookies cool on the pans

for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining

dough. Last but not least, enjoy!

Photo Credit: Spring Sault, Alamodome, San Antonio, 2013

Where will you be listening to the greatest country music acts live in concert in 2016?

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[email protected] Ranch & Reserve Magazine

Photo Credit: Les Haines

Photo Credit: Sarunas Burdulis

1 December January Cover2 Inside Cover December January3 Business December January24 Table of Contents December January5 R&R Editorial6 Christmas Gifts We Like7 Christmas Gifts We Like Also8 Ranch Article First Page9 Ranch Article pg 2 and on10 First Filler Page11 Kathy Chiavola Draft12 Filler Page 413 Voluntourism_Melissa Sault14 Filler Page 215 In the Pour House16 Filler Page 317 Christmas Music We Like First18 Christmas Music We Like Middle19 Christmas Music We Like Last20 Christmas Music We Like Final21 Epicurean Adventures22 Filler Page 523 Back Cover

ranch & reserve vol 1 issue 1

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