Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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The 2010 growing season in Tuscany was marred by heavy rains in the early months. But folks at the Castiglioni estates claim perfect September conditions saved the harvest. One result: their Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese thrown in, yields brisk berries on the nose, deepened by dark cherry, the soft hue of rose petals and just a trace of pepper. Perhaps there’s more, but earthier notes fell victim to the bright scent of field berries. No matter, t...
Believe it or not, The Oven boasts of an impressive collection of vintage wines. Nothing odd about a restaurant serving fine labels, you say? Well, this prominent Lincoln destination is known for its paratha, rogan josh, hyderabadi biryani and a range of regional dishes—and, let’s face it, few people associate fine wine and Indian cuisine. Yet The Oven has earned Wine Spectator’s coveted Award of Excellence seven times and they are justly proud of their collection. The owners even dedic...
Chaco Canyon is perhaps the least intriguing of Empyrean’s lineup. It’s the light hitting shortstop or the tame top 40 song turned out by an edgy band. Of course, mainstream beers often reach a broader market, especially when they approach with a bright, crisp aroma laced with familiar grain—as well as a juicy whiff of lemony citrus, which exists more as a presence than a distinct layer. The Nebraska blonde ale would not offend the state’s mass-produced American lager fans, those who point habitually toward the Bud Light tap in a sea of craft n...
Pal’s Pub has no kitchen and employs no cook. It is instead a gathering spot, a tavern so friendly the bartender and other guests share familiar laughs—even if one is a newcomer. Few local spots welcome outsiders so readily. At first we weren’t certain Pal’s served food. And a jaunty box of “Roadkill Helper” perched prominently on a shelf offered little in the way of solace. But in a crunch for time that rule out Rock Ranch, and with Rickashaw stripped down by its new owners, the bar was our onl...
Obviously the name 8 Seconds pays homage to rodeo tradition. But this Canadian whiskey prefers to D up rather than provide a ride worthy of the dirt arena. While the label promises equal measures of hard work and finesse, the 30 or so oak-aged varieties blended to make up this brand instead yield more of the latter: on the nose a laggard sweetness like burnt honey soaked into a demure wood, to the taste rather gentle. It begins with a smooth, almost syrupy introduction. Very quickly a soft, earthy dried fruit note sounds, tamed by a something...
You could be forgiven for not expecting much more than flabby steaks and starters emptied out of a frosted plastic bag. Steakhouses wedged between an interstate highway hotel and an all-night Shell station rarely waste precious time on food preparation and good old-fashioned mise en place. But kitchen staff at the Golden Spur hand cut hunks of red meat into sizeable steaks. They also grind their own burgers, at least according to reports. Granted, the meat hardly approaches USDA prime. But a...
While American beer drinkers learned the beauty of craft and foreign brews, Budweiser stood fast as a bulwark for the lowest common denominator. As tastes changed toward more intricate and flavorful brands, Budweiser refused to budge from their proprietary white bread style. Now they are left to play catch up—first with their “Platinum” label and now with a trio of beers gleaned from their “Project 12” initiative. The program challenged the company’s 12 brewmasters to produce unique beers (within certain bounds), from which one would be se...
It was nice to have a long weekend. I took advantage of the time and went to Lincoln for a quilting class by a favorite teacher and visited my grandchildren (and their parents). It was very windy driving back to Kimball. A few of us enjoyed the visit and talk by C.M. Wendleboe. He has a great sense of humor and is very relaxed. He has another book coming out in June and working on two more. He wants to come back in a year or so. There are 49 entries in the HighPoint ShutterBug photography contest and they are all great photos. Now the photos...
Trout amandine prepared by a skilled chef almost melts in your mouth. So what if gourmands are dismissive of the old-school restaurant classic? Jean Giono once complained “never with butter, never with almonds—that’s not cookery, that’s cardboard-making.” But I’ve experienced delicate, mellow and rich brook fish prepared in the despised manner. And when I spotted a twist on Nathan Detroit’s menu, I couldn’t resist. Nathan Detroit’s is a cavernous, worldly pub and restaurant on the northern edge...
Samuel Adams never met a season it couldn’t match to a limited run beer. Since the original Boston Lager hit the market in 1985, the popular brewery has produced Holiday Porter, Summer Ale, Oktoberfest and so on. The most recent addition to their regular line up, Alpine Spring, combines the crisp breeziness of a lager with the richness and heft of a cool weather beer. It approaches with creamy malt sweetness, dry orange peel, other citrus notes and a touch of honeyed spice on the nose—an aro...
“Based on true events” is generally the set up for a long, hard fall, as Hollywood plays roughshod with a story that would sell itself if left alone. Not in this case, however. Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans who escaped and found refuge during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis--the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. A CIA specialist named Tony Mendez (played by actor-director Ben Affleck) hits on a rescue plan so ridiculous it could onl...
February 21 Fort Collins, Colo.: Dance performance, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”, Lincoln Center (7:30 p.m.) $ Denver, Colo.: Further in concert, Ogden Theatre (8 p.m.) $ February 22 Cheyenne, Wyo.: “Exit the Body”, Godfrey Playhouse (7:30 p.m.) $ Fort Collins, Colo.: Dance performance, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”, Lincoln Center (7:30 p.m.) $ Fort Collins, Colo.: Savoy in concert, Aggie Theatre (8 p.m.) $ Broomfield, Colo.: Further in concert, 1stBank Center (8 p.m.) $ Stapleton, Colo.: Comedian Pauly Shore, Improv Comedy Club (8...
This is another busy week at the library with Library Board Meeting this evening at 5:00 and the Oral history Project meeting tomorrow afternoon and the photography contest entries coming in. The entries for the photography contest have been great and include some very interesting photos. After Tuesday, the photos can be viewed and voted on for Viewer’s Choice awards. Please come in and visit these entries and cast your vote. Each year, the Nebraska Center for the Book picks a book for the whole state to read and learn about the rich Nebraska h...
Wonderful House occupies an enviable space. The destination restaurant in Scottsbluff is a multiple winner of the local paper’s annual “best of” survey. It attracts near full house crowds at lunch and dinner—with respectable service in between. It is also one of a scant few Chinese sit down restaurants in the southern panhandle…unless you really want to count a handful of soggy buffets. Like most ethnic kitchens in this part of the world, staff members stick with dishes familiar to the less...
Sauza Hornitos reposado remains one of the best tequilas on the market, when price point is taken into consideration. While brands with bigger names and flashier livery demand $50 or more per bottle, it’s possible to find this aged, 100 percent agave beauty in the $30 range. That discount lends a tequila redolent of agave and wood, streamed with traces of juniper and salt, with softer, sweeter notions lurking underneath. It promises on the nose to be one smooth yet intense ride. Be aware that this bottle is not meant for college bar s...
Few films are as bracing, wrenching and morally trying as Flight. Yet it is hardly a thriller. Some may even reel from a viewing of this Denzel Washington tome. The veteran actor plays an airline pilot who brings a damaged plane down in a remarkable crash landing, saving all on board--but that’s just the set up for a more grueling, nuanced, story that probes our concept of behavioral rights and wrongs, social mores and turns hero into anti-hero. Washington’s performance dominates the film, and...
February 14 Scottsbluff: Bearfoot in concert, Midwest Theater (7:30 p.m.) $ Cheyenne, Wyo.: “Exit the Body”, Godfrey Playhouse (7:30 p.m.) $ February 15 Cheyenne, Wyo.: “Exit the Body”, Godfrey Playhouse (7:30 p.m.) $ February 16 Cheyenne, Wyo.: “Exit the Body”, Godfrey Playhouse (7:30 p.m.) $ Fort Collins, Colo.: “Amadeus”, Lincoln Center (8 p.m.) $ February 17 Cheyenne, Wyo.: “Exit the Body”, Godfrey Playhouse (2 p.m.) $ Fort Collins, Colo.: The Ten Tenors, Lincoln Center (7:30 p.m.) $ February 20 Fort Collins, Colo.: Russian National Ba...
Wyoming book author C. M. Wendelboe will be at our library to talk about his books on THIS Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. His first two books, “Death Where the Bad Rocks Live” and “Death Along the Spirit Road” are part of a series set in Pine Ridge . Please set the time aside now to attend and hear the background. If there are any budding authors that attend, he will talk about writing also. The photography contest organized by the HighPlains ShutterBug Photography Club is fast approaching. The photographs are due at the library...
Tacos Mexico presents a dubious face. A plasticized banner strung outside advertises their breakfast burritos, calling to mind thoughtlessly prepared, Americanized things stuffed with sage sausage and scrambled eggs. And it shares space with one of the half-dozen or so tattoo parlors lined up along Overland Drive. Walk inside, however, and first impressions crumble into so much dry maize dust. The little kitchen serves tacos filled with beef, pork and chicken, of course. But the menu also lists...
Fans of the movie “Sideways” know that Pinot Noir is a moody, unreasonable grape. It is thin skinned, despises all manner of weather and, finally, is quite willing to wither or rot if not treated with the greatest sensitivity by man and nature. Meanwhile, fans of Hollywood will recall that director Francis Ford Coppola almost cracked during filming of his classic “Apocalypse Now.” Perhaps, then, the temperamental grape and the equally intense filmmaker belong together. Coppola recently revamped his winery’s marketing strategy, turning o...
Wyoming book author C. M. Wendelboe will be at our library to talk about his books on February 7 at 2:00 p.m. His first two books, “Death Where the Bad Rocks Live” and “Death Along the Spirit Road” are part of a series set in Pine Ridge. Wendelboe served in Vietnam and returned to a career in law enforcement. He served in many small towns around the Indian Reservations in South Dakota before moving to Gillette to find his niche as a sheriff’s deputy for 25 years. Please set the time aside now to attend and hear the background. If there are...
If you ask most people, they will tell you that dishes prepared from scratch beat out frozen quick service meals every time—particularly if the cook works with fresh ingredients. In the hippest dining enclaves, “slow food” restaurants earn raves. There is a reason, however, that chains like McDonald’s, Taco Bell and other prefabs exist in just about every corner of the western world. Beyond the obvious—value and the questionable comfort of knowing what to expect when placing an order—fas...
The Chivas name is dated, recognized by some of us—me, to be precise—from the days of shag carpeting and polyester. Yet they have longevity on their side. And in 1950 they purchased the Strathisla distillery, using its product to blend into their Chivas Regal. Fortunately, they allowed Strathisla 12 year single malt to remain. It breathes pale oak, clover honey, juice and chaff, backed by hints more difficult to discern—floral and tropical at the same time, with a touch of dry spice. The profile is typical of a Speyside malt. There’s little...
Mention the documentary genre and most eyes will glaze over. But “The Impostor” is hardly your average show and tell. Rather, the docudrama could fit into the same category as, say, “The Ghostwriter” or other seat of the pants thrillers--with some humor and natural drama thrown in. It follows the story of a con artist who pretends to be a teen missing for more than three years and is welcomed back by his overjoyed family. Although he shares distinguishing features as the missing boy, there a...
January 31 Cheyenne, Wyo.: “Nunset Boulevard”, Civic Center (7:30 p.m.) $ February 1 Kimball: Open Mic Night, Java Blend (5 p.m.-8 p.m.) Greenwood Village, Colo.: Comedian John Oliver, Comedy Works South (7:15 and 9:45 p.m.) $ Fort Collins, Colo.: Reverend Horton Heat in concert, Aggie Theatre (8 p.m.) $ Denver, Colo.: Ellie Goulding in concert, Ogden Theatre (9 p.m.) $ February 2 Scottsbluff: “Broadway in the Bluffs”, WNCC Little Theater (7:30 p.m.) $ February 5 Broomfield, Colo.: Ed Sheeran in concert, 1stBank Center (7 p.m.) $ Februar...