Beef Stew with Bourbon

I made this recipe for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It's easy to make and it tastes terrific. The piece de resistance ingredient is the bourbon. Fifteen minutes after I added the bourbon, I opened the lid to sneak a peak. The steam that hit me in the face smelled like I stuck my head in a still. I was worried that the bourbon would be too overpowering and ruin the dish. My concerns were unfounded. After the full 30 minutes the aroma was tempered, and the flavor was perfect.

Serve the stew over brown rice or egg noodles.

Ingredients
3 Tbs unsalted butter
2 1/2 lbs beef stew meat (such as boneless beef round) cut into 1" cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 fat carrots, chopped
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tbs tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. In a large casserole, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the beef from the casserole with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the onion and carrots to the casserole and cook until the onion is translucent and sticks to the bottom, 7 to 8 minutes. Return the beef, with its accumulated juices, to the casserole and let the juices deglaze the casserole for a few minutes, scraping the bottom.
3. Add the beef broth, wine, and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to very low. Cover and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 4 hours.
4. Add the bourbon and cook for 30 minutes more. Check the seasoning, stir in the parsley, and serve.

from Real Stew by Clifford A. Wright.

Peekay Hillard, FL Saturday Herding Trial Results

If today's herding trial was a horse race, Peekay would have had a clear lead at the top of the stretch only to lose to a hard closing charger by a nose in a photo finish. In order to earn a qualify score towards an American Kennel Club (AKC) herding title, one must obtain a minimum score of 60 (out of 100) as well as obtain a minimum of 50% of the points available on each of 6 obstacles. Today Peekay earned a score of 74, but failed to earn 50% of the points on obstacle #5, the center-line gate. Only earning 9 of a maximum of 20 points, Peekay failed in her quest to earn the AKC Herding Intermediate A-Course Sheep title by a single point.

Ouch. I admit initially I felt disappointed. I knew the cross-drive we executed was marginal. But I quickly was able to extinguish any negative feelings. Overwhelmingly I feel very good about our performance. There were lots of positives. We came oh-so close. I'm sure some judges would have given us the benefit of the doubt, and taken less off the cross-drive and we would have qualified. In any sport that is judged, there is always some measure of subjectivity. No two people will judge a run identically. In order to counter that, Peekay and I need to take it out of the judges hands. We need to execute all phases of the run where it leaves no doubt, even to the casual observer, that we passed. We didn't do that. It's not the fault of the judge.

But as I said, there were many positives today. Foremost, today was the very first time Peekay and I have ever set foot on this farm. She was a little cranked, but she always is at a trial. She executed and performed today just like we have done at countless times on our home farm in practice. She's now an old pro. Our training is no longer specific to locations. She can take it on the road, and I have confidence she can do it anywhere.

I also liked my performance. Starting off I felt a little nervous, but I quickly lost the butterflies and got down to business. I really felt that Peekay and I were in tune today working as a team. We were both reading the stock well, and anticipating.

We also kept things moving. There were no long pauses and therefore no time for the sheep to think about escaping. Our entire run only took 4 minutes and 44 seconds. I felt like I blinked and we were through the Y and Z chutes, and the sheep were in the holding pen.

Here is a blow-by-blow of our run:

1) Outrun/Lift/Fetch (15/20 pts) : The A-course at Hillard is a "clockwise" direction course, just like our home course in Watkinsville. From the handler's post, the exhaust pen is in the far left corner of the field. Assuming that the field's draw is to that corner, most handlers chose to send their dogs on the outrun in the "go by" direction. Peekay executed her outrun as good as any in practice. As she went down the field she angled out wide, not to spook the sheep. These sheep were a little heavy on the grain bucket, and it took Peekay coming in tight to get them to pop off and head down the field.

Hear I made a slight mistake. I was concerned about Peekay being too amped-up, and I banged my crook on the ground when she failed to execute a "stay" command. I really didn't need to do that. There was a note on my score sheep about watching my use of the crook. I'm sure at least 1 of the 5 points we lost was because of that. We didn't have too much trouble executing the turn at the handler's post.

2) "Y" Cute (13.5/15 points) This went just like practice. Peekay walking behind the sheep flanking the sheep in the "go by" and "away" direction on my command to keep the sheep on-line. The sheep were very good. They really respected my black-and-red GSD and were not looking to escape. Peekay turned them into the mouth of the Y-chute and before I knew it they were through and we were headed to the "Z".

3) "Z" Cute (14/15 points) In a matter of seconds it was over. As the sheep exited the Y-chute, Peekay already anticipated an escape and was in perfect position to defend a retreat. The sheep had no where to go but to the mouth of the Z cute. The flock were picking up speed, and Peekay was too. I barked the "walk" command as the sheep hit the Z chute, and she responded. The sheep sailed through and we were off to the holding pen.

I didn't know it at the time, but at the 1/2 way point of our run, we had a terrific score of 42 1/2 (out of 50), only losing 7 1/2 points.

4) Hold/Exam Pen (9.5/15 points) - When the sheep exited the Z - chute, they were breaking into a run. I was worried that they would shoot past the pen, and continue down the arena. Again Peekay was in the right position. She has so much power, she doesn't need to enter the Y or Z chutes to push the sheep through. With the sheep running, I simply gave her the "here" command. She picked picked up her pace and angled out towards me to cut off the retreat. The sheep stopped at the mouth of the pen. I walked her up slowly and the sheep went inside. We waited for the sheep to settle, and the judge to give us the signal that our hold was complete.

"That was a hold", said the judge. Now it was time to get the sheep out. The pen isn't very big. It's probably 6' wide by 10' long. The Intermediate class rules allow the handler to walk into the pen to assist the dog in getting the sheep out. It was my initial intention to walk into the pen with Peekay on my left hip. I would then have her sling shot around the inner walls of the pen. The plan was to have the sheep come shooting out, with Peekay on their outside, in full run to head them and stop them. However I changed my mind. Seeing how the sheep were reacting to Peekay, I didn't like the idea of bringing her into such close contact. I was afraid of unpredictable behavior. So instead I kept her outside the pen and sent her to the back wall. When I did that, one of the sheep unexpectedly popped out, leaving the other two behind. He tried to escape. Peekay would have none of it. Upon seeing this sheep pop out, Peekay stopped following my command and automatically began to cover the escape. The sheep was stopped just outside the pen. Luckily, the other two sheep popped out of their own, and joined their comrade. It wasn't pretty but we were still working a really good run.

Center-Line Gate (9 / 20 points) - As we moved down the fence to the "number 4" sign Peekay has to make the sheep turn 90 degrees to the left and walk across the center of the arena to the opposite fence. I tried to send Peekay quickly along the fence and turn the sheep. Peekay went on command, but I couldn't get her to stop fast enough. She ended up over flanking and the sheep zigged and zagged off line all the way across the arena. I didn't do her any favors by hanging back. I should have moved across the arena, ahead of the sheep within my "handler zone" to help draw the sheep across straight. In the end the judge didn't think it was good enough to qualify.

Pen ( 13 / 15 points) - After reaching the end of the arena, the sheep were already standing by the exit gate. The rules say that the dog must get the sheep away from the gate, and hold them such that the handler can open it without the stock being in the way. I new I had tons of time left, so I took my time and did a little training. I wanted to work on her walks and stops. I walked her up close, making a couple of stops along the way. I had her walk in and push them off the gate. To emphasis the point, that I had a hold, I opened the gate and kept Peekay in place. For a few seconds you could see that the sheep wanted to go through, but they didn't want to confront the dog. I then called Peekay back, and told her to stay as the sheep exited the arena. I closed the gate, not knowing if we qualified, but still feeling like we had a good run.

Frankly I let this one get away from us. What's done is done. Tomorrow is another day.

Again we demonstrated that we are moving up in class. We are so close to obtaining the Herding Intermediate title, I can taste it. Now, in less than 12 hours we'll get another chance. Hopefully we've learned from today's mistakes, and can improve.

Speed is good -- Walking is sometimes better. Let's go close the deal tomorrow "Peeks". It's an honor for me to be on the same field with you.

On the Road with Peekay and Lauda

It has been a long day. I am writing from the luxurious "Americas Best Value Inn" close to the Georgia/Florida border in Yulee, FL. I'm here with Peekay and Lauda for an American Kennel Club Sheep Herding trial in neighboring Hillard. Tomorrow Peekay will be one of four dogs entered in the Herding Intermediate A-Course sheep class. Our goal for the weekend is simple. Earn a qualifying score of at least 60 on Saturday or Sunday, and Peekay will earn her 4th herding title and 8th AKC performance title.

I'm tired from the 6 hour, 300 mile drive. We saw parts of Georgia I've never heard of. We actually drove through a town named "Lumber". In the night I also think I saw a sign that read "Entering Jeff Davis County".

I'm strangely calm. Since our last trial we have had several practices at Watkinsville, Dawsonville, and Townsville SC. The tough "black-and-red" GSD has improved over the past month. She is sharper. Her inside flanks improve each week. We've worked hard on all aspects of the A-course.

Most of all I have been working on me. When I walk out onto that field with Peekay, I am fortunate to have a lot of dog under me. Peekay has lots of weapons. The key is for me is to stay calm and use the right weapon at the right time. I've really concentrated on keeping my nerves in check, as well as reading the stock. It's a lot better to think ahead and anticipate rather then always be reacting.

Peekay will be 6 in April. She's currently in prime physical condition. If we are going to have a shot at the top AKC herding class (Advanced), we have to strike now while the iron is hot and get through Intermediate. It's hard for me to fathom, but she may only have 2 good years left.

Tomorrow is going to be a challenge. We have never been to this farm. I have no idea the quality of the stock. One good thing is I know both judges, and they both know me and Peekay. I don't expect any gifts, nor do I want one. We have worked way too hard for this title. I want to earn it. If things get wild, hopefully the judges will give us enough slack to clean up the wreck and let us continue.

It's time to get a good nights sleep. Lauda is already sacked out by my feet. Peekay has claimed her spot on the king side bed, and is hopefully counting sheep. It's getting hard for the old man to walk now. I pretty much support him 90% of the time. He needs help going to the bathroom. But he still is happy. He still wants to live. If you would have told me in January that he would be accompanying Peekay and me to this trial, I would have told you that you were crazy. Regardless if we qualify either day, just by having Lauda here with us, we have already won.

Speed is good --- Lets go get um Peekay. Good night.

Peekay AKC Herding Trial Photos

Here are photos of Peekay from the December 27 & 28 American Kennel Club Sheep Herding Trial held in Watkinsville, GA. Click on any photo to see a larger image.

Peekay runs down the red sheep with the white face.


Closing the door on yet another escape attempt.


At the handler's post, giving the signal to let out he stock.

Peekay guards the back door as the sheep return to the holding pen.


Flanking the red sheep with the white face.


The big dog waits for my next command.

Blueberry Cobbler

I recently was looking for a quick and easy dessert recipe and stumbled upon this one. With only four ingredients, and two of them sugar and butter how can this be bad? The homemade flavor is terrific, and it can bake while you're eating dinner.

I would recommend using a 1 1/2 quart baking dish instead of a 2 quart. I think the 2 quart dish spreads the top crust too thin, causing the blueberry filling to bubble through the top excessively.

Make sure you serve this warm, and top it off with a dollop of whipped cream.


Ingredients
3 cups fresh blueberries
1 plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup self-rising flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Pour the blueberries into a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sugar over them.
2. In another bowl combine the melted butter, the remaining 1 cup of sugar, and the flour. Mix well to form a pastry. Pour this over the blueberries and bake for 45 minutes.

Yields 8 servings

from "The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking"

Cheddar Corn Bread

I'm not a big fan of traditional true-blue Southern cooking. I usually find it to be:

a) Dry
b) Overcooked
c) Flavorless
d) All of the above

I prefer my Southern cooking to be "Yankee-ed Up". For example, take the classic "corn bread". I find eating traditional cornbread as appealing as dining on a cardboard box. Hands down, my favorite cornbread comes from the "3-for-a-dollar" Jiffy box mix. It just has the right balance between sweet and bland for my pallet.

So imagine my surprise when I was flipping through my "Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking" cookbook, and found the following recipe. This hallowed Georgia restaurant makes cornbread with Jiffy mix too. The recipe is no more difficult than the one on the box, and it is 1000% better. The texture is more like a moist cake, and the flavor is twice as good. I have all the ingredients in my pantry, and can't wait for the occasion to make it again.

Ingredients
2 (8.5 oz) boxes of corn bread/muffin mix
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 (14.5 oz) can cream-style corn
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a bowl combine the corn bread mix, eggs, milk and yogurt until blended. Stir in the corn and cheese.
2. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares. Serve warm.

from the "Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking"

Peekay Watkinsville Herding Sunday Trial Results

This blog entry is going to look a little boring today. No picture. No videos. Just words. This article looks like a chapter from one of my electrical engineering text books. I was expecting to get the photos I ordered from the trial photographer this week. As of post-time, they have not arrived. When they do I'll post them.

I have to start this blog with an apology. I must apologize to the red sheep with the white face. In an earlier blog I gave him the unflattering name "A-hole". I want to take that back. Even though he is just a big dumb sheep, he deserves better. Of all the participants at a herding trial, the livestock have it the worst. The dogs, handlers, workers, judges, and spectators all choose to be there. The only creatures that really don't are the most important -- the sheep.

I appreciate the sheep. I know on the surface that sounds stupid, but let me explain. In the morning before the trial, the sheep are back in the pasture, standing around grazing or doing whatever else dopey sheep do when they are not on the clock. All seems peaceful, until a man opens a gate and lets in "THE DOG". The sheep immediately tense and gather. They are forced to march out of the pasture to an unknown fate. Once at the destination, they meet more people, and more dogs. They are sorted and subdivided into smaller groups. They are whittled down further until the once mighty herd, is partitioned into multiple groups of 3. Each little group is put in their own little 4x10 pen. Here they stand in the cold, rain, and mud waiting. People walk by and stare. Dogs come by and intimidate. After what must feel like an eternity, the metal gate to their little stall creaks open. A dog thunders in, and drives them out onto the runway. Another gate opens and the small group of 3 is thrust into the arena. They are lead to a small pan that has a few kernels of corn. Maybe they are able to wolf down a mouthful of food when they notice real trouble. Here they spot another dog, the trial dog, thundering down the arena on its outrun. Now the fun really begins.

I always giggle when I hear people of faith refer to themselves as being sheep in the Lord's flock. If they only really understood the life of a sheep, I think they would reconsider. Being a sheep really sucks. No matter where you are, it's never the right place. There is always a dog, who really despises you, ready to move you someplace else. Once you get there and settle in a bit, the dog moves you to a new place, then a another, and another, and another...

Trial sheep don't know how to read. They are not following a script. They have no rules to follow. They just reacting to their environment. Some are relaxed, some are a little jumpy, and some are scared out of their minds. When we step onto the field, it's Peekay's and my job to move the sheep through the course regardless. So the red sheep with the white face did nothing wrong. He was being himself.

And our friend was again himself on Sunday. For some reason I started Sunday with a quiet confidence. I just felt that we had unfinished business from Saturday. Maybe it was viewing the video of the day before. I felt far more relaxed. Peekay is always "sharp", but she too also seemed a little more relaxed.

I knew our run was going to be incredibly difficult the second the stock handler gate opened and the 3 sheep entered the field. Two of the sheep followed the stock handler like robots to the grain pan. The third, the red sheep with the white face, bolted across to the other side of the arena. It took the set out dog, a retired herding champion, a good minute to round him back up and bring him to the others. The entire time Peekay and I were 100 yds away at the other end of the arena waiting. Peekay laying at the #1 cone was intently watching that sheep's every move. Deep down I knew that my only hope of qualifying was if the judge ordered the stock handlers to give us another set of sheep. That order never came.

If you read this blog you know that besides sheep herding my other passion is cycling. There are times when you are in the saddle, you would rather be any place else, but on that bike. Your muscles ache, your knees hurt, your butt is raw. But you know, that you have no choice. You have to get home. You have to continue. You reach down deep and find things inside yourself that you thought you never had. You will yourself forward. You will yourself to drive on. Failure is not an option.

As I gave Peekay the stay command and stepped away to send her on her outrun, I had one of those moments. I told myself by God we may lose the war today, but we are not going to lose the battle. Come hell or high water the red sheep with the white face is not going to win today.

I sent Peekay on the outrun. She executed it perfectly. Before I new it, the sheep were thundering up the center of the course with Peekay at the helm, guiding them to me. It wasn't long before our old friend started acting up. Almost immediately the red sheep with the white face tried to retreat. We were both ready for him. Time and time again the red sheep with the white face tried to retreat. Each time Peekay and I correctly anticipated his move, and cut him off.

I have never been more proud of my dog's non-qualifying run then I was of Peekay's performance this day. Usually once a sheep tries to escape, and the dog has demonstrated that it's quick enough to cover, they typically give up and do what the dog wants. Not our friend. The red sheep with the white face never stopped trying.

Some point on this run it became personal. This was our version of Muhammad Ali vs Joe Fraiser at Madison Square Garden. I remember one incident vividly. It was just after we rounded the #3 corner, and were heading for the holding pen. As the group approached the pen, the red sheep with the white face suddenly broke into a run and started off down the arena. Peekay noticed it right away and immediately took off down the center of the arena right behind. She was able to turn on the jets, angle in and stop the sheep in his tracks at the cross drive. Peekay and the sheep locked up their brakes in unison. The grass was still wet from the prior days rain. Both animals slid to a stop, divets of grass flying in the air. The red sheep with the white face abandoned his retreat and trotted back to the rest. Peekay trotted behind him.

I have to thank our Judge. During all the retreats and all the battling with the red sheep with the white face, she was silent on the scoring stand. At no point did she issue us a warning. I also was calm and focus. I put my trust in Peekay not to hurt the livestock, and she was worthy of that trust. Peekay had no malicious intent. She was not creating havoc for havoc's sake. She was doing what a good herding dog does, gathering her flock.

The only words that came from the scoring stand were the words "2 minutes", telling me that I have used 8 of the 10 minutes allowed to complete the course by AKC rules. I wasn't going to get beaten by the clock. We passed on the cross drive and brought them to the pen. We weren't going to let these sheep just walk in. I placed Peekay at the mouth of the gate and opened it. The sheep started to move forward, but I wasn't ready to let them in. I commanded Peekay to take a couple steps forward and she responded. The sheep stopped. Peekay just gazed at them. I wanted to drive the point home to the red sheep with the white face that he was going to leave the arena on our terms, not his. For what seemed like a longer moment than it really was we all stood motionless with the gate wide open --- man, dog, and sheep. Peekay body puffed, tail out, and ears at 12 O'clock, standing like a stone wall, gazing at her sheep. Finally, I called her off as I swung the gate open wider. She obeyed and the sheep ran through to safety. As I closed the gate, spectators applauded. In all the years I have been participating in herding competitions, this was the only time an obvious non-qualify run earned applause. We didn't qualify, but I showed all that we belonged on that field. They all saw that Peekay is a true herding dog.

After I closed the gate, I gave Peekay the command "Green" which is her release command. She did what she always does after a job well done; run full steam around the arena, then charge me. We both left the arena full of adrenaline. I didn't feel like the right thing to do was to load her straight away in her crate and walk away. I wanted to live the moment a little longer. I walked her out the gate of the farm, down the side street. As we walked a spectator came up to us and told us how good we were. I swelled with pride as she described how nice Peekay worked, and how well we handled a very difficult, stubborn sheep.

We're still one qualifying run away from the HIA-s (Herding Intermediate A-Course, Sheep) title. I've entered Peekay in a 2 day trial in Hillard, FL February 21st and 22nd. Until then we'll both be back on the practice field working. As always speed is good, staying is better.