Cooking with David Maciel

Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza
September always signals the start of fall weather and apple harvest season for me, and one of my favorites dishes combines fresh picked apples and chicken. These easy to make chicken apple sausage patties are delicious and great for any meal of the day. This recipe makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
• 1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled
• 1 lb. ground chicken, white & dark meat combined 50/50 blend
• 2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane*
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 4 tsp. vegetable oil, divided

Directions:

1. Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater; discard the core and stem. Gather the grated apple into a paper towel and carefully wring out the apple juice, while reserving the apple. Roughly chop the grated apple and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the ground chicken, garlic, scallions, salt, pepper, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, and nutmeg to the bowl with the apple. Gently mix by hand to combine the sausage mixture. Shape into 8 balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Flatten 4 balls, each into a 3-inch wide patty and place in the preheated skillet. Cook the sausage patties until browned on both sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and
   sausage patties. Serve warm.

* A microplane is a kitchen tool with a long, narrow, stainless-steel grater and a handle for grip. It has small, sharp, razor-like edges that can shave light, powdery, or fine pieces of cheese, garlic, ginger, citrus peel, chocolate, or spices. It was originally a woodworking tool that became a culinary gadget by accident.

November 21, 1948 – July 21, 2023

John died in his sleep July 21, 2023, at the age of 74. He was out on the road in his motorhome, cruising through the state of South Dakota. A full-time vagabond since about 2017, John relished exploring the backroads and tiny towns of the U.S. with his beloved cats; first Sinbad and then Beans.

John, an only child, was born to Shirley (Horner) Kirn and Terry Lee Kirn in Los Angeles, California. His parents
divorced in 1955 and his mother married Charles Richard Zuttermeister. His dad Terry was killed by a drunk driver while on a motorcycle when John was 7 years old.

John spent a lot of his childhood with his maternal and paternal grandparents, and he was encouraged to read and explore. His Grandmother Kirn took him to museums, concerts, and ballets. He graduated from Warren High School in 1966.

He met and fell in love with Jane Caffee. They were married on Valentine’s Day, 1968. John got a job with the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier. Shelly was born later in 1968 and Scott was born in 1972. While in Southern
California, John raced motorcycles in the desert. In 1972, the Kirn family relocated to the small, northern
California town of Cloverdale where John worked at the Post Office. He was able to retire in 2002 after 34 years. John loved camping trips with his family to state and national parks, stopping at every single historical marker along the way.

The City of Cloverdale is committed to protecting the health of the Russian River Watershed. In September, international, national, and local organizations come together to encourage public participation in keeping our watersheds healthy and free of harmful pollutants. This year marks the 39th anniversary of Coastal Cleanup Day on September 23rd. In addition, National Pollution Prevention Week is celebrated from September 18-22, and locally, Creek Week is celebrated in the Russian River Watershed from September 16-23rd.

Without volunteers dedicating their time to help with these cleanup events, this trash would have been washed downriver during last year’s wet winter and would have negatively impacted our river, downstream communities, and, eventually, the ocean.

This year, the City of Cloverdale will host two Russian River cleanups on Saturday, September 16th from 9-11 am and volunteers are needed. Volunteers can choose to clean up the River at Asti Bridge (meeting at the Russian River bridge on Washington School Road) or at First Street Bridge (meeting near the cemetery on Crocker Road / E. First St.). All supplies (gloves, trash grabbers, bags, etc.) will be provided, and volunteers will also receive a special gift. We hope to see many volunteers and have a very successful Creek Week Cleanup. If you would like to join the community in protecting our local environment, please sign-up for the cleanup event of your choice at:
https://bit.ly/Cleanup2023-AstiBridge or https://bit.ly/Cleanup2023-FirstStreetBridge.

Conservation Project Will Help Russian River and Creeks Too The City of Cloverdale is not just focused on river health during September, but is committed to improving the Russian River’s health all year round. The Russian River, our water supply, is a vital resource, and we are taking significant steps to ensure its sustainability and protect our local ecosystems. Cloverdale’s water supply comes from several wells located near the Cloverdale River Park along the Russian River at the City’s Water Treatment Plant. These wells tap into the alluvium beneath the river, which is a complex mixture of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. The groundwater from these wells is treated and then distributed throughout our city’s water system to serve the city’s daily and emergency needs.

On July 23, 2023, Elizabeth “Betty” Kunakov passed away peacefully in her sleep. She was 88 years young and lived a full life. A longtime Cloverdale resident, she loved her small town and actively participated in many organizations such as Soroptomist, Citrus Fair, the Food Pantry and Living Water Church. Betty had a passion for travel and saw more of the world than most people. She had a love for animals, particularly her two West Highland Terriers, Chelsea and Katie.

Please join us to celebrate her life on September 23rd at Living Water Church at 10:30am.

Betty was predeceased by her husband Richard Kunakov and is survived by her daughter Cheryl Shapiro, 2 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

We love you Gaga and “the best is yet to be”.