Wolf Creek
Lodge Newsletter 
Adult Cohousing in Grass Valley, CA
January, 2018
Editor - Bob Miller
We focus on food this month - specifically common meals. We explore both famous meals and celebrity chefs. Such a focus on eating needs some balancing. Maybe a future newsletter could focus on the various exercise habits of members.

Unlike some parts of the country we have had little precipitation so far this winter. The snow cover on the nearby Sierra Mountains is rather thin and way below average. There is down hill skiing but rather dependent on snow making.

There are currently no homes available at Wolf Creek Lodge but there are homes that we know will come on the market. By the time you have properly investigated the Wolf Creek Lodge community and have gotten your existing home ready to sell there will be a home available. See "Available Homes" below. Contact us if you are interested so we can be more specific.

Bob Miller,
Editor.
Five Years and still eating
Common Meal Diners
We can look back at five years of common meals at Wolf Creek Lodge. They are all there in our on-line reservation system - the cooks, the menu and the diners. There are approaching one thousand meals.

Some meals have a somewhat celebrity status. They appear regularly and have built up a regular clientele and even a regular "not for me" group.

We will identify these regular favorites at the risk of offending a neglected cook or two.

Some cook teams are adventurous. They try different menus each month. These are excellent meals but, due to their lack of repetition, they do not make our list.
The Makings of a Successful Common Meal
Jo with Meal

Common meals come in many varieties. They often reflect the life history of the cook.

There are the truly gourmet meals. These are much appreciated but cannot become regular fare.

There is a special place for simple, low calorie, healthy meals. Members can eat these on a regular basis whereas a steady diet of the gourmet meals may lead to a stern warning at the annual physical.
Famous Five
So here at the risk of losing some local readers is our list of five famous meals.

Seared Ahi

Seared Ahi has been provided 34 times so far. Mike carefully watches the pricing in a couple of favorite stores and swoops when the price is right.

Salade Nicoise

This was a popular, healthy favorite that appeared on a monthly basis during the summers. The lead cook for this meal is no longer with us. It does appear now and again but is no longer a regular. The salad was served family style on large platters. The meal featured artisan bread. Ice cream with Kahlua was offered as dessert. Some preferred Kahlua with a dash of ice cream. It has been offered on 26 occasions.

Austrian Goulash

Under the guidance of Chef Magdalene this is a powerful version of a dish from her early life in Germany and Austria. It's served with dill pickles and mashed potatoes. The secret is the browning of vast quantities of onions. Some find this too aggressively carnivorous - come back tomorrow!

BBQs Tri Tip and Chicken

Experienced BBQ chef Butch regularly prepares this quintessential American meal on one of the BBQ grills on the patio. If you prefer chicken then sign up with Bill.

Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Often available as a "veggie" option with the Ahi this is also offered as the main menu item.
Salade Nicoise
Goulash
Celebrity Chefs
Roger

Roger sometimes produces dangerous desserts such as chocolate cake. In contrast he also prepares simple meals on a day following a holiday banquet such as split pea soup with ham. This is often a free meal attracting many diners.

Jim

Jim's specialty is hors d'oeuvre or desserts with visual appeal. Some are intricate works of art. Other times he prepares desserts sourced from places far abroad.
Jim's Lady Bugs - detail
Jims Chicks
Roger preparing soup
Jim at Holiday Party
Cremme Brulee by Jim
Creme Brulee a la Jim
Potlucks
On the Saturday after the Open House, on the Saturday after the General Meeting and on the following Saturday we have a potluck.

There is an element of risk and uncertainty about these offerings. Generally things work out and you can make a fine selection.

The system is somewhat unstable. One Saturday there may be a lack of desserts. The next Saturday there is an over reaction - plenty of desserts but where the heck is the salad?
potluck serving table
Sunday Brunch
Sunday Brunch
A cook team regularly prepares a Sunday Brunch.

A typical menu is: frittatas, oatmeal or muffins, fruit salad, yogurt, turkey bacon.
Holidays
July 4th
The grill is fired up and the meal takes shape potluck style on long tables on the patio.
Halloween
The three witches brew their potion under an evil spell.

Three Halloween Witches
Thanksgiving
The social team cooks two turkeys and all the trimmings and desserts arrive as a potluck. We enjoy the company of family members and friends visiting for the occasion.

Thanksgiving Table
Christmas
We have a holiday party. The social team prepares a ham.

A carefully trimmed tree and other decorations create a festive mood.
Xmas Turkey
Digging in the Dirt
Claire Miller
Claire for column
Listen to the darkness on these long nights of winter.
Taste the golden moonbeam, and the wind’s kiss so bitter.

The frogs and bats and lizards, have all gone to sleep.
Fat bears are sleeping too in their caves so dark and deep.

The dried grasses rustle as a field mouse scurries past
Protected by the matted leaves from cold winter’s blast.

The mournful hooting owl and the whisper of its wings
Strikes silence to the grasses and furry scuttling things
.
But though the earth is crisp with frost in the chill of winter’s night
Bulbs are swelling in the ground. Shoots of green reach up for light.

Waiting for the sunshine. Waiting for the warm rain.
Waiting for the turning earth, and spring that comes again.
Available Homes
There are no homes currently available at Wolf Creek Lodge. However, if you are interested in cohousing and Wolf Creek Lodge we encourage you to find out more. This should be a deliberate process. 

By the time you have decided you want to join our community, have downsized your possessions and prepared to market your current home chances are a home will be available at Wolf Creek Lodge.

We try to keep the latest status on our website. By checking on these links to the website during the month you will get the latest updates. Here are the links: 
 

Contact us: phone: (800) 558-3775 

For details of Open Houses and much more visit our website at:
 
Grass Valley and Nevada City
 
Want to know more about 
Grass Valley and Nevada City? 

Here are some links we have found useful:
  
Down Town Grass Valley -
            www.downtowngrassvalley.com 
Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce -
           www.grassvalleychamber.com/ 
Visit Nevada County - 
           www.visitnevadacounty.com
Sierra Food Wine Art
           www.sierraculture.com
Bear Yuba Land Trust
          www.bylt.org
GIS Receational Viewer -
           gis.nevcounty.net/MyNeighborhood
Go Nevada County - 
           www.gonevadacounty.com/ 
YubaNet Calendar - 
Grass Valley Travel Guide -