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By Tim Hauserman
They got Whoopy Pie! Sure, you will also find a variety of other sweet stuff as well as great wraps and salads and breakfast items at Whole Treats in Truckee. And yes, most of the food is prepared with gluten free ingredients with a focus on being healthy. Yeah, yeah, that’s all well and good. But seriously, you gotta try the Whoopy Pie.
After a 40 plus mile bike ride from Donner Lake to Cisco Grove, and more importantly back, I need one of those Gobble Gobble wraps with turkey and cranberry. But that’s just to stretch out the tummy to get it ready for the main event, that Whoopy thing that keeps me coming back for more. In the middle there is this big glob of not too sweet but just sweet enough filling, surrounded by two cookie/cake like bits of lusciousness. In fact, it is the perfect way to cap off any athletic endeavor anytime of year.
Ok. Back to the rest of the menu. Aside from the Gobble Gobble, go for the Tuna Wrap. They’ve also got a whole host of top notch salads. Or go for breakfast burritos and a host of other eggs dishes like The Kitchen Sink, which includes just about everything. They’ve also got a host of different waffles. And then there is the French Toast Casserole. They take gluten free muffins and soak em in the eggs and a bunch of other yummy goodies to marinate all those flavors, and then cook it up in the morning. I’m getting hungry just typing this.
The idea for this Whole Treats began with owner Elizabeth Weir’s discovery that she had Candida, an excessive accumulation of yeast in the body. After changing her diet to only whole food, this life long baker had to discover how to bake with alternative and healthy baking ingredients. She puts that knowledge to work in what she serves at Whole Treats.
While the food is great, it’s also satisfying to have the opportunity to support a small locally owned business that is providing a healthy product to the community. If you’ve stopped at Whole Treats before and liked it, get yourself back in. They would love your business.
Whole Treats is a 12047 Donner Pass Road, next to The Shell Station where the Outlet Stores and Paco’s are located. (530) 582-1554
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
By Tim Hauserman
High Camp. Photo from Squaw Valley’s Facebook page.
Do you think that perhaps it might be time to drain the pool?
Hey we didn’t get a lot of snow last winter, and we’ve had a gloriously mild fall with an abundance of great hiking and mountain biking, so we don’t have to worry about getting our houses ready for winter, right? Ummm…wrong. In fact it was below freezing this morning as I write this and storms are definitely on the way. Here are a few things you need to do asap to protect your house and property:
Walk around the yard. What do you see? Are you Ok with everything you see being buried under the snow? Now’s the time to get those kayaks, canoes, and lawn furniture into storage or at least underneath a deck.
2) Landscaping system: Turn it off and drain the pipes. If the water remains in the pipes they might freeze and subsequently break. Do you have a hose still attached to the house? Disconnect and drain it.
3) Learn how to shut the water off to your house, and make sure if you are not there, instructions are provided for others. Some individual fixtures such as dishwashers, washers etc..have separate water shut off systems allowing you to shut it off to the fixture if there is a problem, and still have water in the rest of the house. If you have an older home without a shut off valve, have one installed by a plumber.
4) Cover the air vents leading to the crawl space below your house. This will help prevent pipes from freezing.
5) Open cabinet doors under sinks to get heat to piping. This is especially important with older homes.
6) Turn the heat on and keep the thermostat set above 50 degrees throughout the winter months. If you leave the house for an extended period of time, winterize the house by turning off the water and opening the faucets to drain all the water out of the pipes.
7) Prevent Bear Intrusions: Unfortunately, bears getting into homes in the area are now a year round concern. Close all window shades so bears cannot see your refrigerator. Remove any garbage from the house and garage and put it in the bear proof garbage container. If you are leaving for an extended time, remove smelly perishable food from the refrigerator. Be sure that all of the doors to your house are secure with strong hinges and deadbolt locks. Close the doors inside the house so that if the bear gets into part of the house, it will only focus on where the food is and not damage the rest of the house. Consider electric fencing designed for preventing bear intrusions, it has been proven to be very effective.
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
By Michelle Portesi
The Apple Growers of Apple Hill California
Nestled just off of Highway 50, from South Lake Tahoe past Pollock Pines is the area known as Apple Hill. Hidden behind the pines is a thriving community of apple growers, cider pressers, wineries, eateries and more.
The popular area’s season got off to a rough start with the King Fire nipping at its doorstep and the smoke making any foray outdoors hard on the lungs. Mercifully that didn’t hurt the harvest and blue skies and fresh air greeted us once the fire was snuffed out. (Thank you to all the fearless firefighters!)
A recent trip down to the area showed the fires vast expanse of devastation along the highway, but just past that it didn’t take long to realize that it didn’t dampen the desire for the freshest apples around by the general population. It was Saturday. It was a glorious fall day. The town was PACKED! (Do yourself a favor. Don’t go on a Saturday.)
Our first stop graced us with a riot of fall mums, marigolds and a plethora of apple varieties I’d never heard of before. I had to buy some, and I will tell you honestly, they were DELISH! Nothing beats a fresh, unbelievable crisp and sweet apple. I may never buy store bought again.
From there we followed the trail map to several other growers, quickly realizing we couldn’t buy every single variety at every single orchard and still make rent. Fortified with a tasty lunch from one of the orchards, sitting under the apple trees on picnic benches, we planned our route to a variety of places that offered different treats. One offered an on site cider press, and I couldn’t resist a freshly pressed half gallon of it. This too was marvelous, and I have just the recipe to use it for. (Chicken brined in cider with a reduced cider gravy. Yum!)
A man and his emu…
Several had craft fairs, pick your own produce and orchards, petting zoos and gift shops (Grandpa’s Cellar) offering a wide array of apple inspired motifs. Interspersed amongst the orchards were several wineries, and we did get to sample from one that carried hard cider.
But the best treat of all was a stop at an unassuming orchard named Honey Bear Ranch, with the best caramel nut apple pie ever baked. We sat under a beautiful outdoor gazebo adorned with vines, listened to some great music, and savored every mouthful.
Apple Hill is best visited in the Fall, however the area is also a major Christmas Tree grower, and some orchards are open year round.
I’m thinking I’ll be having a serious need for more of those Caramel Apple Holiday Pies…
To learn more and plan your trip, visit their website here: Apple Hill
Be sure to download the Apple Hill map.
The size of a dinner plate!
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
YOUR FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES 