Judy Hom

Have you used your Instant Pot yet? Here’s another recipe for you to try.

I read that the Instant Pot makes wonderful curries in a fraction of the time that it takes traditional methods. For my first Indian curry, I decided to make Butter Chicken or murgh makhani. Butter chicken is an easy curry to love. It’s flavorful but not too spicy. It’s a great main dish for non-Indians who may not be accustomed to fiery Indian curries.

I used Urvashi Pitre’s Instant Pot butter chicken recipe. She is known as “The Butter Chicken Lady”. You can find her recipe online: The Butter Chicken Lady who made Indian cooks love the Instant Pot. or in the Indian Instant Pot cookbook. My Indian co-worker gave me this book so Urvashi Pitre is the real deal.

The ingredients are readily available at your local supermarket. I bought my garam masala or Indian spice at the Indian market but I discovered that you buy it most anywhere — Safeway, Food Maxx, Walmart, and even Target! If you don’t want to buy garam masala, then no problem because the Indian Instant Pot cookbook even has a recipe for making it. It’s a combination of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon stick. Most likely, many of you already have the spices needed to make it.

My butter chicken was tasty and quite respectable for a first attempt. Warning – please use an immersion blender and not a regular blender. I didn’t have an immersion blender so I tried blending the sauce in a regular blender. The sauce belched out of the blender and spattered my husband Winston. Bad idea. Oops.

As advertised, the recipe makes lots of extra sauce. We used the extra sauce with fish and shrimp. Yum. Yum.

It was a fun experience. Give it a try. I now know why butter chicken is called butter chicken — the recipe uses an entire stick of butter!

Armand Gutierrez, President

May is here and that means it’s time to bring an end to the NSC 2017-2018 season. Like last year NSC had a pretty good season highlighted by a variety of accomplishments:

• Annual Luau and Membership Picnic
• Volunteer participation at the annual Obon Festival in Mountain View
• San Francisco Bay Trail to Bay Bridge bicycle ride
• A very well-attended 60th Anniversary ski week to Vail
• Six NSC’ers went to Trois Vallees with FWSA

June marks the start of the NSC 2018-2019 season, and beginning this month you can take advantage of the $5 membership discount if you sign up and submit your membership form before May 31st. Please submit your application to Greg Wong (Membership Chairman).

Since it’s the end of the ski season it’s time to start having our spring NSC events. Coming up we have our annual Post-Season Annual Membership meeting and picnic on Saturday, June 10th. Take a look at the flyer in this month’s newsletter for details. And on Saturday, September 8th there will be the 60th NSC Anniversary dinner. Karen Soo is coordinating the effort for this grand anniversary dinner so please be sure to RSVP when you receive an Evite regarding the dinner.

Nominations & Elections

The nominations process has been completed and the next step is elections. The elections chairman tells me there were several nominations therefore the slate consists of the new nominees and incumbents, and we’re fortunate that everyone on the board has agreed to serve again. However, voting is important and although there were few nominations you can still vote for a write-in candidate. Whether you’re voting for the incumbents, nominees, or a write-in candidate, it’s important that you do vote. Your vote tells the board that you do appreciate the volunteer work performed by members of the board, so please take the very short time needed to cast your vote. You will be receiving an email informing you to vote online using SurveyMonkey.

Big Sky Ski Week 2019

The Big Sky ski week is in progress and details will be announced soon. Several members have already taken advantage of purchasing the Ikon Pass, and is good for five days skiing at Big Sky plus unlimited skiing (with blackout days) at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. The Big Sky date is 19-26 January.

Here are details about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Big Sky trip:

• Purchase the Ikon Pass (Big Sky, Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a discount on the Big Sky trip. Go to this link to purchase: https://www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei
• Purchase the Epic Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a discount on the Big Sky trip. The Epic Pass cannot be used at Big Sky, but if you go on the Big Sky trip you will receive a trip discount. Go to this link to purchase: https://www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei

Greg Wong, Membership Chairperson

The ski season is almost over. It is time to put away the equipment and move on to other things. But for the seasoned skier, it is time to renew the season pass. As a skier, we know that there are more benefits and discounts if you renew early and such is the case with Nisei Ski Club. It is time to renew your membership for next year. If you renew before June 1, there is a five dollar discount on your membership fee.

This year is the 60th anniversary of the club. Not many organizations have that honor. Many ski clubs and other organizations have disappeared. I have seen it over the years. I belong to another organization that also had their 60th anniversary last year. It was one that my parents belonged to. Most of the activities have stopped. The members have grown old and past away. It went out this year with a whimper. I have been a member of Nisei Ski Club for most of 25 years. I can believe that so much time has gone by. I have volunteered, served on the board and ran events during that span. Nisei Ski Club is not just a ski club. It is also a social club. It is a place to meet people and have fun. It is a place to learn and try new things. It was a place to meet your significant other. If it weren’t for the ski club, I never would have gone river rafting, kayaking, deep sea fishing, hiking, horse racing, ballroom dancing, learned how to play bocce ball or bunko or left right center, learned how to make chicken salad and fry tempura, as well as skiing. So, send in your membership forms. Join the club. Come to the 60th anniversary party. Volunteer and plan activities. Have fun. I want to see this club thrive and would hate to see this club go out with a whimper.

Carolyn Chan and Lenora Fong

After hearing about these weeklong ski trips in the past 20 years, I finally had some time to take advantage to see what the excitement was about.

With an early semester break, I decided to use this as a motivation trip for my son, a high school senior to go on a ski trip and breathe the outdoor cool air. The other option was to stay home during his break and play video games all day. No way that was going to happen.

Coincidentally, my girlfriend Lenora was in town from Hong Kong with her own month-long sabbatical minus her kids. Without any ski plans in mind, I was on a mission to convince Lenora to come on the trip. Karen had packed some extra Marmot ski gear, helmet, socks and goggles to distribute. We were ready. The space in 2-bedroom condo space at Vail International was limited but the sofa and floor space were a nice welcome. This was the perfect opportunity to ski Vail’s epic long runs. How perfect was this storm? We didn’t get any new snow but the weather was perfect.

Vail was everything everyone says it would be and more!

What made this trip great? The short walk from our condo to the lift chair. The snow, the skiing, the views, the condo, the food, but mostly the people from Nisei Ski Club. Nisei Ski Club is the most organized group of people I have ever met. From the board members to volunteers and first-time visitors. Everyone had with one thing in mind, SKI and HAVE FUN!! (And Eating well! – Well, at least our Condo 108 did).

Every meal was made with TCL as our hosts took care of every detail. I drove over from Denver where my sister lives and was given the task of picking all the welcoming party supplies from Costco. 3 bags of Chicken wings, 2 boxes of beef taquitos, veggie platters, chips and guacamole, wine and beer. Enough food to welcome all 63 Nisei ski Club members to the trip. No detail was spared from the welcome party to ice breaker games, the famous Rock, Paper, Scissors quarters game. Jim S and Aaron L was battling out with the Rock, Paper Scissor game and Jim came out to be the winner. I heard that his wife, Janice won last year with the LEFT RIGHT CENTER dice game….Mmm some NSC conspiracy theory going on here?

We had our pot luck night with entrees and desserts served in 5 designated condos. There were entrées like sake lemon chicken wings, steam fish flown in from the Bay Area, chicken gyro, kalua pig sliders, pot roast, chicken curry, chow mein, and tons of dessert from custard mochi to Jello shots minus the vodka. We ate and ate until we retreated back to our condo and collapsed.

Our condo was well prepared with meals planned for the week. We had BBQ Ribs, Greek Moussaka and Amy T’s Breakfast burritos. Karen brought some of her last vintage Silver Oak. We had people dropping by for dinner, dessert, snacks or just après happy hour. We were the party condo. The dream team, Karen, Curtis, Amy and David – thank you for letting us stay with you. The attention to detail was phenomenal and impeccable. Makes Julie McCoy’s job on Love Boat looks like a sinking ship.

Amy T prepared our lunches for the day and it was our job to carry it in our Marmot jackets with care, while skiers were cautious, and fall, they would not dare! It was fun skiing with NSC members Greg W, David Tom. Our days of skiing were also filled with fun and excitement as each member looked after each other and the runs were not crowded. On my third day, while everyone in my condo took a break, I had the privilege of skiing with the awesome foursome Nisei Golden Girls – Edna K, Kay K, Haruko N and Carol E. These four ladies were admirable and a force to be reckoned with. They were modest in their early inquiry about my ski level and afraid they would be too slow for me, when in fact it turned out to be the complete opposite! They had to wait for me on the runs. I only wish I could ski and keep up at their age!

All in all, it was an amazing trip to be had and can’t wait till next year! I’m hooked on this ski club!

The bar is set high with Karen Soo’s Crew, Try it, you’ll like it.. I bet you will too!

(Sorry, I was feeling a bit cheeky w Dr. Seuss!)

Judy Hom

Have you used the Instant Pot that you received for Christmas? Get over your Instant Pot anxiety and try out this recipe for Hainan chicken.

I have made this recipe twice with tasty results. On the first time, I made the chicken only and made white rice in the rice cooker. On the second time, I went for whole thing — chicken and rice! Wow, the rice was incredibly tasty. From here on out, I will always make the rice along with the chicken.

I followed Amy and Jacky’s recipe as written except that I used canola oil instead of olive oil because I always use a neutral oil for Asian dishes. The ingredient list is not long. With the exception of shallots, the recipe uses items that you typically use in your everyday Asian cooking: 2-4 chicken legs, chicken broth, green onions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, and jasmine rice.

The secret to the success of this dish is the dipping sauce and to not skimp on the green onions and ginger. I didn’t have peanut oil so I used canola oil. I heated up the canola oil in my wok and drizzled it over the minced ingredients. This is the same method that I use when finishing steamed fish. My mom told me that hot oil removes the fishy taste.

I did plunge the chicken legs in the ice bath after cooking. You need to be patient with this step. I was too hasty with my first attempt and the legs were not firm. With my second attempt, the results were better.

What did I learn from this? I learned that it only takes 8 minutes to cook chicken and 3 minutes to cook rice. I also learned that the Instant Pot does a good job of cooking grains in a short amount of time.

Give it a try and let me know your results!

Link to Amy + Jacky’s Hainan Chicken Recipe: https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/hainanese-chicken-rice-pressure-cooker/

Armand Gutierrez, President

Sad to say but April is here and that means the ski season is coming to a close. Most Tahoe resorts will be closed by the end of April (Northstar and Heavenly). Squaw Valley usually stays open later but it hasn’t been officially announced yet. Due to the abundance of snowfall, especially in March, this has been an extraordinary season. Hopefully you had a good ski season this year, whether it was at Tahoe or the Vail ski week.

Nominations & Elections

Well, it’s that time again for holding our board nominations and elections for the 2018-2019 season. Soon you will receive an email for making your nominations for the board. As you know, volunteers run this club, and without them this club would cease to exist, and it’s been in existence for 60 years this year! You are encouraged to take this opportunity to nominate an individual for one, or more, of the board positions. All individuals that accept the nomination(s) will go through an election process in May, and final results will be announced at the annual June picnic. Ask any of the current board members and I’m sure they will tell you that by volunteering they get back more than they ever gave. By volunteering you will experience social benefits as well as provide a greater sense of self-worth, trust, and lots of fun. Many of you have served on the board in the past, and your efforts were greatly appreciated and perhaps you would like to join the board again. For those that have never served then perhaps now is the time to consider a board position and provide new ideas and useful experiences.

Big Sky Ski Week 2019

For next year’s ski week, NSC will be going to Big Sky, Montana. Our last visit to Big Sky was in 2002, so it’s time for a return trip. Last year Sports America offered the Epic Passes at a discount for any member that signed up for Vail, and the Tahoe Local Pass was good for 5 days of skiing at Vail.

For 2018-19 Big Sky will be on the Ikon Pass, and is also good for Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Big Sky trip:

• Purchase the Ikon Pass (Big Sky, Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a discount on the Big Sky trip. Go to this link to purchase: Sports America/Ikon-Nisei.
• Purchase the Epic Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a discount on the Big Sky trip. The Epic Pass cannot be used at Big Sky, but if you go on the Big Sky trip you will receive a trip discount. Go to this link to purchase: Sports America/Epic-Nisei.
• Purchase the Epic Pass before April 15th and get six buddy passes and the lowest rate for the pass.

For additional information on both passes go here: 2018-2019 Early Bird Season Pass Prices.

If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Judy Bracken

Question: What can be better than a 60th anniversary ski trip with the Nisei Ski Club?

Answer: A 61st anniversary ski trip with the Nisei Ski Club!

Seriously, we had a blast in Vail with this large group of Nisei ski club attendees. Though the snow level in Colorado was low, the spirit of camaraderie and fun was alive and well. We started off the trip with a rather long travel day, but once we were settled in our condos we awoke to a grey sky Sunday on the slopes. Some of us went on mountain tours to get the lay of the land. Others explored on their own. This required a constant study of the resort maps to figure out whether you were on the back or the front side of the mountain and which bowl you were in. Ski lifts had both numbers and names; numerous access roads connected them all. Then there was the constant pursuit of the best snow. Staying at the highest elevation and in the trees seemed to be the trick.

Those that experienced mountain tours found the group leaders to be friendly and engaging. The other folks on the tours often turned out to become friends that might be seen on some of the other ski days. The mountain is so vast that chance meetings with other club members were fairly rare. But most every afternoon there was the apres ski hot tub meeting where conversations turned to highlights of the day or upcoming plans.

As we continued through the week, some opted to take days off the slopes shopping, cooking or taking it easy by the fireplace. Some ventured to the nearby resorts of Beaver Creek or Keystone. Tuesday night’s potluck dinner was a grand affair. We spent the evening prowling through the condo complex, searching for the best food and stuffing ourselves silly in the process. As always, the food was superb and not to be outdone. What a bunch of great cooks we have in this club!

The grand finale was a dinner at the nearby hotel dining room. Tables of ten were filled with smiling and well exercised skiers of all ages. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and a great talk by our esteemed club president Armand. Before everyone went home to pack up, a group picture was taken by the fireplace.

The morning bus ride was made more dramatic due to a fast moving wet snowstorm. The bus could not get up the hill, so everyone pitched in to move the gear downhill through the snow for stowage. All made it on the bus and we headed to the airport with plenty of time to spare.

The organization of these trips and the behind the scenes activities that make it happen are impressive. Many thanks to all those folks that work hard ahead of time making room arrangements, airline reservations and much more. We are looking forward to the next one!

Armand Gutierrez, President

March is coming in with big storms that are predicted to drop 3′ – 4′ (or more) of snow in the Tahoe area. We’re finally getting the snow that is so desperately needed for our favorite winter sport and for the water that will be needed during the summer. Plan your trips to Tahoe carefully to avoid blizzard conditions on the highways and check the resort web pages to ensure that they are in full operation.

2018 FWSA Ski Week to Trois Vallees

This year, I decided to fulfill one of my desires for skiing Trois Vallees in France. Trois Vallees consists of 8 resorts and is billed as the world’s largest ski area with 600km of ski in/ski out inter-connected ski lifts. I’m sure the Dolomiti Superski area would challenge that claim as they boast to have 1200km of inter-connected ski lifts and 12 ski resorts. The photo shows the CÎME CARON cable car at the Val Thorens resort. I’ll be joining several fellow NSCers on the FWSA Trois Vallees ski week from 3-11 March. As members of NSC, you are eligible to take any BAC and FWSA ski trips that are offered during the ski season. And here’s something to think about – FWSA will be going to Japan in 2019. Details haven’t been released yet so stay tuned, and if you have an interest in going then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

March NSC Weekend Ski Trip

Karen Soo, our trip director, is planning on a car-pool effort for a weekend of skiing at Tahoe on 17-18 March. Look for details in the newsletter.

Board Nominations

Now that it’s March it’s time to think about Board Nominations for the 2018-19 season. If anyone has an interest in joining the board for the next season and has questions about what it entails then just drop a note to any of the current board members, or perhaps you have someone in mind to nominate for the board. Please keep in mind that the Nisei Ski Club relies on volunteers to be on the board and undertake the running of the club. It’s not all work and no play. Board meetings are fairly informal and afterwards we usually go out for lunch and talk about skiing or upcoming club events.

Newsletter Editor

Are you interested in providing a valuable service to the club? A service that keeps the membership apprised of current events and interesting articles? Ever wanted to try out your journalistic side? If so, then the NSC Board would like to have you as our next Newsletter Editor. Judy Hom, our current Newsletter Editor, would like to pass the proverbial golden pen to a new newsletter editor. Judy has been a great editor for the last three years but has now indicated that it’s time to pass the baton and would be willing to train the next editor. If you’re interested then contact Judy at newsletter@niseiskiclub.org or any of the board members.

Judy Hom

I love the potlucks on the NSC weeklong trips. I especially love the potluck at the end of the week when people use up everything in their refrigerator. The dishes are amazingly creative. There’s no point in throwing food away or bringing it home.

Here’s a recipe for turkey lettuce cups made by Amy Tsuhako using condiments packets from the ski resort eateries. This is a good way to use those packets that find their way into your pockets during lunch time. She made this dish on the Park City trip a couple of years ago. It was delicious.

Turkey Lettuce Cups

Ingredients

Note: packets = ski resort sized condiment packets!
• 3/4 lb Ground turkey
• 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
• 1 onion diced
• 2 scallions chopped
• 2 packets soy sauce
• 1/2 t granulated garlic
• 1/2 t powdered ginger
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1 t sugar
• 2 T teriyaki sauce

Directions

Stir fry turkey until no longer pink. Add onions and seasonings and stir fry until onions are soft. Then add cilantro and scallions and stir fry until turkey is a bit browned. Serve on platter with side of washed lettuce leaves and sauce.

Sauce:
• 1 heaping Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 packet soy sauce
• 2 packets honey
• 1 packet Tabasco sauce
• 1 T lemon juice
• 2 T water

Mix and microwave 15 seconds to smooth out the peanut butter.

Armand Gutierrez, President

Happy Chinese New Year!

Welcome to the Chinese New Year of the Earth Dog! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts on Friday, February 16th. If you’re a dog owner then you know the trials and tribulations of raising a puppy and witness as it matures to become more devoted to its owner. Mature dogs have the innate ability to care and protect their family, and if you were born under the sign of the Earth Dog then you carry those attributes as a social worker, parent, teacher, nurse or doctor. Do you know anyone in the club that fits the characteristics of the Earth Dog?

Why Bear Boxes in Tahoe?

If you’ve spent any time at Tahoe I’m sure you have seen the bear boxes that cabin owners use for disposing of their trash. These bear boxes present a formidable challenge for the bears as they mosey around the neighborhood in search of snacks. This picture was taken at a cabin in Tahoe Vista that I used for my weekend ski trips.

Vail Ski Week 2018

Our recent ski week to Vail will probably be thought of as one with “Memorable Moments”. Well, maybe not “memorable” in a good way, because on the first day the second bus from DIA to Vail was almost two hours late leaving Denver. And although the buses arrived on time for our departure, the buses could not park in front of Vail International Condominiums because it was snowing and they couldn’t make it up the driveway without slipping and sliding. Yes, it was our luck that it started snowing as we were leaving and that meant we had to carry the luggage about 50 yards to the buses. However, everything in-between worked out well – the Après Ski Party, the chaotic Potluck Dinner, the Farewell Dinner, and skiing under sunny-to-partly cloudy skies. Unfortunately, Vail (and other Colorado resorts) is suffering the same symptoms as Tahoe – lack of snow. Although our hoped-for powder skiing didn’t materialize, there was enough coverage for everyone to enjoy themselves on the front-side trails, the back bowls, and Blue Sky Basin. Some runs were more challenging than others, but then, that’s what makes skiing an exciting sport. At the Farewell Dinner I mentioned two possibilities for next year: Big Sky and Telluride. For the 2018-19 season Telluride will be part of the Epic Pass resorts. If you have any suggestions then please let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Sandy Kiyomura

Have you made resolutions for 2018? If you did, most likely it involves diet and exercise; things which could improve your health. For myself, I have to choose activities which are gentle on the joints. In addition, I like to work out in a group / social situation. Being with others motivates me. This is why I like Dragon Boat racing as a workout. You are on a boat with 20 fellow paddlers (two to a row). There is a person who steers in the back and a coxswain who coaches in the front of the boat. They provide tips on correct paddling technique and count your strokes.

Once you start paddling, you will feel a sense of exhilaration. Your muscles will be working hard but it is also fun. Someone said it is “controlled aggression”. You will be working your entire body, especially your core. You will be paddling somewhere near the San Francisco Bay.

Most clubs will allow you to attend several practices free. They will provide all necessary equipment for beginners, you just show up with paddle-ready clothes and dry change for afterwards. Clubs will welcome all levels of ability but if you find you want to go further in the sport, several Bay Area clubs have competed in the World Championships. There are also several less competitive races in the Bay Area.

Sound like fun? Contact Sandy Kiyomura and we can set up a practice with a Dragon boat team in the Bay Area.

Hoyt Nelson

It’s a game/adventure on wheels for a driver and navigator where the Rallyemaster directs you in your car through a neighborhood with a sheet of Route Instructions and a sheet of General Instructions (with higher authority) which may conflict with the route instructions. If you and catch the “gimmick” and take the correct route, you will see a Coursemarker with letters on it that will award you points.

As a simple example, a Route Instruction might say “L onto Cherry Lane”, and the street sign saying Cherry Lane in on the L. However, if the General Instructions said, “All signs used in this rallye will be on the R side of your progress”, then as far as the rallye is concerned, that street doesn’t exist. If you remember this, you would continue straight and see a coursemarker for points. The Coursemarker also tells you to delete the impossible instruction, turn around and go R onto Cherry. This puts you on Cherry whether you catch the gimmick or not (so nobody gets lost), but if you catch the gimmick, you get points for the CM.

The Rallye I have devised is the third in a series I have done for the club and this pre-run is estimated to take between 2.5 and 3 hours. It has more than 20 traps. I will hold a pre-run of this rallye on a Saturday morning sometime in late Feb or early March. Instead of putting up all coursemarkers on the route, participants will all ride in my vehicle and I will hold up the appropriate coursemarker when it would normally appear on the route. We will then discuss each gimmick together as it appears until everyone understands and agrees with the gimmick and its accuracy. (For the real rallye, we will put all coursemarkers up on the route.)

I can only take 6 people in my van, so if this sounds interesting and fun, sign up early at rallye@niseiskiclub.org so we can set a date. Please include which Saturdays are available to you. We will meet at my place in Campbell about 10am and should be done by 2pm. There will be an optional lunch afterward. The actual rallye will take place later in the year after ski season ends.

Judy Hom

Last month, Warren Miller passed away at the age of 93. Many of us started the ski season by watching a Warren Miller movie. It was a ritual. The movies were infectious. Seeing the fresh tracks and the spray of the powder made you want to go skiing/boarding tomorrow! Even if the skiers and boarders did things that we could only dream of, we wanted to go up to the snow.

I saw my first Warren Miller movie with the ski club. It was at the old Exploratorium near the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Before the movie started, they threw a big beach ball into the audience. It was a fun way to get you ready for a fun time.

Besides highlighting incredible skiers (see the trailer for Snowriders2), Warren Miller documented the goofy things that happen while skiing. I loved these spots because I could identify with them. Check out Chairlift – Funny Disasters on youtube.

Over his lifetime, Warren Miller directed over 55 movies. Thanks so much for inspiring us to ski and board. We’ll miss you.

“If you don’t do it this year, you will be one year older when you do.”

Judy Hom

I bought myself an Instant Pot and I just love this new cooking gadget. It’s really motivated me to try out new recipes.

Okay, I’ve been wanting to make pork adobo for a long time. Using the Instant Pot, I finally made it. It is delicious and easy to make. Here’s a link to Flo Lum’s youtube video. I think she looks a little like Amy Tsuhako — you tell me what you think.

Pork Adobo

• 5-6 lbs. baby back ribs
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1 cup water

Pressure cook for 15 minutes. Voila. Delicious pork adobo ready to serve!

During the Chinese New Year, you will hear people greeting one another with “Kung Hei Fat Choy” or “Gōngxǐ fācái”, which means wishing you happiness and prosperity. As little children, we were taught to greet our elders this way. In return, we would receive lucky money in red envelopes.

Other popular new year greetings are:

No matter how you say it, best wishes for the year of the dog.

Armand Gutierrez, President

November seemed so promising for a great ski season, and then one of the driest Decembers descended up on us. However, the Tahoe resorts have been making snow and there are plenty of runs to keep you busy. Of course, most of them are beginner and intermediates (no expert runs are open yet) but that’s better than nothing. If the challenging runs aren’t available then you can always work on style, technique, and just have fun on the slopes.

How High Can You Go?

Thanks to those that sent in guesses for the top five North American ski resorts that have the highest summit elevations. Unfortunately, no one guessed all five correctly, but a few were close. Here are the correct answers:

Top Five North American ski resorts with the highest elevations*:

• Silverton Mountain – 13,487
• Telluride – 13,150
• Arapahoe Basin – 13,050
• Loveland – 13,010
• Breckenridge – 12,998

Top Five North American ski resorts with the highest base elevations*:

• Loveland – 10,800
• Monarch Mountain – 10,790
• Arapahoe Basin – 10,780
• Copper – 10,500
• Silverton Mountain – 10,400

* Source: On The Snow Newsletter – 30 November 2017

Vail Ski Week 2018

The Vail trip is less than a month away and there is time to get in some skiing up at Tahoe before the trip. I’ve already made one trip to Northstar (two days) and will be going again right after New Years. The Vail Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 13^th so mark your calendars. This will be an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. Evites have been sent out and if you didn’t receive an Evite then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Wishing all of our members a happy new year! Best wishes for a wonderful 2018.

Judy Hom, Editor
 
I thought I’d try something new in 2018. Hoyt Nelson asked me if there would be another NSC recipe book. My answer was no. The days of collecting and editing recipes into a book are long gone for this club. But, I told him that we could publish recipes online. After all, this club sure does love to cook and eat. Let me know what you think and feel free to send recipes to newsletter@niseiskiclub.org.
 
Hoyt shared his recipe for chile con carne. This sounds like the perfect apres ski meal and sure to warm you up after a hard day of skiing.

CHILI CON CARNE (feeds 8-10)

Hoyt Nelson

1 lb. or more ground beef (how lean is up to you, but I wouldn’t go more than 15% fat). Use the rough “chili” cut if available. It’s possible to substitute lean pork or chicken/turkey for burger.
1 30 oz. Can red kidney beans – cheaper than using 2 smaller cans. (I know, some people think beans aren’t authentic, but I’m sure the cowboy chefs threw in beans and whatever else was available to bulk up the meals while on the trail – including things better left un-said.)
1 30 oz. can crushed/diced tomatoes They can usually be found for about $1.35 at Smart & Final.
1 large onion diced up
1 t chili powder and maybe 1 T paprika while browning (last time I used mostly paprika and it was good)
1 t salt
1 t black pepper to taste
1 t sugar
As much garlic as you like (I dice up about 5 cloves or use 2T of puree)
2 T ground coriander while browning (an authentic and key Mexican ingredient) plus some whole seeds if desired.
Serve (optional) with some finely diced fresh onion and/or grated cheese or cilantro for topping.
 

Break up hamburger/other into bite sized chunks in a large frying pan.
Add diced onion and spices and mix in. It’s important to add spices before browning meat for better flavor.
Brown until brown (not grey) on all sides with paprika.
Add tomatoes and beans and simmer for at least 1 hour. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking on bottom.
Add grated cheese, cilantro or raw onion topping if desired when serving.
 
Note:
These are recipes I have made for years and have mostly made up or heavily modified from recipes from my Mom and others. Not all amounts are precise. I rarely use measuring devices. Feel free to use these recipes as just a suggestion. Add, subtract, substitute or change as desired.

Last NSC Recipe Book

The last NSC recipe book was created in 1998 as part of the club’s 40th anniversary. This was the third recipe book published by the club.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

The ski season has officially begun with numerous resorts opening during the Thanksgiving weekend thanks to a series of snowstorms to hit the Tahoe area. Of course, these resorts have limited lift operations and perhaps only 5% of open terrain. Northstar has the most lifts/runs in operation at the moment. The resort webcams are great for checking out snow conditions, along with the terrain and lift status. Let’s pray to the Snowgods for more snow in December.

Ride Sharing Service

Don’t forget about the NSC ride sharing service that was established several years ago. This service is for NSC members to facilitate getting to the slopes with other members. The service is called rideNSC and members can make a Post to the group to either Offer a ride-sharing opportunity or make a Request that you’re interested in joining with somebody that might be going skiing. For information contact Sandy Kiyomura skiyomura@gmail.com.

How High Can You Go?

What is the highest elevation that you have skied? Perhaps Breckenridge at 13K? Heavenly Valley at 10K? What about Granite Chief (Squaw Valley) around 9K? Well, those are just a few of the resorts that have skiing at high elevations. But, those are not the highest. Can you name the top five North American ski resorts that have the highest summit elevations? And your bonus question is: name the top five North American ski resorts that have the highest base elevation. There will be a free prize for correct entries.

Vail Ski Week 2018

The Vail trip is a month away and there is time to get in some skiing up at Tahoe before the trip. The Vail Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 13^th so mark your calendars. This will be an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. An Evite will be sent out later in December. If you don’t receive an Evite then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org. Also, Karen Soo is coordinating the potluck dinner and will be sending out an email listing your condo mates so you can get a head start on putting together your potluck menu.

Maybe Christmas, he thought doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. The Grinch

As part of BAC, NSC is included in discounts that BAC receives. BAC is a valued partner of Sierra at Tahoe and our members can get discounted lift tickets. Below are the details.

Program Details

• No out of pocket money
• Members can access and purchase discounted lift tickets from this link via computer/mobile device
• Tickets are purchased directly through the Sierra at Tahoe website via “promotional code”
• Discounts
  • $10 off Adult
  • $8 off Young Adult
  • $2 off Child
• Web link
  • http://bit.ly/sierraticket
• Promo Code
  • 1940

Valid from now until April 15, 2018

Link to flyer: BAC E-Tickets

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

Seems like October was more summer-like than fall. Tahoe did experience some rainfall but all of the resorts are bare to the ground and it hasn’t been cold enough to fire up the snowmaking machines. Does this mean a late winter start? And the weather forecasters haven’t made up their collective minds on whether it’s going to be an El Niño or a La Niña year. Nobody guessed the ski resort in the photo, and the correct answer was Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Upcoming Events

SnowBomb Shows in October/November

At the end of October the Snow Bomb show was held at the Santa Clara Convention center. Although I was planning on attending I wasn’t able to make it due to a slight illness. Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro usually attend the San Francisco event but Curtis was out of town and Karen was unable to attend.

Warren Miller Movie Night – November 11

Warren Miller is famous for his exciting ski/snowboard movies that take you all over the world in search of perfect snow conditions. Showtime is 6pm at the Heritage Theater (Campbell) on Saturday, November 11th.

Vail Ski Week 2018

The Vail trip is fully booked with 62 signups. Thanks to all that made their final payments on time, and to those of you that needed a reminder. Karen Soo is updating the sizing chart since the one on the signup page was for Marmot apparel and the new chart is for Port Authority. Not much difference but do check to see if you have any changes and reply to Karen’s email. There is a waiting list so do let me know in the event that you may have to cancel (hopefully not!).

Judy Hom, Newsletter Editor

My husband Winston pointed out an article in the San Jose Mercury News about defunct ski areas, which mentioned long gone resorts like Powder Bowl, Echo Summit, Edelweiss, Donner Ski Ranch, Tannenbaum, and Iron Mountain. He learned how to ski at Dodge Ridge and Echo Summit. Dodge Ridge is still operating but Echo Summit is long gone. How many of you remember these old resorts?

Organized ski racing in California started in the 1850s. Gold miners strapped 14-15 foot edgeless skis on their feet and raced for cash prizes. It is said that skiers reached speeds of 80+ miles per hours and carried a long pole to act as a brake.

Snowshoe Thompson was an early California long pole skier. Originally from Norway, he came to California during the 1850 gold rush. Between 1856-1876, he delivered mail twice a month between Placerville, California and Genoa, Nevada. He covered the distance in 5 days, 3 days up and 2 days down.

Olympic Hill was the first ski resort in Lake Tahoe and opened in 1924. It is still open but now named Granlibakken. I googled it and it is a very small hill with only 1 run and 2 lifts.

Sugar Bowl opened in 1939. Sugar Bowl got its name because the founder thought the snow looked like sugar. It was the first resort to use chairlifts.

There was a proliferation of ski resorts through the 1970s. 82 resorts opened from 1940-1950. 107 opened in the 1970s. The great California drought in the mid-1970’s took its toll and many resorts closed. Now, there are only about a dozen resorts in the Lake Tahoe area.

Resources

Mercury News – Defunct ski areas why healing is so hard
History of Skiing Lake Tahoe
History of California Skiing
Facebook – Lost Ski Areas and Ski History of California
Experience Skiing History in California Gold Country
Snowshoe Thompson

Happy Thanksgiving

Give thanks that the American system of checks and balances is holding. Remember that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

John F. Kennedy – We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

To everyone’s surprise it snowed up in Tahoe and in numerous resorts in Colorado and Utah in September (the 21^st). Although the early snowfall only resulted in a slight dusting of that fine, white powder at least it’s a start for what hopefully will be a good winter season. If you’re a seasoned ski veteran then perhaps you can identify the ski resort in the picture (hint: it’s in California). Drop me a line (president@niseiskiclub.org) if you think you know the answer.

Upcoming Events

NSC Paint Night in San Jose – October 28

This event will be held on Saturday, October 28^th, at the Grill-em Steak House in Campbell. See the flyer for all the details.

SnowBomb Shows in October/November

Coming up in October and November are the annual SnowBomb ski shows in Santa Clara (used to be San Jose) and San Francisco. I usually attend the San Jose event and Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro attend the San Francisco event. We’re looking for additional volunteers to support the BAC booth at both locations. As a volunteer you get free admission to the SnowBomb event, talk with people about the various clubs that are part of BAC, and do some self-promoting of NSC. Arrive early, or stay later, and visit the other ski-related booths or perhaps pick up something at one of the retail booths that have discounted prices on ski gear. The Santa Clara event is October 28-29 and the San Francisco event is November 4-5.  If interested then drop me a line (president@niseiskiclub.org) or Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseskiclub.org).

Warren Miller Movie Night – November 11

Warren Miller is well-noted for his exciting ski/snowboard movies that take you all over the world in search of perfect snow conditions. Showtime is 6pm at the Heritage Theater (Campbell) on Saturday, November 11^th.

Vail Ski Week 2018

The Vail trip is moving along smoothly and we currently have 55 signups (out of 64). If you haven’t made your 2^nd payment then go find your checkbook and send it in, plus your final payment. If you’re still sitting on the fence about going and haven’t signed up now is the time to do so. Deadline for signups is October 10^th, which is also when the final payment is due.