In the calmer days of winter, I spend quite a bit of energy trying new recipes.  I enjoy looking through old cookbooks with a fresh eye and making menus from dishes that now look appealing to me.  I grabbed a tattered old book from the top shelf in the ranch kitchen cupboard, and it brought back all sorts of memories from our first summer of operating Latigo in 1987.  We hired one additional cook besides Randy, and when Lydia arrived, she pulled out this cookbook, More With Less.  I’ve seen it in other places, and I’ve met people who have it, but it still reminds me of Lydia.  Our wonderful granola originated in this book as did our comforting Creamy Tomato Soup.  Just last night we discovered a new family favorite in the apple crisp that I’ve posted under desserts in our recipe of the week section.  Spencer was so disappointed that it only served four and that there wasn’t enough for breakfast the next morning.  That’s why I doubled it when I posted it.

Remembering Lydia and that first summer makes me realize anew that the staff we hire aren’t the only ones who have wonderful experiences here at the Latigo guest ranch.  We learn from them as well and carry a bit of each of them on into the next year.  We smile when we think of Lydia, because one of her favorite things to say was, “Three times seventeen is fifty-one.  You never know when you’ll need that.”