Remembrance Day is Nov.11. This is a day to remember and honour the fallen. The soldiers that gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep the freedoms we value today. These selfless individuals went to war to ensure that we would not have to. On November 11th take a minute to reflect on these freedoms and the sacrifices given to have them. To the veterans and the serving members of the armed services you have my thanks.

---

Beef Stew with Red Wine

1-2 cups flour 2 pounds beef, cubed 1/2 cup butter or olive oil 2 cups red wine, (merlot is best) 5 cups prepared beef bullion or beef stock 5 carrots, thickly sliced, washed, pared 7 stalks celery, sliced 2 medium onions, diced 5 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium potatoes, cubed 2 bay leaves a pinch of paprika 1 tablespoon parsley, minced pepper, to taste

Method: In a large frying pan, heat 1/2 the butter or olive oil and sauté the carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and garlic until slightly browned. Set aside. Combine flour, paprika, parsley, and some pepper in a shallow bowl, and roll the beef in it until well coated on all sides. Melt remaining butter or pour oil into in a large stew pot, and then add meat. Sauté the meat until well browned. Add the previously prepared vegetables and sauté for about two minutes with the beef in the stew pot. Add the wine sauté another three or four minutes. While the pot is hot, pour in the prepared bouillon and the bay Leaves allow to simmer covered for about 2-5 hours until the meat is tender. At this point remove the lid, sift in any additional flour required to thicken to desired consistency (use fresh flour - not from bowl), and allow the liquid to simmer 30 minutes or until ready. Add salt and pepper to taste.

---

Novembers Tip: Mixing

Mixing your brew is the one time during brewing when adding oxygen is important. It does not matter whether it is wine or beer you need to get oxygen into the mix to give the yeast the energy it needs to ferment the sugars. It is also important to break up the viscosity differences between the water used and the kit juice. The layering of juice and water can cause an incomplete ferment. The best way to get both things done is to stir hard during mixing.