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Nut Lovers: Recipes From The Farm

The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix has more than 100 pecan trees that produce between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds of harvested nuts a year. The nuts are used in various recipes for the three restaurants at The Farm: Morning Glory Cafe, Farm Kitchen and Quiessence Restaurant & Wine Bar. Some simple recipes for nut mixes are available in the book The Farm Collection and are easy enough for any nut-lover to make.

Sugared Pecans

1 pound pecan halves 4 tablespoons water 1 cup sugar Coat pecans with water and toss with sugar. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 15 minutes, then let cool for 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 4 cups.

Egyptian Artifacts in the Canyon?

In the waning months of 1908, the explorer G.E. Kinkaid, veteran of 30 years in the service of the Smithsonian Institution, spotted the entrance to an underground citadel at the base of the Grand Canyon. Scrambling up the sheer wall, Kinkaid stepped into a mammoth chamber hewn out of solid rock. On every side, radiating passages opened into more caverns housing copper weapons, vases, granaries and even mummies-all of purported Egyptian origin.

Kinkaid reported his find to the Arizona Gazette, and the story appeared on April 5, 1909, along with the news that a Professor S.A. Jordan, also of the Smithsonian, was undertaking a significant investigation of the site. Alas, the story was fiction. The Smithsonian categorically denied that any Egyptian artifacts were found in the Americas, and it has no record of either Kinkaid or Jordan as staff members. Today few people are aware of how common hoaxes were in the early days of journalism. The story no doubt originated in the naming of the Canyon's buttes and mesas after temples of Eastern deities, begun by geologist Clarence Dutton in the early 1880s.

THIS MONTH IN ARIZONA

1869 Patrons of a Tubac barbershop can get a bath with their haircut or shave for 50 cents.

1872 Maricopa County schools' average daily attendance of 43 children pales in comparison to Pima County's 109 pupils.

1892 Hailstones the size of pigeon eggs fall near Nogales during an unseasonably chilly summer storm.

1901 A Maricopa County livestock assessment roll includes 300 ostriches valued at $25 a head.

1906 Lightning kills a horse near Bisbee. The man riding it gets up and walks away.

1913 Armed citizens of Douglas are sworn in as special officers to patrol town at night in an effort to reduce crime.

1930 Heavy rains create flooding in Nogales, forcing 100 people from their homes.

Highway Helper for Those Who Roam

Arizona's highways sometimes can intimidate drivers. The roads seem to stretch out in every direction, passing through canyons, desert washes and dense forests for miles on end. And furthermore, it's not always possible to tell if amenities or gas stations are available at any useful intervals on a particular roadway. However, a new gadget, the Talking Road Whiz, may take some of the guesswork out of locating travel services. The device, which costs about $40, is small enough to fit in a pocket. It starts working when certain data (the state you're in,the highway you're on, the direction you're going and the most recent mile marker) has been entered. After that, the Talking Road Whiz prompts you to pick a gas station, restaurant or other service you desire. In seconds, the directional information appears on the gadget's display while, simultaneously, it gives spoken directions to the place you've chosen. Information: www. talkingroadwhiz.com.