Photograph of the Full Moon taken with an Iphone and a telescope © Elise Prudhomme

 

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below…

– Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement Moore

Celebrating the New Year and two Full Moons…

We all know the poem. In this case it was not Christmas Eve and there was no snow in Oregon. It is midnight on December 31st / January 1, 2018 where the skies are unusually clear and the Moon is full.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac provides information about the January 2018 Full Moons.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac; “In Native American and early Colonial times, the Full Moon for January was called the Full Wolf Moon. It appeared when wolves howled in hunger outside the villages.  Traditionally, the January Moon is also known as the Old Moon. To some Native American tribes, this was the Snow Moon, but most applied that name to the next Full Moon, in February.” When two full Moons occur within the same calendar month, as in this particular case (two full Moons on January 1st and 31st), the second full Moon is called a Blue Moon.  The Almanac concludes; “A bright first Moon promises rain and a bountiful harvest; a red-tinted Moon means a dry year”.

What a spectacular way to start a New Year, with a bright clear Full Wolf Moon and a Blue Moon to boot! We like to think that this portends Great Things to come.

Many thanks to all our workers and customers who contributed to our successful year in 2017 and a toast to the new season in the Vineyard, on the Farm and to our 2017 Vintage.

… with a Liver Pâté Recipe

Three Feathers celebrates the 2018 New Year with a Liver Pâté Recipe

Celebratory Chicken Liver Pâté

Combine the following ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until done, approximately 20 minutes:

1 quart water
1 stalk celery
2 sprigs parsley
6 peppercorns
1 lb chicken livers
1 ½ teaspoon salt

Drain and let cool while reserving the broth.
Blend until smooth in a blender or food processor with:

1 lb (2 sticks) of butter
Enough liquid from cooking pot to blend easily, no more than ¼ cup

Add:

1 pinch of cayenne pepper or ½ tsp Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
5 tablespoon minced onions
½ clove of garlic minced or pressed
2 tablespoon cognac

Do not overdo the spices or they overwhelm the flavor of the pâté.
Put pâté into a crock and refrigerate for 4 hours or more.
Serve at room temperature on crackers or toast with 2016 Three Feathers Pinot Noir or your favorite bubbly.