Saratoga News Saratoga Sampler Mary Ann Cook Butter Paddle's cookbook became a holiday hit WHAT'S FOR DINNER?: The Butter Paddle, the volunteer-run gift shop that raises funds for Eastfield Ming Quong has come out with its own cookbook, a compendium of 250 recipes called Shared Tastes. So popular was this offering during the holiday season that 500 copies were sold in five weeks, thus necessitating another printing. New copies should be at the Paddle by early February. Call 867-1678 to doublecheck. All recipes were tested and include a wide variety, family favorites as well as fancy menus. Editors were Jan Dempsey, Lynda Godfrey, Marita Trobough and Kay Walker. The cover and inside artwork was done by auxiliary member Jorain Krueger. And a line drawing of the store was rendered by Priscilla Schneider, who is a sustaining member. The Eastfield Ming Quong Junior Auxiliary has 85 members, and its president is Cathy Lynn. Store manager is Julie Wise. Sustaining members contribute money but not hours to the auxiliary. In time for Valentine giving is a new item, a Martini Misto, which supplies a very delicate touch of vermouth to the blend. Less than a soupçon, undoubtedly. A larger-sized Misto is handy for olive-oil dispensing. Bears made from recycled fur were big sellers last month, Kay Walker relates. THE GIFT OF SIGHT: It's taken five years, but optometrist /Rotarian Tracy Miller has gotten the kind of money and equipment she needs for her optometry work in Chihuahua, Mexico. She and Stephan Krug, a retired dentist from Livermore, have been regularly flying to this remote north-central region to minister to health needs there. Miller received a grant of $60,141, jointly raised from the Rotary Foundation, the Santa Clara Optometric Society, Flying Doctors and Rotary clubs in this area and Chihuahua. The money will be used for operating expenses and equipment. A team of six--dentists, optometrists and helpers--are flown in for a week and treat about 1,000 children. Hank Gunther, Saddle Rack owner, is the pilot. The team operates at a clinic near a mission school of 3,000. Because the area is so remote, so hardscrabble, it's difficult to lure either native interns or volunteers there. But this crying need motivated Miller and Krug. "The Tarahumara Indians are a sweet people," she says. "It's so sad. Many of the people live in caves and arable land is scarce. There is no sanitation system--contamination is rife. We bring in trail mix and beef jerky, eat nothing but tortillas and beans there." The region is so poor that babies were fed sugar water instead of milk, with disastrous results. The clinic is trying to educate families, to stress the necessity of goat's milk, which is available. Krug has spent years pulling teeth so infected they might have proved fatal. Now he's hoping to fill cavities. Donated eyeglasses were formerly used, but it was a long, slow business. Plus there weren't always appropriate glasses. "I wanted to do it more efficiently," says the Los Gatos optometrist, so she persuaded Nikon to loan them an auto refractor. Now a refractor has been purchased, enabling Miller to see 200 to 300 patients a day. Frames donated from Sola Optical and lenses from Swan Optical are a godsend, but she could use more. "If they can't see they can't learn, can't do their crafts, can't earn a living." The ultimate goal is for the government to fund the program under the direction of native professionals. To this end an internship program has been set up with a medical intern working full time in the clinic. Miller may have an advocate waiting in the wings: The president-elect of Rotary International, Frank Devlyn, owns an ophthalmology company in Mexico. "I'm going to call and introduce myself," Miller grins. POETRY WORKSHOP: In other poetry news, Montalvo sponsors a workshop with Ellery Akers on Thursday, Feb. 4, 11 and 18, 1-5 p.m. Her book of poetry, Knocking on the Earth, was named one of the best books of the year for 1989. She was an artist resident at Montalvo, won five national awards for poetry, and been featured on NPR. She is an artist and naturalist, as well as a poet. Number to call: 831-429-5120. The second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. has been designated Poetry Night at Borders at Old Town in Los Gatos. Los Gatan Frances Roberts proposed the idea, and Borders was all for it. POTLUCK: Hakone Foundation will hold a Potluck Party and Silent Auction Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cultural Exchange Center and Lower House. Prospective members are invited, and no reservations are necessary. Bring a dish to share and a white elephant. Wine and soft drinks provided. New at Hakone is a pique assiette mosaic class wherein mortar and colored grout are used to make stepping stones, bird baths, flower pots, picture frames. Bring an object to cover and four to five secondhand plates for mosaic pieces. The class is Jan. 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., taught by Carla Brooke. Also Jan. 30 is a class in Haiku with Michael Dylan Welch, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for beginners and 1 to 5 p.m. for the more experienced. Hakone: 741-4994. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, January 27, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.