Organic mixology, zoos ahead on show

Information on organic mixology, getting the most out of your visit to the zoo, and using inks and stamps to create backgrounds for different projects will be the featured topics on “Creative Living” 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and noon Thursday (all times Mountain).

Natalie Bovis, owner of The Liquid Muse will talk about organic mixology, and she says you can grow your own herb garden for some unique cocktails. She’ll demonstrate an edible cocktail featured in her cookbook titled “Garden to Glass.” Bovis lives in Santa Fe.

Ray Pawley, retired zoologist, is going to talk about how to get the most out of your zoo visit. Zoos and aquariums are among the most popular family attractions in the world. Pawley will talk about what items to bring when visiting zoos as well as some do’s and don’t’s. He lives in Hondo.

Designer and crafter Ann Butler will show how to use inks and stamps to create backgrounds for lots of different projects, including cards, scrapbooks, fabric designs, and much more. Butler’s company is Ann Butler Designs, and she’s also the co-founder of an online magazine called Bella Crafts. She lives in Victorville, California.

Information on cooking artichokes, creating artwork with stencils, and adopting homeless animals will be the featured topics on “Creative Living” noon Tuesday and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Cookbook author and chef John Vollertsen (more commonly known as Chef Johnny Vee) will demonstrate how to make a simple beer batter and then coat the artichoke hearts to serve with a dipping sauce. He owns and operates Las Cosas Cooking School in Santa Fe.

Stencils are a classic art form. Sara Mower will show how to easily create beautiful art work by simply tracing. You can even use the edges to create coordinating frames and borders. She represents Roylco, Inc. in Anderson, South Carolina.

Matthew Festa is with Guardians of Rescue, and he’s going to explain how to adopt a pet. He strongly suggests going through a shelter to reduce the 6-8 million companion animals that are killed each year. Festa lives in Smithtown, New York.

Artichoke fritters

24 frozen or canned artichoke hearts

3/4 cup flour + 1/4 cup

1/4 cup corn starch

1 cup beer, any brand, preferably not a dark beer

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 lemons cut into wedges

3 cups vegetable oil

Combine 3/4 cup flour and cornstarch in medium bowl. Stir in salt, cumin and cayenne. Measure beer into tilted measuring cup and ensure that you have 1 cup liquid. Stir in beer and foam and whisk batter until smooth. Allow batter to rest for 20 minutes before using. If a thinner batter is desired, add a small amount of more beer. Lightly season artichoke hearts with salt and pepper. Heat the oil to 350°F in a wok or deep skillet. Dust artichokes with remaining flour and then dip into batter and allow to drain briefly. Working in batches, fry fritters until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon drain fritters and scatter on paper towels, lightly salt. Serve warm with lemon wedges and Horseradish Dipping sauce. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Horseradish dip

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp. freshly grated horseradish root, or 2 tsp. prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lime juice

pinch of salt

freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Cover and chill.

“Creative Living” is produced and hosted by Sheryl Borden. The show is carried by more than 118 PBS stations. Contact her at:

[email protected]