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In order to be considered “authentic Marseilles bouillabaisse,” the soup must contain garlic, olive oil, saffron, onions, leeks, tomatoes, fennel seeds and seafood. (If you want to be really authentic, one of the fish in the stew should be a scorpion fish known in France as “rascasse,” but due to its scarcity here in the U.S. it’s not considered vital.)
If you have those base ingredients you can then add anything you want and still consider it authentic Marseilles style. If you don’t use all those base ingredients then you are just making a fish stew.
Many myths talk about the creation of bouillabaisse. The name is rooted in the words “boil” and “reduce”; in French, “bouillir” and “abaisser.” The basic instructions for the stew are, “When it boils then you reduce” or “Quand ça bouille tu baisses.”
The ancient Romans believed it was what Venus (the goddess of love) fed to Vulcan (her husband and god of fire) in order to lull him to sleep, so that she could go have a roll in the hay with the god of war, Mars.
French legend says that the first bouillabaisse was brought from heaven by the angels to give to the three Marys from the Bible when they were shipwrecked on the shores of Camargue, France. That just seems a little cruel; fish stew while on the shore of France ... isn’t that like sending Gilligan a supply of coconuts? Couldn’t the angels have brought them a nice brisket!?
Actually it was created by fishermen as a way to use up the worthless, bony and small fish that they couldn’t sell. The fishermen simply boiled fish in seawater with some garlic, onions and fennel, probably right there on the shore. Tomatoes made it into the stew not long after they were brought back from the new world.
Eventually the stew became popular with restaurants and got jazzed up with saffron and every spice imaginable, including things like orange peel, tarragon and lavender.
The recipe I have included below is very simplified and basic, yet enough to feed four very hungry people and give you a feeling for the authentic Marseilles style.
The seafood to add to this stock should be whatever kind you like. I recommend a half-pound of monkfish, half-pound red snapper, one Dungeness crab (cleaned and quartered), 1 pound of shrimp, and a smattering of clams and mussels. Yes, “smattering” is a unit of measure ... look it up!
Some people like to use salmon in this stew, some people think it’s too oily; I leave that choice up to you, but I would definitely avoid shark ... long story, I’ll tell you later.
After cooking, the seafood is separated from the stew and served on a separate dish from the soup. The soup is served with bread covered with a garlic-saffron sauce or mayonnaise called “Rouille” (which can be quite strong, so care is advised). Recipes for Rouille (which means “rust,” due to the color) are as varied as recipes for bouillabaisse but mayonnaise with garlic, saffron, and red pepper is a good approximation.
Basic yet Authentic Marseilles Bouillabaisse stock
1 onion chopped
1 leek (white part only) chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 clove of garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/8 teaspoon saffron, rubbed
1/8 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cups water
1 cup clam juice
1 cup white wine
Assorted fish trimmings, shrimp or shell fish shells
Add all ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into another pot through a colander, mashing as much liquid out of the leftovers. Discard solids.
Add any desired seafood to the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes (or until bivalves open).
Traditionally, the ratio of seafood added is two parts fish to one part shellfish and one part bivalves. You can of course alter this to your own preferences.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
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Tommy Merrill, 51, sustained major injuries which were not life-threatening in the crash, which occurred at 8:05 a.m. Thursday, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia.
Merrill was driving his 1993 Suzuki Sidekick eastbound on Red Hills Road west of Highway 29, Garcia reported, when, for an unknown reason, Merrill's vehicle drifted off the straight roadway and struck a tree.
Garcia said Merrill, who was alone in the vehicle, was transported to Sutter Lake Side Hospital by
Kelseyville Fire Ambulance.
Merrill was wearing his seat belt when the collision occurred, said Garcia.
CHP reminds drivers to please buckle up when driving. It not only saves lives but is focus of the CHP's “Click it or Ticket” campaign.
CHP Officer Greg Baxter is investigating the incident, Garcia said.
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The March preliminary rates was 10.1 percent, up 0.4 percent from the revised February rate of 9.7 percent, and 1.1 percent above the year-ago, March 2007 rate of 9 percent, said Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department's North Coast Region Labor Market Information Division.
At 10.1 percent, Lake ranked 36th among the State’s 58 counties, according to Mullins.
Some surrounding county rates included 7.4 percent for Mendocino, and 5.2 percent for Sonoma, said Mullins. Marin had the lowest rate in the State at 4.1 percent and Colusa had the highest with 16.9 percent. The comparable California and U.S. rates were 6.4 and 5.2 percent respectively.
Total industry employment increased 80 jobs (0.6 percent) between February 2008 and March 2008, ending the period with 14,610 jobs, according to Mullins' report.
Month-over job growth, said Mullins, occurred in farm; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; private educational and health services; other services; and government. Month-over job losses occurred in information and financial activities.
Industry sectors with no change over the month were natural resources, mining and construction; professional and business services; and leisure and hospitality, Mullins said.
Farm; trade, transportation and utilities; and government led industry gainers adding 30 jobs each over the month, according to Mullins.
Manufacturing, private educational and health services, and other services were up 10 jobs each, he reported.
Financial activities was down 30 jobs and information declined 10. Nine industry sectors gained jobs or were unchanged for the month and two declined.
Mullins said the Employment Development Department encourages those who are filing for unemployment insurance benefits to do so online at www.edd.ca.gov. Online claim filing is the fastest, most convenient way to apply for unemployment benefits, and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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HR233, the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George Bush in October 2006.
On the Mendocino National Forest, the Act added to the existing Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel and Snow Mountain Wildernesses, and designated two new Wildernesses, Sanhedrin and Yuki. These areas were already in the national forest and no new lands were incorporated.
The Act also designated a portion of the Black Butte River as "Scenic," and portions of the Black Butte River and Cold Creek as "Wild." These designations compel certain changes in the application of Forest Plan management direction. The Act has, in effect, amended the Forest Plan.
Amended sections of the Forest Plan are available on-line at www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/publications/fp or hard copies may be obtained by contacting Forest Planner Mike VanDame at telephone 530-934-1141; e-mail
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The hour-and-40-minute meeting, held Tuesday evening at Clearlake City Hall, was an opportunity for the City Council and Planning Commission to ask questions and make “nonbinding” comments on the Provinsalia early in the process, said City Administrator Dale Neiman.
“It's important that we know what you want related to the project,” he told council members and commissioners.
Over the next four to six months, Neiman said city staff will spend a “substantial” amount of time working on preparing the proposed final environmental impact report for a formal hearing. The document, released last week and reportedly the project's third environmental report draft, is more than 200 pages long.
If the Planning Commission and the council decides the environmental report is adequate, Neiman said that would lead to a list of other tasks, from general plan amendments to adoption of a specific area plan and a development agreement.
Dick Price of the Modesto-based Price Group is representing Cache Creek Inc., the company that is proposing Provinsalia. He made a presentation to the group to explain the project's current scope and answer questions.
“We've been at this for a while,” said Price.
Today, Provinsalia is slated to be built across 292 acres near Cache Creek off of Dam Road, said Price.
Originally, the project had been much larger, Price said, and included property outside of the city limits that stretched down to the dam. However, due to a variety of factors – accessibility, steep terrain and regulatory issues – they found the land unsuitable.
So the investors “jettisoned out of the project all the property not within the city of Clearlake,” said Price, and sold the land in order to make money for the project, which so far has been very expensive.
“I've spent almost $5 million here in case you're not aware of it,” he said.
The land sale pared the property down to a 720-unit subdivision with a nine-hole golf course and 70 acres of open space. Other adjustments to the plan have reduced the units further, said Price, so the final number of units is 660.
“We're still looking at a very large project here,” said Price.
As part of the project Price and the company proposes to build a new road, Provinsalia Avenue, which will enter the subdivision off of Dam Road, which will serve as an emergency exit.
There are still many issues to be worked out, including impacts on services. Price said the subdivision's water will be supplied by Konocti County Water District, which will have to increase the size of its pump station at the developer's expense.
The plan also proposes to take untreated water from Cache Creek to water the golf course, which will require permits from Yolo County officials as well as the Army Corps of Engineers, said Price.
During his presentation, Price also fielded questions about chemical use on the golf course – which will be handled by an integrated waste management program – to concerns about the plan's proposed homeowners association.
Regarding the latter, questions arose because council members and commissioners were concerned that, if the association were to eventually disband, it could impact the subdivision's basic maintenance issues. Neiman said the city can form maintenance districts, which can't be disbanded, to ensure that doesn't happen.
Price also said that the company will ensure that the subdivision reaches full buildout.
“This is all driven by a need to make a profit,” he said. “We can't get our money back 'til we sell those lots and somebody builds those houses.”
Funding, traffic among main issues
Another area of significant concern is the proposed use of a Mello-Roos Community Facilities District, a bond measure that would finance public improvements and services and be repaid by a special tax assessed on residents of the district.
Price confirmed that using a Mello-Roos district is still in the plans to fund the subdivision's infrastructure.
That concerned Council member Judy Thein, who didn't want the city left in the lurch if the project doesn't follow through on its promises. “So what is our safeguard there?”
“We would build in safeguards,” said Neiman said.
He added that Mello-Roos financing is tax-exempt and offers a lower interest rate, but can only apply to public improvements.
Victoria Brandon of Lake County's Sierra Club chapter also voiced concern that the financing proposal could expose the city and its taxpayers to a major risk, which Neiman said the city wouldn't let happen.
Neiman said the responsibility to pay back the bonds would fall on the homeowners in the subdivision.
“But if the properties aren't constructed who's going to repay that money?” Brandon asked.
Neiman said that issue will be considered and a solution found to prevent the city being left holding the bag.
Mayor Curt Giambruno pointed out that the Mello-Roos proposal isn't mentioned in the environmental impact report, and noted the proposal would need the city's approval. Price added that, if the homes didn't sell, the land would be sold off to pay back the financing.
Kelseyville resident Angela Siegel, a teacher at Carle High School who has monitored the project closely over the last several years, said if the project doesn't repay the funds there will be implications for the city. “It's your entire credit rating for anything else you might want to do.”
She then questioned Price on the background for Cache Creek Inc. Her research found that the company was registered in Delaware and based in Houston, Texas, but hasn't filed its corporation in Delaware for the last three years. Price said he didn't have information on those issues.
Another major issue that arose during the meeting were the project's plan to remove 1,400 oak trees, many of them smaller, said Price. The property has about 26,000 oak trees total, he added. The removed trees would be replanted elsewhere.
Glenn Goodman questioned how the city would provide increased services for the subdivision. The main service that would have to be provided, said Neiman, is policing, which the city has an obligation to provide. Sewer, water and schools would be supported by developer fees.
Herb Gura, president of the Konocti Unified School District Board of Trustees, didn't believe the report had addressed community concerns. “The final EIR (environmental impact report) basically says we don't think we have to do anything more.”
He added, “The city should not consider it a foregone conclusion that this project will move ahead.”
One matter that arose repeatedly related to potential traffic impacts on Lake Street, along which are located some area schools. A traffic study indicated that there are currently 3,000 trips a day down Lake Street, said Neiman.
Supervisor Jeff Smith who – along with Supervisor Ed Robey – was on hand to comment on the plan, said the county has jurisdiction over Lake Street, and increased traffic is a concern there for both he and Robey.
Giambruno said the traffic issue has been with the project from the start. “I'm not sure that it's been solved.”
Price said a traffic study completed for Provinsalia makes “endless” suggestions to address those concerns. Solutions, he added, will be expensive. “If you read that I think you'll find we're way ahead of you on this.”
Siegel asked the council and commission to go back to the general plan and look at the section on “resources protection” zoning, the designation currently assigned to the land. She said the language is clear, that it was not intended to subdivide parcels and sell them piecemeal, but was intended for a total project.
Adopting a specific plan area for the property will allow for less environmental protection than the current zoning, said Siegel. “This particular specific plan violates the intent and spirit of the original zoning to protect this unique parcel.”
Planning Commissioner Al Bernal said he believes the project would be very beneficial for Clearlake, and that the golf course could add to Clearlake's appeal as a destination.
Neiman said staff will begin working on reports to bring back to the council and commission regarding the project's environmental impact report and its adequacy.
“Basically it's on my shoulders to get the work done,” said Neiman.
Copies of the report are available at Clearlake City Hall, where members of the public can see a hard copy. For a $3 fee, a CD with the full report can be purchased.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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LAKEPORT – The circumstances surrounding the last hours of Paul Womachka's life and his subsequent death are shrouded in a certain mystery. The weapon used to kill him hasn't been found, no motive has been offered for the father of three's murder, and no confessions have been made.
However, on Tuesday a judge ruled that the man who is believed to have been the last person to see him alive will stand trial for his murder.
Morgan Jack, 31, is accused of murdering 39-year-old Hey, Taxi! driver Paul Joseph Womachka in the early morning hours of June 27, 2007.
Following a preliminary hearing that stretched across most of Tuesday, Judge Arthur Mann ruled that there was sufficient evidence to hold Jack to answer for the charges that he murdered Womachka, with a special allegation of using a knife.
Jack, who was arrested and charged in February, has pleaded not guilty in the case.
Mann ordered Jack return to court on May 5, at which time he'll be arraigned, said defense attorney Stephen Carter. “Fundamentally, what we'll be doing is setting the future dates and the trial date at that time.”
Prosecutor Richard Hinchcliff called four witnesses during the course of the day, all of them Lake County Sheriff's Office investigators and support staff.
Lake County Sheriff's Office Investigator Nicole Costanza gave the bulk of the day's testimony.
She detailed the case from its beginning – when Womachka was reported missing by his ex-wife and business partner in the taxi business, Erica, on June 27, 2007 – to the discovery of his body two days later.
Initially Costanza and Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff's Office's investigations division began interviewing people – including Jack – to find clues to Womachka's whereabouts.
They also received an anonymous tip that they should search the area behind the rancheria's gymnasium off of Soda Bay Road, which they did on foot, through the use of a helicopter and with a cadaver dog.
On June 29, 2007, Womachka's body was found submerged in his taxi minivan in an area of the Big Valley Rancheria's marina by Tribal Chair Valentino Jack, who was out on the water in a row boat, checking the area after he had been notified that the fence along the water had been damaged, said Costanza.
Evidence at the scene indicated Womachka's minivan went into the water after crossing a field and going through a chain link fence.
Based on witness interviews and surveillance video, detectives allegedly identified Jack at Robinson Rancheria Casino the night of June 26, 2007, where he was seen drinking at the bar. It was there that Womachka picked him up at approximately 12:17 a.m. – which was reportedly picked up on videotape – and drove him to his mother's home at Big Valley in the course of about 17 minutes.
Jack told detectives he went to his mother's home at Big Valley rather than going back to the home at Robinson Rancheria that he shared with his girlfriend, because he was concerned his girlfriend would be angry because he had been drinking.
Costanza said the taxi was seen entering the rancheria on a casino surveillance video at 12:34 a.m. A few hours later, another video showed Jack making his way to the casino.
A neighbor reported hearing Jack at his mother's home that night, yelling and making noise, Costanza said.
Cause of death still a mystery
The exact cause of Womachka's death still isn't precisely known, said Costanza.
Womachka, Costanza explained, sustained four "sharp force injuries" – in the left upper chest and left shoulder, and one on either size of the neck.
Both the injuries to Womachka's neck cut his jugular vein and could have been fatal, a ruling Costanza attributed to medical examiner Dr. Kelly Arthur of the Sonoma County Coroner's Office, who performed the autopsy. The injury to the left side of Womachka's neck was termed by Arthur as an "incision" rather than a stab wound.
Because Womachka's body had been submerged for a lengthy period of time, Arthur couldn't conclude if he had drowned or bled to death, said Costanza.
When his body was recovered, said Costanza, Womachka was still wearing his seatbelt, his hands on or near the steering wheel, and his foot on the gas. The minivan was in drive gear, its doors were locked and several of the windows were open.
Costanza said Department of Justice criminologists matched DNA evidence taken from a toothbrush belonging to Womachka to the DNA found in a speck of blood found on a pair of shoes allegedly belonging to Jack. The likelihood that the DNA could have belonged to someone else was one in 160 quadrillion.
The weapon used to kill Womachka wasn't found. In searching the van Costanza said a knife blade – which Hinchcliff said was about 3 inches long – was found wedged between the plastic center console and the front passenger seat. However, it had no fingerprints or DNA. A search of the area where the van was found conducted by the Northshore Dive Team also yielded no finds.
During cross-examination of Costanza, Carter questioned what he felt was thin circumstantial and physical evidence.
He raised concerns with the surveillance videos, which had a number of issues concerning inaccurate time stamps.
Carter also questioned how Jack could have only come away with a small speck of blood on his shoes after allegedly committing a stabbing. Asking Costanza if they found blood stains in the van, she replied, “Lots.”
Paulich, the day's last witness to take the stand, said Jack had admitted to drinking a significant amount of alcohol the night of June 27, 2007.
In a four-hour interview on June 29, 2007, Paulich questioned Jack extensively. He tried to encourage a confession by telling Jack that he believed whatever happened had been an accident. He also had asked Jack if what had taken place had been mutual combat.
Jack repeatedly told him he didn't remember anything, although at one point he said that “maybe something bad did happen.”
However, Jack made no confession. “He told us he didn't hurt anybody ever,” Paulich said.
Attorneys argue the quality of evidence
At the end of the testimony, Hinchcliff argued that there was sufficient evidence to move forward with trying Jack for Womachka's murder.
“There is substantial circumstantial evidence that places the defendant with Mr. Womachka at or near the time of death,” said Hinchcliff. “He's obviously the last known person to be seen with Mr. Womacka.”
Hinchcliff said he had “extremely strong evidence” that Jack either committed the murder or was involved in its commission.
Carter, however, argued that the prosecution hadn't done enough to show that Jack was guilty.
He pointed to the speck of blood on Jack's right shoe, which was so small that the DNA testing consumed it, which means no further tests can be performed.
“That is the evidence that ties my client to this killing,” he said. “That's just about the only physical evidence we have at all, this blood speck that has been consumed.”
Neither were detectives successful in finding any of the clothing Jack had worn. Clothes found at the home of Jack's mother didn't have blood or DNA evidence, and couldn't even be tied to Jack.
“The type of evidence that would suggest Mr. Jack was involved in this wrongdoing simply isn't here,” said Carter.
Hinchcliff replied that the evidence – including statements from Jack and witnesses that placed him at the scene and the blood evidence – was enough to move forward.
Responding to Carter's contention that the cause of Womachka's death and who was responsible hadn't been clarified, Hinchcliff said, “It's not clear whether he drowned or died of loss of blood. What is clear is that the way he died was approximately caused by being stabbed.”
Following Mann's ruling, Carter said that preliminary hearings require a much lower standard of proof – a reasonable suspicion versus proof beyond a reasonable doubt required for a trial conviction.
Both Hinchcliff and Carter noted outside of court that the hearing had moved quickly.
However, at trial that's likely to change. Carter said the trial could become much more involved, with DNA and blood specialist and other experts called to testify.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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