West Hills Hunt
Saturday at the Museum
-Tommy Lee Jones, David Wendler, and John J. Carle to be honored by induction to the Huntsmen’s Room
-Exhibition and sale of artworks by Sam Savitt and Kathleen Friedenberg
The mansion at Morven Park, Leesburg, Virginia
In concert with the Virginia Foxhound Show, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting at Morven Park, Leesburg, Virginia, is preparing for its “Annual” Reception and special events over the Memorial Day Weekend on Saturday, May 28, 2022, after a two-year hiatus.
At 4:00 PM, Robert Ferrer, MFH, Chairman of the Huntsmen’s Room Committee, will step to the podium and open the formal ceremonies. Ferrer will introduce the presenters for each new inductee to the Huntsmen’s Room―Bill Fendley, ex-MFH, Casanova Hunt (VA) for Tommy Lee Jones; Scott Tepper, ex-MFH, West Hills Hunt (CA) and the Red Rock Hounds (NV) for David Wendler; and Mrs. John J. Carle for her late husband, Jake. From three disparate but all-American backgrounds, the three huntsmen followed three separate paths to this honor by their peers. Read on.
At 5:00 PM, the Huntsmen’s Room in the Morven Park mansion will open for viewing, as will the art exhibit and sale of the works of two well-known equestrian artists, the late Sam Savitt and Kathleen Friedenberg.
The Look of Eagles
A phrase often ascribed to a proud and majestic horse,“The Look of Eagles” in this photo surely applies to both horse and rider.
This photo of Kirk Douglas in hunting attire is thought to be a publicity still for The List of Adrian Messenger. The film was directed by John Huston, father of Anjelica Huston, whose memoir of growing up at St. Clerans, the family home in Ireland, is reviewed below.
John Huston was a Joint-Master of the Galway Blazers, and he brought many screen stars to St. Clerans, including Kirk Douglas. The foxhunting scenes for The List of Adrian Messenger, in which George C. Scott also appeared, were filmed in Ireland. Scott, along with other Hollywood stars, hunted with the West Hills Hunt in California. John Huston was also a member of West Hills. Whether or not Kirk Douglas hunted with West Hills, we don’t know.
Hunt Breakfast Recipe Contest Winners
Juliet Mackay-Smith, chef and proprietor of Locke Modern Country Store
Results are in for our Hunt Breakfast Recipe Contest! Our judge Juliet Mackay-Smith has made her selections, and we will pin the winning recipes with a blue ribbon within the website so readers will know which recipes have received these honors.
“Born into a foxhunting family, I have had first-hand experience of what makes for satisfying fare at a hunt breakfast...both for the hosts to prepare and for the guests to consume," said Mackay-Smith.
New Zealand Huntsman Is Worthy Successor to David Wendler at West Hills
Huntsman Scott Neill
California’s West Hills foxhounds—organized sixty-three years ago by song-and-dance man Dan Dailey and boasting the late President Ronald Reagan as a founding member—were compelled to learn a new vocabulary disguised in a down under accent last season.
For the prior fifty-five years David Wendler, one of the most experienced huntsman ever to carry the horn, had led the West Hills Hounds over difficult and dry terrain, hunting a pack of independent-minded American hounds primarily of the July strain (with some Orange County red ring neck blood). When it came time for Wendler to retire, West Hills was in a quandary. How to keep up the high level of sport in what some believe to be the most demanding hunt country in North America?
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
4 cups Half & Half2 cups sugar½ cup melted butter3 eggs – beaten2 tbsp vanilla extract1½ tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp nutmegOne 10-ounce loaf dry French bread, torn into bite-size pieces1 cup raisins1 cup shredded coconut1 cup chopped pecans Whiskey Sauce:1½ cups confectioners sugar1/2 cup butter1 egg yolk1/2 cup whiskey Combine the Half & Half, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix well. Stir in bread, raisins, coconut and pecans. Spoon into a buttered 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 decrees for 1¼ hours or until golden brown (do not over-bake). To make Whiskey Sauce: Combine the confectioners sugar and butter in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolk. Stir the egg yolk into the hot mixture. Add the whiskey gradually, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Spoon pudding into dessert bowls. Drizzle with warm whiskey sauce. ... This content is for subscribers only.Join NowAlready a member? Log in here
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Stuffed Grape Leaves
2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice1 large onion, chopped1/2 cup chopped fresh dill1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves2 quarts chicken broth3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided60 grape leaves, drained and rinsedHot water as needed1 cup olive oil In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the rice, onion, dill and mint for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Pour in 1 quart of broth, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked. Stir in 1/2 of lemon juice and remove from heat. Take one leaf, shiny side down, and place 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture at the bottom (stem) end of the leaf. Fold both sides of the leaf towards the center, roll up from the broad bottom to the top, and place into a 4-quart pot. Repeat with all leaves, leaving no gaps as leaves are placed in pot (to prevent from opening while cooking). Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and with olive oil. Pour chicken broth over all to cover grape leaves. Cover pot and simmer for about 1 hour (do not boil, because this will make the stuffing burst out of the leaves). Remove from heat, remove cover and let cool for 1/2 hour. Transfer to serving dish and serve.... This content is for subscribers only.Join NowAlready a member? Log in here
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Pain de Maiz
2 cups yellow cornmeal1½ cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/2 cup sugar1 tsp salt2 tsp baking powder1 tablespoon baking soda3 eggs1 cup milk1/3 cup sour cream1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted but not clarified) Add, if desired:1/2 cup corn kernels2 tablespoons diced mild green chilis2 tablespoons pimientos Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×11-inch brownie pan. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and sour cream. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and pour the liquid mixture in. Fold together. Add melted butter and stir until blended. After the batter is mixed, add any other ingredients such as corn or chilies. Spread evenly in the baking pan, being sure to get into corners. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on rack before cutting. Makes 12 servings if cut into 3×4-inch squares.... This content is for subscribers only.Join NowAlready a member? Log in here
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My Parents’ Biscuits from Heaven
I remember these from my parents’ dinner parties as a child. I used to hang around kitchen like a puppy hoping for crumbs to fall off the counter just waiting for them to come out of the oven.
Broccoli Salad
Salad ingredients may be prepared beforehand. Toss with dressing last minute.
