This article has been reprinted as a courtsey of The Tri-City Herald.
It all started when Larry and Karen Barcot were searching for a specific recipe among the many they had collected in cookbooks and on slips of paper during the years.
The result of the Kennewick couple's Saturday morning search is TheRecipeManager, a program that allows people to add their own recipes, change them, share them and search for them on an iPhone, iPad or desktop computer.
Now, about eight years after the first version was sold, the Kennewick couple's program is available at Walmart, Office Max and Office Depot. An app also is available through iTunes.
Their company, TheDataManager, has several hundred thousand customers who use TheRecipeManager in about 46 countries, said Larry Barcot, a programmer. Measurements can be converted by the program from U.S. standard to metric depending on what people use.
Karen Barcot said she never thought their effort to find recipes more easily would turn into a program that so many people are using.
She and her husband use the program frequently and said they have about 2,000 recipes filed away in their version.
"I would not live without it," Karen said.
They even have a desktop computer in the kitchen that they use when cooking, she said.
People can search for a recipe based on an ingredient or who created the recipe, said Karen Barcot, who has a marketing background.
The program allows people to change recipes, such as using different ingredients, she said. Recipes can be imported from websites, and photos can be added.
It even allows someone to make up a grocery list, Larry Barcot said.
"It is a valuable tool," Karen said.
The desktop version of TheRecipeManager has the ability to help people determine the nutritional value of recipes, Larry said. It uses the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutritional database.
The couple said it hasn't just been their crew of seven who has made the program work. Focal Point Marketing of Kennewick does the videos for TheDataManager, and Artmil of Kennewick has designed the packaging, which won the American Package Design Award in 2010. Photos are taken by Seattle photographers Lara Ferroni and Clare Barboza.
And PocketiNet of Walla Walla will help by making high-speed dedicated wireless available to the Barcots' home, which Larry said will speed up the downloads for users for items such as videos. The company's servers are in Larry Barcot's home office.
To add to what their program can offer, the couple also have produced five cookbook programs with national and world-renowned chefs called TheInformedChef.
TheInformedChef was recognized recently by the International Association of Culinary Professionals for outstanding technology use.
That is among the most prestigious awards given in the culinary industry, said Meredith Deeds, director of cookbook development for TheInformedChef and the executive director of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
While most people say they know what they need to know about cooking, Larry said they don't know as much as a professional would.
Chefs such as Deeds come to the Barcots' Badger Canyon home and demonstrate making the recipes in the couple's kitchen. The result is a cookbook app, such as Deed's Counter Intelligence.
Deeds, author of six cookbooks including The Big Book of Appetizers, said print media doesn't allow her to adequately describe techniques and sometimes ingredients. When she teaches cookbook classes, students only get the chance to see the technique once, and the number of recipes is limited.
Each program includes 25 recipes and videos and tips that go along with each recipe, Larry said.
For example, one video in Counter Intelligence shows how to make salted caramel sauce for an apple pecan cake, and another shows a quick way to slice a bell pepper.
With the app, people can get as much or as little out of it as they want, Deeds said. They can watch videos of techniques as many times as they want.
"I am not aware of any other app that is so dense in video content as TheInformedChef."
Deeds said that for Counter Intelligence, she picked recipes that were not only delicious, but also would include meaningful videos.
"I tried to pick those lightbulb moments," she said. Those are ones she has found while teaching cooking.
More of TheInformedChef cookbooks are planned, and Deeds said she would love to do another one herself.
Deeds and Larry Barcot have picked chefs to feature in TheInformedChef. Deeds said that although she loves all of the apps, Raghaven Iyer's Indian Flavors stands out.
"Indian food can be so mysterious for people," she said.
TheInformedChef is available through iTunes and theRecipeManager's website.
The program's website also includes free cookbooks such as one from the Washington Apple Growers Association. Larry Barcot said they hope to add more free cookbooks such as one from a Tri-City group.
TheRecipeManager is $5 on iTunes, and each TheInformedChef is $10. To find it in the App Store, search for TheRecipeMgr.
The retail price for the desktop version of TheRecipeManager is $29.95, but Larry said it is sold at different prices depending on the retailer.
For more information, go to www.therecipemanager.com.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Celebrate National Trail Day by walking two new trails and experiencing both history and nature in Missouri state parks and historic sites.
On Friday, June 1, Missouri State Parks officials will dedicate the new Brogans’ Trail at Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob. The 1 p.m. ceremony will officially open the historic site’s first hiking trail and kick off National Trail Day activities.
Brogans’ Trail is a relatively flat one-half mile loop that leads visitors from a new parking lot on the east branch of Knob Creek along the east side of the Battle of Pilot Knob battlefield. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be at the parking lot on Industrial Drive in Pilot Knob and the public is invited to attend.
The trail is named for the shoes worn by most Civil War soldiers on both sides of the conflict. A brogan was a heavy laced, usually ankle-high shoe that had the sole attached to the upper part by wooden pegs. The wooden pegs would swell when wet and shrink when dried, causing Brogans to be repaired quite frequently.
"Missouri state parks and historic sites have more than 230 trails and these two trails illustrate how diverse our trail system is. There’s truly a trail for everyone, whether you’re looking for great recreation, windows into nature or stories about our history,” said Bill Bryan, director of Missouri State Parks, a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The new trail at Fort Davidson State Historic Site and others throughout the state are only two options for celebrating National Trail Day. ke.
“All trails provide endless opportunities to celebrate National Trail Day on June 2 and kick off the entire month of June as Great Outdoors Month,” Bryan said.
Fort Davidson State Historic Site, the site of the Battle of Pilot Knob in 1864, is located on Highway 221 in Pilot Knob.
In the fall of 1864, Confederate armies east of the Mississippi River suffered an almost endless string of defeats. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Potomac had trapped Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the trenches around Petersburg, Va., and Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman captured Atlanta on Sept. 2. However, Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith's army, encamped west of the Mississippi River, faced no immediate threat. In an attempt to relieve the increasing pressure on his fellow armies to the east, Smith sent a massive mounted raiding force far behind Federal lines into the state of Missouri.
Smith appointed Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, Missouri's most famous Confederate, to lead the raid. Price's goals were to divert Union troops from east of the Mississippi River, gather Confederate recruits, capture and destroy Union war materials and, if at all possible, capture St. Louis or Jefferson City. Price entered Missouri on Sept. 19, 1864, with an army of 12,000 men headed for St. Louis. This was the largest Confederate cavalry raid of the war.
While en route to the St. Louis area, Price decided to attack the weakly defended post of Fort Davidson at Pilot Knob. Fort Davidson was a small hexagonal earthwork fort defended by Gen. Thomas Ewing Jr. and his 1,450 Union soldiers. Capturing Fort Davidson would provide arms for Price's 3,000 unarmed soldiers, prevent Ewing's garrison from reinforcing St. Louis or Jefferson City, and provide combat experience for the nearly 6,000 untested Confederate draftees.
The Confederates paid a heavy price during the Battle of Pilot Knob. As many as 1,000 troops were killed or wounded, and more importantly, Gen. Price no longer posed a threat to St. Louis. The Union force suffered 200 casualties, with 28 killed.
Price continued his advance into Missouri following the battle. Eventually, he encountered two Union armies at the battle of Westport, near Kansas City. It was there, in the largest battle fought west of the Mississippi River, where he was defeated and forced to return to Confederate Arkansas.
To reach the Brogans’ Trail lot, turn from Hwy. 221 (South McCune) onto Industrial Drive. Drive about one-half mile and the parking lot is on the left prior to reaching railroad tracks. The trail will be open during normal site hours, sunrise to sunset daily. For more information about the event or the trail, contact Fort Davidson State Historic Site at 573-546-3454.
For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
ShowMe Times Editor
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
It was an awfully important night. It was the kind of event that is a life milestone, when parents and grandparents beam with pride and snap photos, a night when the teachers share in the pride and sense of of the students' accomplishments. For the youngsters it can be a little scary getting up in front of all those people, but also a happy and excited time – when they know they have done something big – and getting ready for even bigger things in the future.
It was graduation night this week for Small Wonders Child Development Center in Dexter, and from the moment the 49 youngsters marched in their caps and gowns to the front of the Worship Center at First Baptist Church it was an exciting time for parents and families, teachers, and the students, too.
The kids sang rousing songs (has there ever been a more enthusiastic singing of “How Great Thou Art”?), and they told the audience just what they want to be when they grow up. From firemen to doctors, big 'monster' truck drivers to “just like my daddy” the youngsters knew exactly what they were going to do someday. And, they ended it all with a declaration of God’s love and care.
Then the moment they waited – the presentation of diplomas. Walking to the front of the stage when their name was read, each student accepted their diploma from Small Wonders Director Tonya Guthrie. Most stood in the center of the stage for photos - just as they had rehearsed. Parents snapped photos, some shed a few tears, and applauded enthusiastically when all the class was presented.
Kindergarten – here they come!
Miss Ann/LeaAnn’s Class
Averee Ackman, Kayden Craft, Laney Edwards, Joseph Fortner, Christiaan Haasbroek, Olivia Maldonado, Carly McMunn, Fisher Menley, Stryker Muzny, Logan Pullum, Avery Riley, Payton Short, Tucker Temples
Miss Angelea’s Class
Ben Dowdy, Ethan Glaus, Tanner Guiling, Kaydence Hessling, Jackson Howard, Kate Nichols, Isabella Pittman, Caroline Stone, Nolen Stone, Sage Wallingford, Korbin Williams
Miss Christy’s Class
Nolan Alford, Luke Bishop, Christian Chappell, Cameron Griffin, Kasmira Hester, Cali Jones, Grady McGhee, Sawyer Rascher, Camden Stevens, Maddie Sutton, Bella Voss
Miss Lynne’s Class
Elizabeth Bolin, Beau Carrier, Ben Christian, Hunter Farmer, Bailey Henry, Parker King, Kenady Krapf, Caden Lee, Kenna Parris, Carly Patterson, Emma Pennington, Drexler Pope, Cale Robinson, Cooper Worley
ShowMe Times Photo Gallery
Every minute of every day, someone needs blood – and blood can only come from a volunteer donor.
A special Red Cross Blood Drive will be sponsored Saturday, May 12 at Wesley Hall of the First United Methodist Church in Dexter. The Blood Drive will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
“The Red Cross tells me their blood supply is low already and it isn't even summer yet,” said Loretta Reid, outreach coordinator of the church. “When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group. Currently only three out of every 100 people in America donate blood.”
From its beginning, the American Red Cross has formed a community of service, of generous, strong and decent people bound by beliefs beyond themselves. The American Red Cross blood donor embodies this principle.
For additional information about the Blood Drive, contact Kristi Williams at the First United Methodist Church at 573-624-3344.
The First United Methodist Church is located at 501 South Walnut Street in Dexter.
Photo above: Owen Flowers and Kendra Stevenson were aong the blood donors at a Red Cross Blood Drive in Dexter. (ShowMe Times archive photo by Annabeth Miller)
