Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Los Gatan George Ramsay is pitting his pickles against the competition at the Santa Clara County Fair.

County Fair inspires competition

By Shari Kaplan

Although small in size, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno's presence will be felt in a big way at this year's 51st annual Santa Clara County Fair, which runs from July 24 through Aug. 4 at the county fairgrounds in San Jose.

More than 25 local residents have entered myriad food, drink, clothing, craft and collectible items in fair exhibit competitions, many of them multiple entries in several categories. And, of course, many 4-Hers are competing as well.

Entrant Margo Bell of Los Gatos says she entered 20 different items because she hopes to get her name known on the fair circuit, as she has only been participating in the Santa Clara County Fair for three years. With the San Mateo County Fair, however, she has been active for 24 years.

Bell's specialty is needlework, which she has practiced and perfected for many decades. "My grandmother taught me to embroider at 12, and I've been sewing since I was 17," says Bell.

Following the creative crafts of her relatives "seemed the natural thing to do," adds Bell, whose skills includes needlepoint, cross-stitch, counter cross-stitch, knitting, crocheting and latch-hook.

Among her favorite fair entries are three needlepoint covers designed to dress up bricks, such as those used as doorstops.

"If that doesn't knock their socks off, I don't know what will," she says of her colorful rockinghorse, mini Victorian home and four-foot long string of Victorian homes.

She is also hopeful about her afghan and sweater entries and her bathroom set items, such as a dress doll who doubles as a toilet paper holder and a facial tissue box made with needlepointed plastic canvas.

Bell says she usually has six projects started at one time; when the movements of one type of needlework begin to bother her arthritic hands, she moves on to something easier. She has taught many of her skills to her spouse, who has entered seven needlework items in this year's fair, as well as her brother, Brian Bishop. Between all of them, Bell estimates, there will be at least a few blue ribbons.

Los Gatan George Ramsay, on the other hand, has entered only one category in this year's fair, yet years of rave reviews and requests from family and friends give him hope that his edible creations also stand a good chance at bringing home a ribbon.

Crispy, cold dill pickles are Ramsay's forté, although he credits a Canadian sister-in-law with getting him started as a pickler. A retired physician with the then-San Jose Medical Group, Ramsay says he was perusing a pickle recipe book she sent him more than eight years ago when his taste was piqued upon reading a recipe for "Baba's Pickles."

"It sounded so intriguing in terms of the ingredients that I made them. Since then, everyone who's tried them wants to take a jar home. There's a constant flow from our pickle cabinet," Ramsay says, estimating that he prepares between 24 to 48 pints each year, most of which he gives away as holiday or birthday gifts. Although he doesn't want to give the recipe away, Ramsay says it is distinctive for its spiciness and includes garlic, dill, mustard seeds and ground horseradish.

Another ingredient he says his pickles cannot do without are grape leaves, which he uses to line the glass jars in which he heats, cools and stores the pickles. Grape and cherry leaves, Ramsay says, are particularly effective because they contain a natural chemical that ensures that the pickles will be firm and crunchy.

Although pickles are the only food item Ramsay is entering in this year's competition, he is a gourmet cook and enjoys preparing dishes for his wife, relatives and friends. One of his favorite non-food hobbies is taking photographs and printing them in his home darkroom.

Although his medical practice keeps him busy, Dr. Jerry Moss has been finding time for the past 14 years to make his own fine wines--the cool, dark basement in his Santa Cruz Mountains home lending itself well to this pursuit. His entry in this year's fair are several bottles of his cabernet sauvignon.

"I've been interested in wines for a long time. Anyone can ferment sugar into alcohol. What's special is to make a wine of the character you like to consume," Moss says.

Living in Germany while serving in the U.S. Army helped further his interest in wines. He also liked the attitude he says many Europeans have toward wine "They treat it more like a food than a controlled alcoholic substance," he says.

After purchasing various wine-producing grapes from vineyards in Sonoma County as well as Morgan Hill, Moss uses his own stemmer/crushers, fermentation tanks, pressers and wooden aging barrels to bring the grapes through the long process of fruit to wine. He usually lets his wines age about two years before he considers them ready for consumption. Moss credits encouragement from friends and oenology (wine-making) classes from UC-Davis with giving him the knowledge to become an award-winning winemaker.

Other highlights include a full-scale replica of the space shuttle Enterprise and aerospace artifacts; an interactive Imagination Gallery; a "Science Gone Wild" exhibit; a craft center; shows on wildlife, chemistry and physics; an old-fashioned rodeo that includes live country & western music; stock car racing; nightly fireworks and music; the Concorde ski show; indoor laser tag; and various amusement rides and carnival games. Exhibits featuring art, plants, food and farm animals will be presented by schoolchildren and agricultural clubs throughout the county.

Admission for adults age 13-59 is $7; for seniors 60 and older, $4; and for children 6-12, $4; children 5 and under are admitted free. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to midnight Friday; and 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday. All buildings close at 10:30 p.m.