The Delicious Story

The Baratta’s commercials of the late 1990s were clever, homey vignettes of something that used to happen in the “olden” days. The scene opens with “us,” the ad viewers, looking toward someone leaning in, perhaps into a car window. And we learn that we’re lost on some side street of the south side of Des Moines, trying desperately to find 2320 S. Union Street. The next bit went just like it usually did when someone stopped a random stranger to ask for directions. We’re given a series of instructions: “turn this way and take that road, and then go to this four-way stop…” You know—the kind of details that leave the clueless even more so. Today GPS has made that scenario a thing of the past, but the deal with Baratta’s was that the search actually made finding the restaurant that much more rewarding once you dined there. And I, with my family and like so many locals, have managed to find the way back many times over the years to this favorite eatery with a rich history. This week on The Delicious Story I visit with Lisa Kruger, co-owner and manager of Baratta’s Restaurant, a beloved favorite of Des Moines nestled on the south side, serving Italian-American cuisine since 1967. You’ll have the chance to “fly by the seat of your pants” as Lisa relays the charming details of how she and co-owner Joe Gatto came to own the restaurant in 1993, and the anecdotes of launching in those first days when they were 25 years old with nothing but chutzpah and a little experience as their guide. With the bones of restaurant toil far behind them, good luck and good calls have paid off for this team and, as of May 1, 2019, Lisa and Joe celebrated 26 years as owners of Baratta’s. Their longevity is a testament to hard work, skill, talent and a remarkable set of circumstances that helped them take a local neighborhood hidden gem and transform it into a destination place to dine. BARATTA’S INTERESTING PASTA bit of research turned up another interesting story I’ll relate here, which Lisa and I didn’t discuss in the interview. There was this other chapter of the restaurant involving the original owner Charles Baratta that highlights an immigrant story, the tenacity of a family to persevere and the fostering of a greater sense of community. Baratta’s restaurant was first a private home and the prior occupants were named Berard. I could not readily find when the house changed ownership, but the Baratta Place Grocery was the first business documented in operation at the property in the early 1950s. The first year of operation was most likely in the 1940s, because Anthony Baratta and his young family had already immigrated from Scala Coeli, Italy in 1926.As with other immigrants, the Barattas were fleeing bad times in Italy to start afresh for opportunities in the United States. After WWI, Italy endured a deep and long-lasting depression fueled by the rise of fascism, and those issues would continue to bring us Italian immigrants well into the 1960s.Anthony Baratta’s family comprised of one daughter and three sons, arrived in Des Moines and established themselves on the south side of the city where there was a strong Italian-American community. Charles was one of those children, born in Italy shortly before they immigrated.In 1950, Charles Baratta was a 29-year-old man known by the nickname “Cat,” which he acquired in school. As an adult, Charles engaged in competitive fighting, which probably suited his work as the operator of The Last Chance Tavern at 400 Third Street owned by his sister Frances Madonia. On a June evening that year, one Wilbur Sandine was unruly in the bar and threatened Baratta, who threw a punch in self-defense. Sandine went to the hospital and a couple of days later he died. Charles was charged, tried and convicted for second-degree murder, but petitioned for a re-trial and in 1952 he was acquitted.In...

First, there was the cheese. I remember going to the Des Moines’ Farmers’ Market and sampling Lois Reichert’s cheeses in the summer of 2010. The experience remains a happy memory. It was a lovely Iowa farmer’s market morning as we walked about, aimlessly perusing the wares from one booth to another. We then came upon the Reichert’s Dairy Air booth. As we ate samples, I remember thinking the chevre was the best I’d ever tasted—creamy, with a fresh tang and a smooth texture that spread perfectly on a piece of toasted French bread. After that initial encounter with Reichert’s, I could not get the thought of tasting more chevre out of my head. It became the persistent craving that year, much like the desire to hear memorable meal stories, that I so loved. My passion for stories, particularly meal stories, led to launching the first rendition of The Delicious Story ten years ago. MY SPOUSE IS A GOOD EGG, AND THOSE WERE INTERESTING TIMESAs I reviewed and edited this podcast I thought back on where my husband and I were at in those days, a time when we created nearly 50 episodes. The Great Recession was still fresh, and our lives had been shifted dramatically by it. David was downsized from his position and decided to go back to school full time to get a master's degree in education and teach art. I had been downsized months earlier and was working a part-time gig while trying to launch a new business. We were quasi-empty nesters, and of course, we were younger. I had an interest in seeking out, hearing and recording stories, particularly memorable meal stories. And we accessed the unique opportunity of a studio and equipment to record videocasts. I asked David to be my co-host, and good friend and spouse that he is, he went along (reluctantly at first) and proved to be a supportive co-host in the venture. In this episode you’ll hear our signature banter, which is sort of the true us then, as well as now. GOATS AND A DAIRY FARMI admit to feeling a bit of the dork when I asked people to be a guest on my podcast. Podcasting was still a newer concept then, and The Delicious Story was actually a videocast, so the commitment for the guest was a bigger deal. The query went something like this, “Hey there person I don’t know well but find interesting: will you please be a guest on my show and either come to our studio, or let me come to you and record an interview . . . in person . . . with video?” Remarkably, people were receptive and often downright generous. Such was the case with Lois Reichert who was kind enough to invite David and me out and see her and her farm in action. As you listen, you’ll discover that her generosity is natural, and that she truly loves what she does. You’ll also pick up that educating the public is an important part of her work as a dairy farmer. She teaches consumers about cheese and goats, as well as advising others considering going into the dairy business. In this episode you are there in the kitchen where the “magic” happens – the hard-working milking room, among the noisy heard of does and kids. You’ll learn about different breeds of goats, like the Lamancha and Nubian, which Lois prefers, and why. And about the general temperament and behavior of the bucks as well.For the foodies and science folk, this show has the content for you. Lois describes the process of making cheese and the science involved. We learn the difference between curds and whey and other ingredients and practices that are required to make a good cheese. Lois describes the routines of her daily life as a dairy farmer and cheese maker. We’re talking some long hours. We realize firsthand what it is to do work of the spirit rather than the pocket, and of her ambition for excellence while producing the best cheeses she can. THE MYSTERY OF THE DAIRYAs the show came to a close, Lois did share her memorable meal story with us, which...

I remember the “olden” days at family dinners. When the meal was finished, we sat lingering over the remains of a bottle of wine discussing words and their definitions or history topics and the supposed “facts” of some point. Inevitably, a challenge of knowledge would arise, nerds would turn into competitors, and someone would go seek out the dictionary or encyclopedia to prove their point. If that sounds obnoxious, it only got more so once Google was in our hands. The phrase commonly heard was, “Let me Google that!” If the scenario sounds like a bunch of egos gone amuck, it might be so, but trivia points aside, I do LOVE having information right at my fingertips. Not only is this access to instant information gratifying, but it comes in handy when the situations are more important.One significant example of this for David and I was when we started aging and seeing new health issues arise, among them high blood pressure. These days I’m always googling to find groups on social media related to the subject and the latest medical information. Of course, one needs to be careful to discern the accuracy of what they find, but there is an abundance of helpful resources to consider. It was just that kind of search that lead me to Rick Henderson, the editor of the Foods That Lower Blood Pressure Group. I found him on Linkedin and asked to connect, and what happened next surprised me. Rick explained that he limits his number of connections on Linkedin because he wants to have more substantial relationships with a smaller group rather than acquiring a ton of connections. I thought that was interesting, but then he floored me and said, “How can I help you?” It turns out this is a key focus for Rick. He is genuine in his interest to be of service and is especially interested in educating others about lifestyle ideas and food recipes to help lower their blood pressure. Today on The Delicious Story we will speak with Rick, and you will experience firsthand his enthusiasm, knowledge, and gusto for many things—and especially about how to lower blood pressure. FOODS THAT LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE GROUPYou’ll be shocked to find out how high Rick’s blood pressure was when he was first diagnosed. His story is amazing, and what makes it specifically inspiring is how he went about turning things around. As Rick explains, he is an open book, so you’ll hear his interesting backstory and gain insights into his thoughts, which are relatable for those of us with high blood pressure. Food and exercise have been essential ingredients in Rick’s journey to improve his blood pressure numbers, but he also details some of the less traditional ideas and supplements he has tried. Of these, Rick has enjoyed favorable results incorporating colostrum and neck yoga into his diet and routine. I had no idea what colostrum was but, of course, there is the internet, and so a link from Rick and other research provided information pronto. Colostrom is bovine “first milk,” the nutrient-rich pre-milk that lets down for the calf before the mother’s milk starts to produce. Like all mammals, this first milk comes loaded with antibodies to help stave off disease. It turns out that many people are taking this colostrum to help with several health issues and just as many are reporting positive results. Rick has a story of his own to share on how it is working for him. There are ample resources available explaining benefits and possible uses for colostrum which, like information about neck yoga, can be found at Foods That Lower Blood Pressure Group. And that is just exactly what Rick has helped make possible—a place to discuss, learn and find information all under one roof. Rick is thorough in his research before he posts anything to the group, and as always he stresses that people need to consult with their physician. YES, THERE IS GOOD FOOD THAT IS LOW...

The ability to make choices and act on them is a wonderful gift. Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski appreciates the flexibility of having options and has made the most of them in each chapter of her life. Professionally, Rebecca’s resume reads like an adventurer’s journal, featuring twists and turns and chronicling exciting opportunities she’s tried and mastered. Success alone isn’t the driver for Rebecca as she has kept her eyes forward to the next transition with her interests and passions in mind, too. More than a dozen years ago, Rebecca trailblazed her way into blogging and marketing to a highly underserved and growing segment of Americans—the over 50 category—and thus, Baby Boomster was born. Rebecca saw the gap between what was being said to those termed “Boomers” and the reality of their lives. As recently as fifteen years ago, the disconnect was significant and perpetuated across advertising, product offerings, and society. She appreciated firsthand that the truth of the over-50 segment was that they are engaged, active and involved in purposeful lives, and for all those people Rebecca wanted to help by providing better information. You’ll hear from Rebecca as to how she incorporates her experiences into advice on topics including health, finances, travel, fashion and aging well via Baby Boomster with continuous up-to-date resources and insights. I’M JUST GOING TO SAY IT…FASHIONTo be transparent, my idea of fashion has always been t-shirts and jeans. Sometimes I change it up, however, and wear a skirt and a t-shirt instead. So, I had to play up my knowledge a little when Rebecca talked about fashion and, in particular, mentioned Boho. I think I convinced her I knew what this was and then promptly went on a Google search to learn more. It turns out Boho is fashion shorthand for Bohemian, and I’m in favor of that, most definitely! As I say, when it comes to fashion, my statement is simple and minimal, but I do appreciate others who practice and create in the space. It is especially inspiring to see any woman not only love fashion but use her own body as a canvas to spread the word that women over 50 are in fashion and are beautiful. While working on this post, I found Patti Gibbon’s blog Not Dead Yet Style to be of a Boho flavor. You can check out her posts for ideas to incorporate.And, I admit, it was a GoDaddy commercial that sent me in search of Lyn Slater’s website called Accidental Icon. I love her tagline: Fashion for interesting women living ordinary lives. Her use of fashion and her pictures and posts are all works of art that allow women like me to vicariously admire what we, ourselves, might not wear, but which she makes look great. Over at Baby Boomster, Rebecca loves fashion too, and in her work, like so much that occurs over at Baby Boomster, she brings together tons of resources to help her readers get the best information all in one place. This particular post on fashion highlights outlets that serve particularly well to those over 50 and the kinds of styles they feature. OVER-50 GENERATION AND OUR UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP TO FOODWhether you identify with the term “boomer” or not, as Americans over 50, we share a common food experience. We grew up in a time when fast food and processed foods became the norm. The transition exploded post-WWII as veterans returned and the suburbs expanded. Everyone was rushing to achieve the American dream of a home and a lifestyle that symbolized progress and hope in the future. Marketers tapped into this enthusiasm featuring a vision of the modern housewife taking full advantage of all the conveniences available. Over at the National Women’s History Museum, Elizabeth Mauer details how marketers featured products and a lifestyle that spoke to the aspirations of the postwar middle class. I was surprised to learn that, by the late 1950s,...

This week on The Delicious Story, we find ourselves in a van named Brooklyn somewhere in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our experience is a virtual one, but for Martie McNabb this is the real deal—the home where she spends her time while on the road in search of her next place to set up shop. Martie is also on a mission to support franchisees throughout the country by hosting Show & Tale events. You’ll learn more about the interesting twists and turns the led Martie to this point during the interview. Martie and I met by way of our shared work as personal historians and photo organizers. She launched her businesses Memories Out of The Box a dozen years ago, right about when I began Storied Gifts. Those of us who do this work know how difficult it is to brainstorm with others in our industry and to market what we do to the public, so we connected immediately.During her years in business, Martie realized that helping others curate and tell their stories could be a way to teach and open up conversations around the importance of preserving life stories in general. The events have proven useful for not only personal historians but also to provide potential benefits for estate planners and financial advisors (since we all help to preserve legacies). THE STORIES OF STUFFAs we nestle comfortably into the well-appointed Brooklyn, Martie explains the circumstances and decisions that led her to take a leap, selling her home after almost 20 years and downsizing her stuff to head off on an adventure.Imagine realigning your relationship so radically with your place, your space and things. It would be a substantial transition for anyone, and for Martie there is a special irony in the experience given her work. Can objects be placeholders for stories more important than the items themselves? Martie has witnessed this to be true. She explains how Show & Tale events unfold and some of the stories people relate about possessions that are important to them. The format for Show & Tales is simple. Themes are promoted in advance, and people gather to tell stories with their item in-hand. The objects run the gambit from cherished heirlooms to tattoos and pets. Every theme brings interesting people with interesting things to tell. Martie describes one woman’s story about an egg carton and memories of her grandfather that almost brought me to tears.Thinking of things and the stories that are connected provides a way of flipping our relationship with collectable (and hordable) objects. Maybe the things themselves are just the props for the underlying memories of greater value. These days, with minimalism trending on the rise, realigning our attachment to things by means of story can be a useful tool to determine why we carry things with us—plus the strategy to keep the story and let the object, itself, go. TIPS FOR ENTERTAININGMartie and I did move on to talking food, and she’s the first to concede that the traditions of her childhood and early adult life didn’t revolve around meal preparation or entertaining. However, that did not stop her from deciding to host dinner parties for friends over the span of many years when she owned a 4-story walkup in Brooklyn (the place, not the van). You’ll be inspired by the introspective reasons that inspired Martie to open up her home and reach beyond her initial comfort levels. There were many lessons learned about guests and the proper balance between serving tasty dishes and being present with the people attending, too. Her takeaway lessons from hosting are brilliant, with great ideas and reminders for anyone. There is also a friendly nod to the importance of being a considerate guest when you’re fortunate enough to receive an invitation. Whether you entertain a bit or a lot, you probably already know some of the usual guest faux pas. (Hint: RSVP anyone?)VIRTUAL DINNERS

I first knew Mariah Jade to be an artist and a person who splits her time between Mexico and the States. I also knew she works at the The Great Frame Up in West Des Moines, providing framing services and assisting with social media outreach. One new detail I didn’t realize until we talked on The Delicious Story, however, is that Mariah is a quintessential fan of coffee shops. And the why behind it is one of many stories we learn about Mariah Jade in this episode.It turns out Mariah spends loads of time in coffee shops, both in the States and in her other home in Mexicali, Mexico. For those fellow artists, you may already realize the symbiotic relationship between artists and coffee, but I didn’t get the connection right off. Mariah does have preferences when it comes to the independent shops here in Des Moines, Iowa. She frequents many and spends hours in them. But one, in particular, is her first and most important coffee shop. You’ll discover why the unassuming location at the corner of 42nd and University stands out for her. For this episode of The Delicious Story, we are nestled in the coffee shop at our local Barne’s and Nobel in West Des Moines, where Mariah’s artwork is currently on display. COFFEE SHOP HISTORYTo be clear, we did not discuss coffee, specifically—the flavors and roasts—but talked instead about the significance of the brick-and-mortar locations themselves. These are spaces where so many of us set up and work in our office-away-from-home. And with how busy these spaces tend to be, day and night, I’m sure many of us wonder where we every hung out before coffee shops came along. A quick internet dig brought up an article by Sean Paajanen on The Spruce Eats. He takes us on a quick tour with highlights of how we came to this point in our coffee shop-filled world. It all started with abandoned bags of coffee left by the Turkish, who fled a conflict in Vienna in the 1400s. Those bags were the impetus for the Europeans to adopt the beverage and spend the next couple hundred years integrating it throughout their daily norms. Fast forward to 1946 when someone named Gaggia invented the first espresso piston machine, which upped the game for coffee and the variety of options to enjoy it. No longer just a beverage served at coffee houses with a primary focus of food (think diner), coffee shops became a thing for every time of day, and modern coffee connoisseurs were born.The first Starbucks opened on the West Coast in 1971, and from there the expansion of coffee shops, particularly independent shops, across the U.S. continued. Des Moines saw our first independent shop in about 1993 when Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure opened on Ingersoll. It’s hard to imagine where we’d meet and often work if it weren’t for coffee shops today. For Mariah, the coffee shop space is where she does a great deal of her preparation, considering her next art projects and managing the marketing piece of her business required to keep her art in front of the public. MARIAH TELLS OF A LOVE STORYAfter completing high school, Mariah took a bold step to channel all her skills and knowledge into becoming an artist. Deciding to be a working artist is not for the faint of heart, it’s true. An artist has to love what they do AND be business savvy to earn an income. You’ll learn how Mariah has worked to do all of this, as well as her preferred mediums for the pieces she creates in this Delicious Story show. From art, we delve into talking coffee shops and how Mariah splits her life between Des Moines and Mexicali, Mexico. Mariah provides a sense of the energy of a border city and how blurry the experience can be in these communities that line the U.S. and Mexico. I ask Mariah to share her family story, which turns out to be one of both courage and immense love. You’ll hear from Mariah how she and her husband had to make tough...

I realize now that I was a bit giddy when I spoke with Sarah Bisignano about Bisignano’s Italian Salad Dressing & Marinade for The Delicious Story. In short, I’m a fan. It is a delicious salad dressing thanks to its tangy flavor with just the right mix of other seasonings to create a festive and zippy salad. My husband David and I have been buying Bisignano’s for years, of which my only lament had been the size of the bottle (a bit smaller than I’d like). But I paid a premium because it is just so good! Recently I spotted an article about Sarah and Bisignano’s many dressings featured in a Des Moines Register article. She has rebranded the bottle (changed its size, too!) and is working with a distributor. The article had me wondering anew why I don’t see any marketing for the dressing. It’s in my local Hy-Vee, but there is no website and sparse internet content other than the recent article. I did find mention of Bisignano’s by popular food blogger Iowa Girl Eats, and if she’s talking about it you know the dressing is wonderful…but that’s all you find.Given that this is The Delicious Story, I decided it was a journalistic imperative to get the backstory on the dressing—and, as fan, I also wanted to know more. It’s sort of funny (and hopefully not creepy) as to how I got in touch with Sarah. With a quick Facebook search I discovered that we share the same hairdresser. I figured a message from a stranger would probably be ignored, and so asked our hairdresser to make an introduction. I think this roundabout way of contact only heightened the celebrity feel of talking with Sarah. She was generous (and I mean beyond generous) in sharing her time to tell the story of the dressing, her venture as a business owner, and touching stories of family for this episode of The Delicious Story. A LEGACY GIFTYou’ll want to hear straight from Sarah about how this popular dressing was first created and came to be a beloved product for Des Moines residents, and later Iowans and beyond. The story has wonderful components including a family with strong traditions making for a significant cast that each became local personalities in the restaurant business. For one, there was Babe Bisignano, who owned the once hugely popular Babe’s in downtown Des Moines for 50 years. It was an institution with an exciting backstory involving bootlegging, gambling and a larger-than-life personality of Babe himself. That the restaurant served great food was an added bonus to its history. I found some wonderful information about Babe in my research, including oral histories donated by Babe and Chuck Opphenburger to the Des Moines Public Library. Far less noteworthy, but an interesting tidbit nonetheless was that I worked a few days at Babe’s before he saw me in action as a waitress and promptly fired me. In 1956, Chuck Bisignano (Babe’s brother) and his wife Elizabeth launched Chuck’s on the North Side of Des Moines in the Highland Park area. Today, it is still a popular and favorite restaurant that was recently sold for good money. Chuck’s has a long history (since 1992) of supporting the community every Thanksgiving by facilitating and working with volunteers to prepare and deliver meals. And it is also where Bisignano’s Italian Salad Dressing & Marinade was first created. Next up, the evolution of the dressing from house dressing at Chuck’s to product marketed outside of the restaurant is something you’ll surely find inspiring. Sarah Bisignano has been involved in working for years at Chuck’s along with her Aunt Linda, who eventually took over ownership and ran the restaurant. About five years ago, decisions had to be made about the restaurant and the salad dressing when Linda’s health declined. You’ll want to hear the touching story about how Linda passed on the legacy to Sarah. NORTH SIDE OF DES MOINESI tell you straight up that The Delicious Story is truly a labor of...

In a quantitative world where our measurements matter, we heed our numbers. Throughout a lifetime of extremely important life statistics—from test scores to weight, jobs worked, pets owned, meals eaten—we add up the lists to see what they say about our total. We are data-driven because we hope that in connecting the dots a deeper understanding of who we are will be revealed.This “need to know numbers” explains, in part, the popular DNA testing kits that are sold today. The urge to track an ancestor’s journey by distances traveled and challenges overcome can potentially broaden and enrich the individual stories of our own lives. Is it an immigrant story of coming from afar and facing obstacles? A history that began in a country we’d never imagined? Where does it start, and how does it get to our part of the plot? The story Tay Nguyen shares on this week’s episode of The Delicious Story is not only epic but compelling. We do segue to a discussion of food, and the content may surprise you. I’ll just say it’s not what I had originally thought we would discuss. But first, Tay shares this nail-biting story of how his family was able to leave war-torn, communist-overridden South Vietnam to reach the United States. Tay describes details of his family’s journey—having to learn English, find a sponsor, and work all manner of jobs to establish and build their life here in the U.S.—which were challenges they willingly took on to become citizens and contributors to their new country. In the spirit of giving back, Tay made his choice as to how best to serve his home before he even completed high school. Did I mention hard work? It was a true gift of time to capture this conversation with Tay because the guy is always working! He is a husband and father who is also a business owner of Kirby’s Moving Company. MRETay comes from a military family and felt a strong desire to serve his new country through military service. He details some incredible anecdotes of his experiences, which you can hear in the interview. When we delve into a discussion of meals, Tay gave high praise for the MREs (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) and the U.S. Military effort to assure that service personnel eat well even in challenging circumstances.Tay is not the first service person I’ve heard relate fond memories of MREs, and I started wondering about their history. Feeding soldiers is one of many strategic challenges associated with combat. Food is costly to produce, must be kept safe for consumption, and has to be portable. In this country, the very first rations were established by congressional resolution during the Revolutionary War in the form of a day’s worth of food dispensed to include beef, peas and a starch. By the Civil War, canned goods were used to help keep foods preserved and mobile. And by the 1950s during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, MREs consisted of more dried foods to help lighten their weight for transport. Technology continues to be deployed to create MREs that are portable, safe and as nutritious as possible in all the climates and locations where the U.S. military is located. You’ll quickly realize the importance of these meals to soldiers in Tay’s stories. It doesn’t take much imagination to think how essential food that tastes somewhat of home would matter to people far away in a dangerous situation. But when we discussed meals that were most memorable, it was those hot meals shipped in to combat areas that Tay remembers as most significant. You’ll want to listen in as Tay beautifully describes those meals and what they meant to him. PHOThe subject of comfort food led us to a popular Vietnamese dish called pho. I know it to be soup but don’t know much more, so a quick search on the internet provided surprising information. Pho likely began in North Vietnam and was a dish influenced by French colonists who...

This week on The Delicious Story, we transition from terms such as “cranial therapy” and “myofascial techniques” to later talk about a charming, memorable meal involving pasta. Mary Beth Wims admits that her journey to becoming a physical therapist took twists and turns (much like our conversation), and yet it all worked out beautifully in the end. As our conversation unfolds, Mary Beth shares many highlights of her life adventure to date, which you’ll likely marvel at as I did while you listen to her story. Mary Beth’s experience in South Korea is particularly notable—you’ll see why in this Delicious Story interview. In short time, Mary Beth and I came to talk about food and the glories of several delightful stories in Italy where Mary Beth worked with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). This program offers volunteers an opportunity to live abroad where they work on an organic family farm in exchange for room and board. Mary Beth considered her experience exceptional and relates a favorite memorable meal from the experience. A TANGENT ON PASTA It’s at this point that I ponder aloud the myriad of shapes and sizes of pasta. Where did they come from, and what do their shapes mean? Italy can’t claim the invention of pasta since it was the Chinese who first made noodles, but they did take it to a new level creating an extensive variety of pasta with more ingredients, manifestations and names.My personal favorite is tortellini which was originally inspired by the naval of someone named Lucrezia Borgia. The name and connection represent what seems central to Italian cuisine and pasta in particular—the visceral connection of shape and design to the pleasure of eating. I learned about tortellini and other delicious anecdotes about pasta over at NPR in a piece featuring the cookbook “The Geometry of Pasta” by Jacob Kenedy and Caz Hildebrand. Pasta is a food that inspires many whims. I have been known to stand in front of the many noodles in the grocery aisle and ponder the perfect recipe to sample the multiple options. Do those shapes change the flavor? What is the nuance in the bite of a thick pasta versus a thin one? Perhaps sampling all pastas would yield answers.What it boils down to is that the shapes each match the unique imagination of culinary designers with beginnings in flour, egg, water and oil turned into three-dimensional realities. Those shells, bowties, tubes, and curlicues of noodles also influence the sauces that accompany them in dishes. Thicker ones work well with thicker sauces while the fine and thin noodles are best for light sauces. But even alone they are works of art as seen through the dozen pictured over at Plated. Which brings me back to Mary Beth and the gnocchi recipe she shares this week on The Delicious Story. She explains this recipe is a variation of the gnocchi traditionally made with potato that she ate in Italy. Per Beth, “I've not been successful in making gnocchi that way. They always turn out like wet mashed potatoes. Therefore, I'm sharing a cheat recipe. It would probably alarm actual Italians because it's not real gnocchi, but it's a heck of a lot easier to make. I thought it might be a fun thing to share with your listeners!” Ricotta Gnocchi1 lb fresh ricotta2 egg yolks3/4 c flour1/2 c grated Parmesan1/2 tsp. salt (recipe calls for 1 tsp but that's too salty for my taste)1/2 tsp. pepper Combine ingredients to make the dough. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll out into 3/4" rope, adding flour as needed to minimize sticking. Slice into 1" pieces. Drop into boiling water. Remove gnocchi as they begin to float - this will take just a couple minutes if you've got a good rolling boil going. Drain and serve as you please (parmesan cheese sprinkled over top, pesto, etc.)Mary Beth was fortunate to...

In this week’s episode, prepare to salivate. Every episode of The Delicious Story highlights food, but in this one you’ll be blown over by the rich description of flavors and superb recipe ideas shared by our guest Taufeek Shah of Lola’s Fine Hot Sauces. This conversation will spice up your life. How is that for a promise? My husband David and I first discovered Lola’s Fine Hot Sauces a few months ago. David had just been diagnosed with a heart condition and we were told to get on a low-salt heart healthy diet. We started to scour the shelves at the supermarket for low-sodium items and learned fast that EVERYTHING is made with loads of salt. Thankfully, low-sodium has become recognized as a market need, so food manufacturers are stepping up to provide options. That said, what do you do in the kitchen when salt is reduced or gone? You look for flavor, and for us that came in the form of heat. We love spicy food and especially good-tasting hot sauces, but these can be tricky for sodium. Then we discovered Lola’s. Now, more than two dozen bottles later, we’ve enjoyed all four flavors and are huge fans. We splash Lola’s on practically everything. I was pleased, and frankly star struck, when I reached out to Lola’s and found out they are not only an Iowa-based company but also extremely generous and excited to share their story. It is a family venture that begins with the matriarch who goes by the adored title of Lola (grandmother). I’ll let you listen as Taufeek shares their exciting adventure of how it all began only two years ago, along with their fast rise to international brand which now includes a family restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa.FILIPINO-PAKISTANI FUSIONTaufeek heads up sales and expansion of Lola’s Fine Sauces while his sister Hannah Shah Elliot is Chef and managing partner of Lola’s Fine Kitchen. Taufeek explains that the entire enterprise is a homage to their mother, who created the sauces and many of the dishes served in the restaurant. I think this merging of the two nations on the plate is marvelous. The country of Pakistan is surrounded by neighbors India, Afghanistan and China. The dishes are influenced by the Middle Eastern region and include Daal chawal (lentil and rice) and aloo gosht (meat and curry potato) often accompanied by bread staples of naan and roti. Thousands of miles west the Philippines are islands found in the South Chinese Sea. Most dishes there include dried and braised meats of pork, beef, and chicken flavored with garlic, vinegar, oil and soy sauce. Listen in to the story Taufeek shares of how his family came to mesh together the rich food traditions of these two countries and shares details of his family’s history. PEPPERS ARE KEY TO THE SAUCESTaufeek knows the language of peppers and can talk poetically of the nuances of Lola’s Fine Hot Sauces. One thing he mentioned several times is the Scoville Unit. I’d not heard of it before, but it is regularly used by hot sauce experts, and as per Wikipedia is “a measurement of the pungency of chili peppers and other spicy foods.” To get a bit more technical, this heat all has to do with the active ingredient of capsaicin which is actually an irritant for mammals. Thus, when we eat peppers—or touch them or get juice in our eyes—we feel the reaction as burning. For those of us who like things spicy, it’s like we are in a battle with capsaicin—and we will win!You will get a better understanding of peppers and how they are selected and prepared for Lola’s sauces in this fast-paced interview with Taufeek. It’s the language of pepper aficionados which I don’t fully understand, but it sounds so very tasty. I can concur from regular sampling that the sauces are hot but also quite tangy!LOLA’S IS ABOUT HEARTDavid and I have learned that once you get on the heart healthy track it changes how you think about and...

Where do you let your creativity surface? Is it on canvas or through song? Do you like to decorate or write? Do you enjoy pulling together ingredients and creating a delicious dish? Do you consider yourself to be creative at all? This week on The Delicious Story I spoke with Kelly Boon who took us on a tour of CHAOS (Creativity, Humor, And Other Stuff), offering up ideas about the concept of creativity, and how important (and truly unavoidable) it is in life.Kelly is an artist, speaker and advocate of all things creative—with a good serving of humor (and other stuff) mixed in. She works with companies and organizations to insight creativity, which helps the individuals within improve the quality of their work, encourages team building and harnesses positive culture improvements overall. To be honest, I think my notions of creativity were limited when I was younger (and probably lingeringly so even today). I considered the result to be the definition of creative. I figured one can’t be a writer unless one writes well, and someone can’t be dubbed an artist unless they create work professionally.Kelly explains that this is where the value of creativity gets lost on many people. By confining creativity to outcomes and labeling ourselves based on results, we miss the real value in the process of creating.DITCH THE LABELI know I got stuck on this labeling issue early on in life. It’s a bit ironic, for example, that I host a show about memorable meals, because for a long time I didn’t consider myself to be a cook.I think I came to this when I was about 10 and attempted to make my first dish, which was some variation of fried chicken. I studied my junior Betty Crocker cookbook, and selected the golden crispy fried chicken pictured there expecting my attempt to look the same.I pulled together the ingredients and followed the instructions. Each piece of chicken was dipped the in buttermilk (I think) and then rolled (or is that dredged?) through crushed potato chips. I remember being so hopeful as I surveyed my work up to the frying point. The potato-chip-festooned chicken parts looked right based on the photos, so now all that was left was to fry per the instructions.At that point in the recipe I must have missed something in the details. It may have been something about the temperature or length of time the meat needed to cook, but whatever it was my chicken was not crispy or all-over golden. The potato chips sucked up the grease and got burned and chewy while the meat inside was not cooked through. I was so disappointed and decided then and there I was no cook, and pretty much stuck to that for thirty years. Of course, I went on in life and cooked, and was smart enough to marry someone who likes to cook and is quite good at it, and so life went on. Only later did I realize that I needn’t be a “cook” to enjoy cooking. There can be a mixing of ingredients, the shared bond of cooking with others where edible results may ensue, and I can simply appreciate that I was creative and cooking. Even now cooking isn’t my preferred medium for expressing creativity, but I’m a better cook and needn’t worry about the label. I’m competent and can even have fun but I don’t have the magic touch to make food truly delicious. My husband, however, can make leftovers sing. My greatest talent resides in appreciating a good meal when it is placed before me. FAILURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTIt turns out that, like many people, I had already developed a misunderstanding of the value of failure in the process of creating. Kelly points out that the biggest gift of creativity is that it comes with failure. In fact, the only way to find the components of anything that works is by realizing what doesn’t. In those experiments, if we’re allowing our creative mind to unleash, we re-examine and dive in to try again when things...

In this episode of The Delicious Story, friend Dan Curtis takes us on a tour of daily life on his family’s farm near Lone Tree, Iowa during the 1940s. We glimpse the routines which comprised the never-ending requirements of labor, and savor the bounty of memorable meals shared together. Given Dan’s ability to weave story, you may almost be able to taste the many side dishes and roasted meats served each Sunday and envision your fork full of crusty fruit pie (crust made from lard, of course) that arrives for dessert. But more than food or memories, we garner insights into how to live life where mission is the driver and where connection with others is always key. After Dan’s childhood days of rural Iowa life, he then went on to University of Iowa, joined the ROTC and built a career in the U.S. Army. Dan served in Korea, became a pilot and then served two tours in Vietnam. Ultimately, after years of service, Dan retired a Lt. Colonel and went on to have another career in business management. Although Dan has seen the wars, endured the loss of family and friends and dealt with the challenges of life, he keeps to his sense of hope and the belief that purpose, people and the present are the mainstays to living fully.LOVE OF LIFE AND STORIESIt’s not just that Dan tells stories but how he nestles in the details that make his stories sing. He reveals an authentic pleasure in sharing memories of his past filled with the people and experiences he treasures. I think you’ll find his attitude is contagious!I came to know Dan several years ago when we worked on his book of stories, “Home Again: A Soldier’s Journey.” In the book, he relates memories of his childhood and years of experience as a U.S. Army pilot into a legacy book for his family and friends. Dan’s mission was never to sell books or seek glory. He wanted to give these stories to his personal circle and make sure that the experiences and people of the past were not forgotten. He also hoped to pass on the lessons he had learned along the way. And it was never that Dan can tell so many stories that impressed me, but how he ushers them forth with cinematic detail.Once we completed the book, I figured its distribution would involve a couple hundred books and last a few months, tops. Two years later, Dan is still ordering books to fulfill requests, and well over 500 books have been printed and shared. It turns out there are a lot of people who know and love Dan, and I number as one of them. A LITTLE SOS As with all guests to The Delicious Story, I asked Dan what meal conjures good memories as his go-to comfort food, and I figured he would mention one of the many dishes he remembers from childhood. Although he describes many foods of his childhood in detail, it was his days as a soldier that elicited his favorite dish.Yes, I was surprised, too.I did a bit of research into the colorful phrase behind the acronym SOS and was not surprised to learn it hailed from servicemen during WWII. It turns out this dried chipped beef and white sauce meal was made popular to feed the masses more than 100 years ago. The dried beef was a staple because of its shelf life, therefore a useful source of protein. The white sauce simply helped make the meat extend to feeding more people while maximizing the salty flavor of the meat. I, too, remember SOS fondly as a kid and usually ate it at least once a week. If there was a package of Buddig meat in the fridge and a can of Pillsbury biscuits, we were going to have SOS, usually served with a side of applesauce. Yum!As negative as the SOS moniker may sound, the cream sauce and dried beef,(or sausage) dish does stick to the ribs and is particularly tasty on a cold winter day—like the one when Dan visited with us for The Delicious Story. Although SOS may get a bad rap with some and seems too...

It's so easy to take for granted—and I have many, many times—the marvelous transaction that occurs at a restaurant. One presents money, and in exchange, someone prepares food to order and serves it to us for our enjoyment.The best of these restaurants are often family-owned and operated by people who devote an extraordinary amount of time to keep their businesses humming and their clients full and happy. Signature restaurants that stand the test of time become well-known friends in a community. They’re woven into the daily lives and long-standing memories of the inhabitants. It’s no wonder that when people reminisce, they often consider the eateries where they’ve dined for special events or enjoyed a daily ritual. They enter these establishments hungrily and leave with bellies full and hearts content. I too treasure happy memories of dining with family and friends at restaurants, and enjoy a special connection to some of those in Chicago—a city we visit often. It was a special thrill, therefore, to talk with author Greg Borzo this week about his new book “Lost Restaurants of Chicago” and sample some of the many stories of restaurants and people who throughout time served the citizens of the Windy City.A TASTY GLIMPSE OF HISTORYHunker down and listen in as Greg takes us on a whirlwind tour of some of the anecdotes from the book, from fantastical eateries with unusual themes (think robots) to the ethnic influences of the city’s many immigrants—and other infusions that might surprise you. As details unfold of these restaurants of the past, the food was one thing—and sometimes the ambiance was another. Many ideas were clever, others strange, and all provided memorable experiences for diners. Those restaurants that lasted longer, however, were most often known for the good food they served. When it came to talking memorable meals, Greg and his family love to entertain guests by introducing them to dining experiences in Chicago. He relates a favorite spot that was at once intriguing—belly up for all you can eat desserts—and just outright funny. You’ll have to listen to the interview for the details.Lost Restaurants is a beautiful book filled with stories offering an entertaining glimpse into the Windy City of the past and the people of those times. Step back further, and Lost Restaurants offers a perspective on the story-arch of the American restaurant evolution as well. There were quirky trends (think revolving restaurants) and solidly American-style trends (think steakhouses) that provide a window into how we ate decades ago and through the generations.Chicago never tires of making waves in the industry, either. Greg explains how non-smoking dining may have first become popular in Chi-town, and the now extremely-popular Farm to Table movement burgeoned there as well. All of these stories speak to the entrepreneurial spirit, too. So many ideas, so many culinary dreams pursued, and all the amazingly people who kept and keep trying. The stats are daunting in this industry. Only half of the restaurants opened survive their first year. And life in food and beverage is fraught with long hours and low-profit margins. Those facts serve to make all these stories even more amazing. Does it speak to the human spirit or to culinary madness? HAPPY CHICAGO EXPERIENCESI offer the caveat here that I’m especially proud to mention that Greg is my brother-in-law. We’ve been guests often in his home and dined together in their beloved city on many occasions. My first Chicago experiences came about when I traveled with my future husband, David. It was our first trip together, and where I ate my first meal in Greek Town (South Halstead Street) in Chicago at the popular and eternal restaurant Dianna’s Opaa. Our Borzo group sat together at a big table, where the bread kept coming and wine kept flowing. I ate...

Have you ever looked at old yearbooks—for me, that would be from 1940s or 1950s—and thought, “Wow! Those young people look so old!” As a teen in the 1970s, I remember looking at the pictures of people from the middle of the century and thinking that they looked older than I considered myself at the time. In fact, older people in images from those decades appeared unfathomably old to my young set of eyes. Such is the plight of any generation we harken from. We look at future ages and can’t imagine them, and we marvel at the automatic “agedness” of generations past. In my adolescent world where we printed color pictures and enjoyed Polaroid images, the black-and-white pictures of the past looked even more remote. Fast forward to now where pictures are produced digitally in the millions of millions, and I’m sure my generation’s past looks charmingly quaint by the standards of young people today. I can imagine how they would consider how incredibly “old” and “dated” the images of my senior yearbook (extending waaaaay back to 1980) look at this point. However, as a woman on the other side of 50, I can attest that I don’t feel as old as I may appear in spite of those dated photographs. And there is the quandary of what it means to age these days, anyway. We are living longer, working longer, having children later, and ultimately doing more into our later years of life. Aging, and just what that means, was the subject on my mind as I prepped this week to speak with Jann Freed, my guest on The Delicious Story. She is a leadership coach and speaker who also deals in the subject of becoming a Sage and what it is to age with purpose.

In this episode of The Delicious Story, I visit with Deb Brown of saveyour.town about the big things happening in small towns today.Right off, Deb provided compelling information about the state of small-town U.S.A. that dispelled misconceptions I had about what is worthwhile and possible in small communities. Deb’s news is that things are actually exciting in small towns, there are viable opportunities for development, and we should all care about supporting small towns—as residents and visitors alike. Deb grew up on a farm outside of Geneva, Iowa, population 141, where her first entrepreneurial venture was raising a hog. She developed her business chops through a rich background of business experiences both in small towns and big cities. Her passion for small towns never waned however, which led to her become co-founder of saveyour.town.Today, Deb travels all over, speaking and working with communities to help them brainstorm ideas into practical action. Deb is knowledgeable about small-town life and savvy when it comes to working the saveyour.town approach, coined “the idea friendly method.” The key elements of her method include:•Gather your crowd•Build connections•Take small stepsDeb is a natural storyteller and speaker, so she migrated from one interesting story to another providing thrilling examples of how this method has worked in small towns. And for those interested in marketing a business anywhere, the stories and messages of Deb’s anecdotes will engage you like a warm piece of bread with butter!TASTY STORIESDeb shares one particular story of a South Dakota small town that includes teenagers, garden sheds and Christmas. I’d tell you the details, but they are more fun as told by Deb. See if you can glean the lesson of the story! Of course, at The Delicious Story we want to capture a memorable meal, and Deb shares an enchanting one involving travel, the magic of impromptu events all wrapped up in Lisbon, Portugal. STICK-TO-YOUR-RIBS GOOD LUCKAs I write this post, we are experiencing record-setting frozen temperatures in the Midwest and are surrounded by an unimaginable arctic tundra. And so, anything warm that can stick to the bones and rest in the belly for a while sounds marvelous. Deb shares a dish called Speck ‘n Dicken, a German-inspired term harkening to “Year-Old Pancake.” The recipe here is from SparkPeople. Deb mentions the small town of Akley, Iowa with strong German heritage where you can eat these pancakes in January; a tradition meant to bring you good luck. Speck ‘n DickenINGREDIENTS2 cups whole wheat flour1 cup white flour½ cup brown sugar3 tsp baking powder3 eggs¾ cup Karo (dark corn) syrupSalt2 cups milk½ tsp anise seed (optional)DIRECTIONS: Mix ingredients together (excluding the sausage) and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours). Then fry like a pancake, placing 2-3 sliced ring bologna pieces on one side before flipping. Makes 24 medium sized "pancakes". *Tastes wonderful served with homemade applesauce. CONTACT DEB BROWNIf you’re eager to learn more about small-town development you can reach out to Deb at saveyour.town to ask questions and subscribe to their newsletter. She also recommended reading the work of rural sociologist Ben Winchester, based in Minnesota. ABOUT STORIED GIFTSSherry is the founder of Storied Gifts, a personal publisher that works with families and companies to curate and craft their stories into history books. When not writing and recording, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and is based in Des Moines, Iowa. STORIED GIFTS SHOPLooking for a lift and inspiration? Please check out the Storied Gifts Shop where we’ve gathered beautiful pieces...