FACETS
MAY 2019
The magazine for women.
FACETS 2 | FACETS | MAY 2019
The magazine for women. Contributors
MARLYS BARKER LYN KEREN ROBBIE SEQUEIRA KYLEE MULLEN LYNN MARR-MOORE RONNA LAWLESS Design
ALEX FELKER Publisher
SCOTT ANDERSON Tribune Editor
MICHAEL CRUMB
ADVERTISERS To advertise in Facets magazine, contact Mary Beth Scott at (515) 663-6951 PHONE (515) 663-6923 ADDRESS 317 Fifth St. Ames, IA, 50010 EMAIL news@amestrib.com ONLINE www.amestrib.com/sections/ special-sections/facets Facets is a monthly publication of GateHouse Media Iowa Holdings.
HERMANSON’S ANTIQUES IOWA CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY see PAGE 6
ON THE COVER
Pictured is finished pyrography work Piper Jo Termani did to replicate pieces originally done by artist Walter Crane. Her first piece took her 44 days to complete. After practicing on the first piece, the second piece took her just four days to finish. PHOTO BY MARLYS BARKER/GATEHOUSE IOWA
see PAGE 10
FACETS Table of contents Features 6
Hermanson’s Antiques Iowa celebrates 15th anniversary
Inside the Story City business.
10 A ‘burning’ desire
A Nevada artist is feeding her passion.
14 From Hong Kong to America
Maxwell woman has shown her spirit and determination.
Savor 20 21 22 23
If you still think lamb is gamy, there are new rules With fragrant, flavorful chutney, grilled chicken gets star treatment Food chat: Hockey pucks or biscuits? The difference might be related to temperature Want to find radishes’ sweet side? Fire up your ovens
In Brief 4 5 9 17 18 19
Ames student uses photography to spread messages of minorities Scientist leads research to understand ‘conversations’ between plants and microbes Cooks’ Emporium reopens after remodel Bev Kruempel named recipient of 2019 Making Democracy Work Award Huxley senior’s Cinderella story might just be coming true After 22 years, Bauer retires as Story County Democrats chair PHOTO BY TOM MCCORKLE/THE WASHINGTON POST
HOCKEY PUCKS OR BISCUITS? MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN ‘FOOD CHAT’ see PAGE 22
FACETS | MAY 2019 | 3
In Brief Ames High School senior T’Ana Selah holds the frame of one of her “Speak Back” collection photographs. PHOTO BY LYN KEREN/ GATEHOUSE IOWA
By Lyn Keren GateHouse Iowa
4 | FACETS | MAY 2019
Ames student uses photography to spread messages of minorities A
n Ames High School student uses her artistic talent of photography to spread messages of generalizations in society with the help of her fellow classmates. Ames High senior T’Ana Selah has been exploring the world of photography for almost six years, but early on in her experience, she began taking pictures of minorities as her subjects. “I was trying to create messages with my photography for people,” she said. Selah said she was given an assignment in her photography class that asked students to create a prompt question about giving back a message to the world. This was the first time she would not only be telling a story — but a story of real people and their lives. “When I took pictures of people, I would create a story, so to find a balance between that story that I was creating that I knew was happening in our world, ” she said. “To this project where (for) the first time I was telling real stories of people that this is their life, that is what they are going through.” The political climate surrounding social justice inspired her to create an impact with her art — specifically telling the stories of minorities that have a hidden voice, she said. “I chose people that firstly inspired me … I don’t know all of them super-duper well, but I know them enough to know they are creative, and I knew they were from a group of people I wanted to give a voice to.” Those students were able to sit down and have a conversation with Selah to talk about their struggles, aspects of who they are and what they go through on a daily basis, she said. “(The) prompt question (was) about talking back to society and the presumptions (society) may have about the student because of their physical self, their identity or the
things they have gone through.” Two of Selah’s favorite statements were “fearful stares disregarding my humanity,” and “foreign does not equal dirty.” Selah said because of the world’s digital age, a meaningful photography collection is a way to make these subjects non-confrontational — unlike the media and sometimes society. “If you remain in your ignorance because you think things aren’t happening because you don’t see them happening … that is a scary place to be, especially in our society,” Selah said. Although only a few of her photos have been shown to the public, Selah said she has already seen a positive reaction to her work because of the representation students have felt from the messages. “Within the first two days, I had several people come up to me,” she said. “It wasn’t even, ‘We love your project,’ it was a very specific, ‘I love this so much because it is telling my story, too.’” Even with the initial reactions being positive, she said she is still worried about how others might react to the unseen photos because they could make them uncomfortable. “I am very eager to see what the results are, but I think the people who even love my intention of my work, when they see the whole group (of work) they may have a different opinion when they see the other statements,” she said. Selah said the collection has helped those around her learn new things about their community, and has continually helped her grow as a person. “I’m growing as a person from doing it, and I’m having to question a lot of things even in myself, and I think it’s for the greater good of a population and I think it is very powerful,” she said. ·
In Brief
Local scientist leads research to understand ‘conversations’ between plants and microbes in soil
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cientists currently understand little of how plants interact with soil at the molecular level. An Iowa State University scientist aims to develop technology that gets to the root of the mystery. Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, an ISU professor in the department of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, is leading the endeavor at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory. Her interest in the research topic started while working on a separate project, which is ongoing. The project, focused on developing accessible technology capable of detecting the ebola virus, tested molecules called aptamers in different conditions. She was surprised when the aptamers survived more extreme, prolonged conditions. “I thought, ‘If these guys can survive like that, we can put them underground and use them to test what’s going on in the soil.’ So that was what led to this whole thing,” she said. Nilsen-Hamilton said there exists a zone of intense microbial activity around the roots of a plant, called the rhizosphere. This zone plays a role in promoting a plant’s health, resisting disease and adapting to environmental changes. “A plant uses about 70 percent of its energy to support the rhizosphere,” she said. “If it’s that important to the plant, why don’t we know what’s going on down there? That’s what is affecting the plant’s growth and ability to grow.” The goal is to develop a model instrument enabling scientists to look at the interactions between plants and microbes in the soil, using sensors placed around the roots. These sensors relay information to a computer, creating a 3D image of the targeting biochemicals in addition to tracking changes over time. This capability, she said, does not currently exist. “We, as humans, hold microbes in our guts and those microbes have a huge impact on us,” Nilsen-Hamilton said. “Plants hold their microbes outside. All on the roots, there is a rhizosphere, and in that small region there are a lot of things going on. “What we want to do is detect all that stuff. The only way people have been able to do it so far is being quite invasive to the plant. Then there are a number of projects looking right down at a little part of a leaf or root and seeing what is going on there. But we are more interested in looking into what is going on to the plant in a much larger sense.” The project is funded for the next three years by a $3.75 million Department of Energy grant. During that time, Nilsen-Hamilton hopes to have at least one sensor in the ground relaying information to a computer. “This is a really good opportunity to test the boundaries and see what is going on at a molecular level, in the roots underneath the soil,” she said.
In addition to Nilsen-Hamilton, the research team currently includes ISU faculty Ludovico Cademartiri, Larry Halverson, George Kraus, Pranav Shrotriya and Olga Zabotina and six ISU students. ·
By Kylee Mullen GateHouse Iowa
An illustration provided by the Ames Laboratory shows how sensors relay information from the microbes in the soil to a computer. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
“We, as humans, hold microbes in our guts and those microbes have a huge impact on us. Plants hold their microbes outside. All on the roots, there is a rhizosphere, and in that small region there are a lot of things going on.”
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Feature
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ANTIQUES IOWA
Feature
Kim Hermanson celebrates 15th anniversary of store
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
By Ronna Lawless GateHouse Iowa
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n May 20, Kim Hermanson will celebrate the 15th anniversary of her store, Antiques Iowa, in Story City. Since she first opened, Hermanson has added on to the building three times, resulting in an 18,000-square foot mall with 300 booths. After her first month in business in 2004, Hermanson hasn’t had an empty booth at Antiques Iowa. “There’s actually a waiting list of vendors who would like to have booths here,” she said. “Our vendors do well here and we have new things in the booths all the time.” When Hermanson says “new things,” she doesn’t mean new in the common use of the word when it comes to shopping. All of the items at Antiques Iowa are secondary market and most things are vintage, antique or collectible. There is also a selection of high-quality, handcrafted art items, but Hermanson is selective about the vendors she accepts to offer those items. Despite the waiting list of vendors, Hermanson said she’s not planning to add onto the building any further. “I feel like this is just the right size,” she said. “We’re about half the size of the Brass Armadillo, but we’re able to keep the booths full at this size.” HERMANSON, page 8 FACETS | MAY 2019 | 7
Feature
PHOTO BY RONNA LAWLESS/GATEHOUSE IOWA
HERMANSON, continued from page 7
Antiques Iowa is a store that Hermanson was practically destined to open — a vision she first had when she was in her 20s. The building just west of Interstate 35 in Story City was home to Harris Auto Racing when Hermanson first started to dream of having an antiques business in that location at 1639 Broad St. “I thought it was the perfect location for an antique mall,” Hermanson said. Antiques Iowa is a popular stop for interstate travelers, with about 80 percent of sales coming from people who live outside Story City. “Basically, it’s about a three-hour drive to Omaha, the Twin Cities, Kansas City and the Quad Cities,” Hermanson said. “We’re visible from the interstate, and people find the store is a great break from their drive.” For Hermanson, antiques have been a way of life for as long as she can remember. “I was raised with my parents taking me to garage sales and farm auctions,” she said. “My mom would visit with the church women while my dad and I went out bidding.” Born and raised in Story City, Hermanson regularly attended Joann’s Auction House sales with her family every Tuesday night. There were also plenty of horse sales, and Hermanson grew up riding and raising registered quarter horses. Hermanson recalls the first item she ever bid on and won at an auction. “It was a walnut sofa table that I got when I was 16 years old,” she said with a laugh. “What 16-year-old buys a walnut sofa table?” But Hermanson was hooked. She still operates a couple booths at Antiques Iowa, but she won’t tell you which ones they are. She likes to keep the ownership of the booths anonymous. “I want everyone to do well, and I think it’s nice for shoppers to just find the things that speak to them rather than thinking about who operates which booths,” she said. Each vendor is responsible for keeping their booths clean 8 | FACETS | MAY 2019
and updated, usually with at least a weekly visit. All of the vendors are from Iowa. Antiques Iowa is big and brightly lit. “The store looks clean and it smells clean,” Hermanson said. “Lots of customers comment about how it doesn’t smell like an antique store in here.” Antiques Iowa isn’t Hermanson’s first antique business. Prior to opening the antique mall near the interstate, she ventured into business in downtown Story City, most recently in a partnership in the current location of the Tin Chandelier. Her partners continued on with that business. Antiques Iowa has been a business incubator, of sorts, as former Antiques Iowa vendors ventured out to open their own stores. Broad Street Market, now an online business but formerly a popular downtown storefront, and Penn Avenue Station, still a flourishing antique store in Story City’s Main Street district, both started as booths in the Antiques Iowa mall. Also involved in Woodland Farms with her husband Mike, Kim said she couldn’t do it all without her family. She and Mike have three children and four grandchildren, with another one on the way. Woodland Farms will be a seventh-generation farm when the grandkids take over someday. That focus on family is a thread that runs through Hermanson’s life. “My priorities are family, God and business,” she said. “And the business is another form of family, because these people that I’ve worked with for the past 15 years have become like family too.” Opened on May 20, 2004, Antiques Iowa is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. The store has a Facebook profile, where customers can get sneak peaks of new items in the store. Hermanson invites the public to visit Antiques Iowa during its 15th anniversary celebration, which will feature a sale and door prizes. There will also be dealers with booths set up outside along the fence, weather permitting. ·
In Brief
Cooks’ Emporium reopens after remodel
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ooks’ Emporium, an Ames Main Street staple, officially reopened its doors after an approximately twomonth-long remodel. Mindy Bergstrom, the store’s owner, purchased the property at 313 Main St., in February 2018, after former owner Margaret Junkhan retired. She knew she wanted to remodel the space right away and turned to Integrity Construction in Ames for the job. “I had all of this drawn out before I even purchased the store,” she said on April 12. “I would kind of look around, think about things, and then go home and draw where I would put things. All of that has been in my head for well over a year so it’s exciting to have Integrity come in and create what I’ve been thinking of.” Brad Heemstra, owner of Integrity Construction, said he is very happy with the store’s new look. “From our perspective, it was really fun to capture Mindy’s goals and needs for re-purposing the space and to keep certain things in place,” he said. “Such as the wood floors, to refinish and refurbish those, to keep the character of the original space intact.” Once the remodel was underway, the store temporarily relocated to the former Sheldon-Munn building at 309 Main St. It reopened for business in its original location April 11. Bergstrom said the most noticeable changes include the lighting, which makes the store feel larger and brighter, and the demonstration kitchen in the back of the store. “The demonstration kitchen probably increased about three times the size it previously was,” she said. “We heard from a lot of customers that they were looking for hands-on classes, and now we will be able to offer more hands-on workshops, demonstrations and some classes geared toward kids and teenagers.” Cooks’ Emporium is already offering classes for this month, and hopes to expand the class and workshop offerings in the future. “I really hope to expand classes,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of fun things that we can do in the kitchen here and a lot of fun topics. With the additional space, I think we’ll be able to do a lot more hands-on.” Bergstrom said she always wanted to own her own store, but the dream never became a reality while she was working in the Twin Cities. Her husband, who grew up in Ames, called the former owner asking if she would be willing to sell the store. She said yes and, according to Bergstrom, “It was just perfect timing.” “My husband remembers when he was 6 years old and shopped here with his dad to get gifts for his mom,” Bergstrom said. “So this store is a little more sentimental to him. When we started dating, we would come visit his family and I would want to come to Cooks’ Emporium.” Now that Cooks’ Emporium is reopened in its home location, Bergstrom plans to open a home boutique, called
By Kylee Mullen Nook and Nest, in the Sheldon-Munn space this May. The GateHouse Iowa boutique will carry pillows, throws, small furniture pieces, entertaining pieces and more. She said she is excited to build her businesses in Ames. “Now I get to be involved in the community, which has been really exciting,” she said. “Everyone has been really supportive and the customers that have come in so far this week, with the remodel being completed, have given all positive feedback. Its amazing to have that support in the community.” To celebrate the grand reopening, Cooks’ Emporium will Cooks’ Emporium owner Mindy Bergstrom offer food samples, demonrecently remodeled the store, making it look stration and giveaways on brighter and larger. PHOTO BY KYLEE MULLEN/ May 4, during the season’s GATEHOUSE IOWA first Main Street Farmer’s · Market.
FACETS | MAY 2019 | 9
Feature Piper Jo Termani sits at her pyrography work station, putting the details into a pet portrait she has been commissioned to do. Pet portrait pieces are one of the most popular requests she gets from customers. PHOTO BY MARLYS BARKER/GATEHOUSE IOWA
Nevada artist is feeding her
‘BURNING’ DESIRE
10 | FACETS | MAY 2019
Feature By Marlys Barker GateHouse Iowa
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hen you discover that you have a gift — a talent for doing something you didn’t realize you could do — that discovery can change your life. That’s kind of what has happened with Piper Jo Termani, 39, of Nevada. Back in February of 2018, she tried her hand at pyrography (the art of burning wood), and since then she has completed more than 100 projects, many of which have been done for paying customers. Termani’s story is unique in many ways. For one thing, she’s only lived in Iowa since December of 2017. She and her husband, Daniel, had to evacuate their home in Largo, Fla., when Hurricane Irma struck. They came to northern Iowa to stay with a friend of her husband’s. “When we went back (to Largo), there was nothing there.” So, her husband, who is an IT professional, had found work in Ames and that brought them to Nevada. As it turns out, the friend of her husband, who they had stayed with, wanted Termani to try something for him. “I was a certified tack welder … so he thought I could figure out how to burn some emblems onto a wooden trunk he had.” Welding is something Termani picked up as a teenager when she went to Job Corps in Missouri. She hadn’t been working outside the home for some time when they settled in Nevada, as she was recovering from some serious health issues. While she continued to recover, she decided in February of 2018 to give that “burning on wood” thing a try for her husband’s friend. “Turns out, I kind of had a knack for it,” she said. “Then I thought, what else have I been holding myself back from?” So she dug in and started to spend more time with the craft, and with each new project, she saw the progression of her skill. Termani liked the “instant gratification” that seeing each project come to life gave her. “It was feeling like I have a purpose again … like I finally have something more to contribute to this life than what I consume.” Those first projects were done mostly for herself and for the practice of getting better at her craft. Take for instance a couple of incredibly detailed Walter Crane (an England-born portrait painter)-inspired pieces that hang on the wall by her kitchen. To increase her skill level, she explained, “every month I’d pick something above my skill level and figure it out. The first Walter Crane piece I did took me 44 days (to complete). The second one (equally as detailed) took four days” because she’d mastered the skill through her work on the first piece. Since August of 2018, she admitted, she no longer has much time to do pyrography pieces for herself. “It’s all commissioned,” she said. For the Christmas holiday, one of her biggest sellers was making ornaments. She’s also gotten heavily involved in pet portraits and people portraits, “which I never in a million years thought I could do,” she said.
Piper Jo Termani shows two pieces of pyrography that feature two of her three sons. These two sons, Davron and Brendon, are both in the military. Her youngest son, Wesley, will be 17 this year and lives during the school year with his dad in Arizona. Wesley spends the summer with his mom and stepdad, who now live in Nevada. PHOTO BY MARLYS BARKER/GATEHOUSE IOWA
TERMANI, page 13 FACETS | MAY 2019 | 11
On social media PIPER JO TERMANI not only creates pieces for sale through pyrography, but she has also set up a closed Facebook group to teach the skill to others. She records all of her burning sessions with videos and then shares them. She has a goal to someday have videos on YouTube, as well. Those interested in joining her closed group, or commissioning her to do a piece of art for them, can message her through her social media pages, under her business name, Spellbound Dragonfly. 12 | FACETS | MAY 2019
Feature TERMANI, continued from page 11
She doesn’t think she could draw any of the incredible pieces she does through pyrography. But she sure can burn them. The process, she said, is to print out a picture that someone wants her to do of a pet, or person or a design. She puts graphite under that printout and traces it. Then, with her pyrography pen, she goes to work with that traced pattern. “It’s never an exact replica … I just let it come,” she said of the process. She loves every project, and her home in Nevada has the perfect basement area for her to do her work, both on the computer and at her tall pyrography work station/desk. “I just enjoy burning … It’s the most therapeutic thing … and I do it all day long, every day and I’m not tired of it,” Termani said. It was a neighbor here in Nevada, Janet Schaeffer, who encouraged Termani to finally start selling her work. Termani named her business, Spellbound Dragonfly, and utilized social media and a website to get her name and her
work out in the public eye. “I get told my price isn’t high enough all the time,” she said. Her ornaments run about $65 each, and her portraits of pets and people can run $160 and higher. It’s nice to have a little income, for sure. But more than the money made, she enjoys being busy doing something she truly loves. “I have never felt so passionate about anything, and I love being able to create something for somebody that is so meaningful.” Like for people who give her a pet portrait to create into a pyrography piece, especially for pets who have passed away, “I know that every time they look at it, I’m going to have a hand in bringing good memories to them.” Knowing this means more than any dollar amount she might charge. Her husband, who has his computer work set up on the opposite side of the basement, is happy that his wife has found something to do that gives her fulfillment. “I think it’s fantastic,” he said. And she appreciates that her husband is very supportive of her work. “I plan to do this for a long time,” she said. ·
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Feature
The Sparks family is at home in Maxwell. Members of the family are (from left) Rod, Rose, Rod Wayne “RW” (age 6 and a kindergartener; and John Karl (age 11 and a fifth grader). Both boys attend Collins-Maxwell Schools. Rose is a native of Hong Kong, who became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 2018. PHOTO BY MARLYS BARKER/GATEHOUSE IOWA
From Hong Kong to America, Maxwell woman has shown her spirit and determination By Marlys Barker GateHouse Iowa
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M
axwell resident Rose Sparks recently celebrated her 40th birthday. Many of us have marked or will mark that milestone in our own lives. For Rose, however, turning 40 is only one of the major milestones she’s celebrated in recent years. She was having a small get-together for her birthday, but she had an even bigger celebration back in 2018, when on Feb. 9 of that year, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States. On that day, she joined about 65 to 70 other people, representing at least 25 countries, at the Neal Smith Federal Building in Des Moines. They each were asked to answer questions drawn out (like a lottery system, she noted) that day. After a year of studying with a book and a
CD, Rose said the questions she had to answer were “easy.” “They asked me who is the current president. I said, Donald Trump. They asked me who are the senators from Iowa, like Grassley, and … about what is the meaning of the red and white in the (U.S.) flag? It’s about the 13 colonies,” she said. Rose’s story of coming to the United States begins back in 2010. That was when longtime Collins and Maxwell-area resident Rod Sparks, who has also lived all over the country and abroad, met her in her home country of Hong Kong at a little crab cafe where she was working. SPARKS, page 16
Feature
Some of those who joined Rose Sparks (left) for her 40th birthday party were (from left after Rose) Karen Plunkett, Pastor Ian McMullen, Rod Sparks, Adrian McMullen, Clara Mae Morgan Sparks and Clara’s friend Mel Johnson of Des Moines. Rose cooked up an Asian feast for her birthday, but noted that sometimes she also cooks American things, too. PHOTO BY MARLYS BARKER/GATEHOUSE IOWA
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Feature SPARKS, continued from page 14
Working in the concrete industry, Rod was in Hong Kong for work. It wasn’t an instant love connection, he said, but over the course of four to six months, as he was in Hong Kong or back and forth to Hong Kong, the connection between him and Rose was growing. “He’s a good man, a hard worker, caring and down to earth,” Rose said of the qualities that attracted her to Rod. At first, Rod joked about why he asked her to marry him. “She started crying when I was leaving Hong Kong,” he said. Then he admitted, “I loved her.” He filed for something called a “K1” visa. “It’s a marriage visa,” he said. It took nine months for it to be processed and for her to be able to join him in the United States. He was working in Texas when the time finally came, and they noted that once she got here, they only had so much time to tie the knot. Rod explained the situation to a worker at the hotel he was staying at in Texas, and “she arranged everything for our wedding.” Rose traveled around the country with Rod at first. In fact, their son, Rod Wayne, who they call “RW,” was born in Missouri. In 2015, they finally settled down in Maxwell. Rod’s mother, Clara, lives in Maxwell, and his Uncle Martin (now deceased) was the person who invited them to come to the Maxwell Presbyterian Church. That church has become extremely important to them, especially to Rose, who said she was used to having lots of family members around in Hong Kong, especially to cook for. Now, the members of her church have become her extended family. Karen Plunkett is one member of the church who has become very close to Rose. “She sits behind me at church every Sunday,” Plunkett said. “She’s just so sweet and nice to everyone.” Plunkett shared that at one of the first church dinners Rose was involved with, she was a tireless worker in the kitchen, and when she had her citizenship party, Plunkett added, her boss from Diamond Crystal Foods said she’s the best worker he’s ever had. Rose is a machine operator at Diamond Crystal Foods in Mitchellville. And along with studying to gain her citizenship in recent years, she and Rod have also worked tirelessly to bring her oldest son, John Karl, to America. He had lived with Rose’s mother since her departure from Hong Kong, and last July he was finally reunited with his mother, his new brother, and Rod, who is now working to legally adopt him. The couple also said they want John Karl to go through the naturalization process, like his mother, so he’ll have the pride that she does in being an American citizen. “You could really write a book about our story,” Rod said. Rose’s own family, he noted, is a story in itself. Rod said his in-laws are an “incredible” family, and Rose isn’t the only one of her siblings living outside her home country. The family has four sisters living in four different countries. “Her family raised their children to be smart and have 16 | FACETS | MAY 2019
Rose Sparks points out the date, Feb. 9, 2018, that she became a naturalized American citizen. She studied and prepared for a year before she earned this honor. PHOTO BY MARLYS BARKER/GATEHOUSE IOWA
the ability to go global, which I think is really cool,” he said. Rose said the biggest difference she sees between America and Hong Kong is that “in Hong Kong, we just walk everywhere. Here, you drive.” Rod nods in total agreement. “You are right about that Rose,” he said. Learning to drive was another milestone moment Rose accomplished after arriving in America. They hired a driving instructor for her and she got her driver’s license in 2012. The thing she misses most about her native home, she said, is “the ocean. I want to go in the ocean and go get fish.” She also misses the farm she grew up on where they had so many homegrown things to get any time you wanted. Rod noted she now has a little garden plot at their home in Maxwell. Rose said she feels at home in Maxwell. “It’s a beautiful hometown, quiet, not crowded and the people are friendly.” Her mother-in-law Clara lives close by and is very happy to have Rose in the family. “She’s a lovely child and I’m glad I got her. And Rod needed her. It’s a joy.” The pastor at the Maxwell Presbyterian Church Ian McMullen also joined the recent birthday party and has become a good friend to the Sparks. He’s been very impressed by Rose. “It’s her spirit of determination,” he said, of what most impresses him most. “Given a task, she will complete it regardless. And I love the joy that she has always. She’s always smiling and happy.” ·
In Brief
Bev Kruempel named recipient of 2019 Making Democracy Work Award
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o Beverly Kruempel, democracy means taking care of everyone. “Democracy, to me, is taking care of everyone, no matter what your ability, sexual orientation, gender, race, background or origin,” Kruempel said. “A democracy is fair to everyone.” Kruempel will be awarded for her practice in that philosophy, as she was announced as the recipient of the third-annual Making Democracy Work Award by the League of Women Voters of Ames and Story County. For consideration of the award, a nominee had to have “mobilized others to help effect beneficial change, is passionate about safeguarding Democracy and leads efforts to introduce public policy that promotes fairness, equality and diversity.” After a 20-year career as an educator, Kruempel envisioned her retirement as “more than playing bridge,” and dedicated a secondary career to democratizing those who are disenfranchised and in need. One of her first post-retirement projects was extensively working with Women at the Well, a United Methodist congregation located within the walls of the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Marshalltown. As a volunteer for its re-entry program, from finding housing options to securing post-sentence employment, Kruempel interceded on the behalf of six female prisoners upon their release to integrate into society. “It was a very educational experience,” Kruempel said. “I learned so much, because we make it so hard for anyone who gets out of prison to be successful. It’s easier to go back to prison than it is to re-integrate into society and succeed.” In addition to advocate work, Kruempel would also
become a listener and a friend to many of the women she helped. “We would meet with them once a week for a year and just say we’re friends and we’re here to help you be successful. But mainly (we were) listening to them,” Kruempel said. “Listening is a major component of being able to help others.” Kruempel particularly recalled one former inmate she worked with who went to 29 different prospective employers before finally landing a job and eventually re-integrating back into society. “There was a hesitation for (companies) to hire former inmates because they saw a risk there,” Kruempel said. “But we also helped them address other issues like transportation which limited them from getting a job, thus limiting them from paying rent.” Kruempel also advocated for civic duties and responsibilities in the community, serving in the role as president in addition to other capacities for the League of Women Voters of Ames and Story County — committed to educating and registering first and longtime voters. In a nomination letter for the award, Kruempel was seen as the “go-to person” for the organization, and led community educational programs that inform attendees regarding community projects and government initiatives. Through extensive yearlong research and fact-gathering projects, Kruempel and her non-partisan staff helped to introduce the first installment of CyRide to Ames, as well helped with efforts for the Resource Recovery Plant. “The work we did at the League included helping the community by looking at different issues that affected the community. And before taking a stance, we did our research and collected the facts on the issue,” Kruempel said. “But (our work) also involved registering voters, working for open elections and making it easier for people to vote, including Iowa State students.” ·
By Robbie Sequeira GateHouse Iowa
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In Brief
Huxley senior’s Cinderella story might just be coming true By Lynn Marr-Moore Contributing Writer
“Everything I had wanted, everything I had worked for, everything I had achieved led me to that moment. Once inside, my nerves kind of calmed, and even more so when I stepped onto the ice” ~ Joslyn Waelti-Johnson
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Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” and sometimes that heart wish comes true. In the case of Ballard High School senior Joslyn Waelti-Johnson, the dream that began when she was just four years old is getting closer with every workout on the ice. When Joslyn was four years old, she attended her first Disney on Ice performance. She tells now, that at that moment, many years ago, she was hooked. After years of practices and coaching, and continued unconditional support from her moms, Candi and Dawn, it appears that everything is falling into place. Last summer something happened that put everything on hold. “In June, I broke my navicular bone in my right foot on a double flip-double toe loop competition in Minnesota,” Joslyn said. “The injury took me off the ice most of the summer and early fall.” These things happen. However, Joslyn was ready to start the regiment of applying for an audition in hopes of landing a place with Disney on Ice. “I thought that I would have to postpone auditioning for Disney on Ice until November of 2019,” Joslyn explained. “But after receiving encouragement from a Disney on Ice alum, who currently coaches at my rink, I decided to send in an audition tape featuring my skating skills, as well as a written resume, on Nov. 5, 2018. Two days later, I was emailed by the Disney on Ice casting director offering me a live audition the day before Thanksgiving at Wells Fargo Area in Des Moines. When I saw the email, I literally screamed — I was elated.” Joslyn was given details on what she would be asked to do at the audition, such as demonstrating a range of edge skills, as well as jumps, spins and other choreographic elements. A week before the audition, Joslyn explained that she started practicing the double jumps again, something that she had not done for six months. Her doctor had given her the go ahead to begin jumping again. She added that the jumping came pretty naturally. She was ready for the audition. “My audition followed shortly after opening night,” she tells. “I was the only person scheduled to audition. It lasted approximately an hour and 40 minutes, including off-ice questioning and writing a short essay about why I wanted to join the cast, as well as the on-ice portion.” Joslyn said that before she entered Wells Fargo Arena that night she was very nervous — at the level of feeling somewhat terrified. “I was extremely nervous, completely terrified and 18 | FACETS | MAY 2019
Mom’s Candi and Dawn have been behind their daughter in her pursuing her dream to be a Disney on Ice skater. PHOTO BY LYNN MARR-MOORE
very emotional,” she describes. “Everything I had wanted, everything I had worked for, everything I had achieved led me to that moment. Once inside, my nerves kind of calmed and even more so when I stepped onto the ice.” Two cast members and the show director taught her the edge combinations that she was to perform alongside of two other skaters. She admits that at first she was really jittery and messed up a few time, but as they progressed that all changed. “Then I was to perform my jumps, spins and other stuff, which is where I really thrived,” she went on. “The only thing I sort of struggled with was my double flip because I was subconsciously thinking about sustaining another injury. Lastly, they taught me how to act like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, a princess, Nala from Lion King and Donald Duck and a monkey, so they could see me outside of my comfort zone.” On Jan. 21, a letter arrived at her home. “I received a letter in the mail from the Disney on Ice casting director saying that they would keep me on file,” she explained. “This means that if a spot opens up that I fit the description of, I will be considered. Now, I have to wait between May and July to see if there is a spot available. Depending on when and if I get hired will determine when I would start. If they need someone in their South American tour during the summer, I could start shortly after I graduate. If I get hired later, I will probably start in either August or September.” Since the audition, Joslyn’s training has increased as she continues to strengthen her injured foot. She recently passed her junior free skate and senior solo free skate dance tests, which makes her the second United States Figure Skating double gold medalist from the Ames Figure Skating Club. She said that she is currently working on her solo and senior solo for the club’s annual ice show that will be held on May 3 and 4. A wish made 14 years ago seems to becoming true for this skater. Hard work and support from her parents have come to life and maybe, just maybe, soon to be seen on a different ice. It’s called Disney on Ice. ·
In Brief
After 22 years, Bauer retires as Story County Democrats chair
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hen taking a look around Jan Bauer’s home, one can’t help but notice framed pictures of Jan with a virtual who’s-who of Democratic political giants. There’s two separate framed photos of her shaking hands with Bill and Hilary Clinton. A portrait shot of her and former President Barack Obama. A picture of Corey Booker taking a selfie with her. And even though the photo is long gone, Jan fondly remembers a photo of her making the late Sen. Ted Kennedy laugh at a joke she told. When a political candidate comes to Ames, they know about Jan Bauer. Bauer, who recently retired as one of the longest-serving county chairs in Iowa after 22 years as Story County Democrats chair, summed up the experience in one word: Fun. “Politics is fun, and if politics isn’t going to be fun, we’re not going to keep people involved,” Bauer said. Bauer said her passion for politics was ignited by idealism and the activist environment of the 1970s when she was in junior high. While some peers her age threw themselves into popular TV shows and pop culture, Jan was glued to the TV by the Watergate hearings and fascinated herself into the political landscape. “I remember during that year’s Democratic National Convention, watching it and thinking ‘Oh the world’s going to change,’ Bauer said. “I thought George McGovern was going to change the world, and while that didn’t go very far, I grew up thinking I was going to be the person that helped change the world.” Bauer suffers from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which attacked her joints and caused her to undergo multiple surgeries, including a debilitating back surgery that left her permanently disabled. But that could not, did not and would not stop Bauer. The summer of 1980 was life-changing for Bauer; it’s when she worked for the Story County Democrats as a lowlevel staffer. In 1990, Bauer moved from Zearing to Ames and ramped up her commitment to the party, and in 1996, Bauer became chair. The role of county chair has evolved since Bauer took the helm in 1996, a re-election year for Bill Clinton. “The year 1996 was just making sure we had a headquarters downtown, make sure we had staff and volunteers and that office was operating,” Bauer. “But then it also involved fundraising, and that’s when we really started to crank things up.” The county party began using fundraising events as a vehicle for fundraising, and soon traditional events like the annual soup supper and fall barbecue were born. Over time, Bauer’s role as county chair evolved from running an office to join advertising efforts with local candidates.
“Local candidates are important, and they probably have more of an impact on people’s day-to-day lives than state legislators or candidates,” Bauer said. “Politics, even at the lowest level requires funding and that’s where Story County gained its strength and developed a reputation for strong fundraising and providing local candidates with resources.” For Bauer, the caucuses were truly where the fun started, and she’s been heavily involved in every Iowa Caucus, supporting Tom Harkin in 1992, John Kerry in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008. However, the Obama caucus left an indelible mark on her. “When Barack Obama first came to town on Feb. 11, 2007, I kept telling the staff to scale down because I thought we were going to have a small group, but they kept going bigger and bigger,” Bauer said. “When the event rolled around, on a Sunday at 12 (noon), they filled Hilton Coliseum with 6,000 people — that doesn’t happen every day.” Bauer said one of the more nerve-wracking parts of her job would be getting phone calls asking to back candidates, and it took her four phone calls to commit to the Obama campaign and called his Iowa Caucus win “an incredible experience.” ·
By Robbie Sequeira GateHouse Iowa
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By Lucinda Scala Quinn Washington Post
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If you still think lamb is gamy, there are new rules Listen, lamb-leery cooks: Don’t be intimidated by the myth of a “too gamy taste,” true of the bygone mutton-eating generation. Today in America, what was once known as “spring lamb,” is offered to market between 6 and 12 months old, which yields a fresh, meaty flavor no more pungent than pork or beef. Don’t be discouraged by cut choice and cost, either. For a holiday crowd, leg of lamb equals a fine turkey price and requires a fraction of the skill needed to hit the double-whammy of moist turkey breast and tender legs at the same time. Globally, lamb is the most agnostic meat eaten, relished from London to Jerusalem to Beijing. Lamb loves the bold exotic flavors of Middle Eastern dishes, blossoms under French, Spanish and Italian (anchovy, lemon, rosemary) treatments, and as a “joint,” anchors many a British Sunday lunch. My brother Jim makes the most simple and delicious roast lamb you’ll ever eat. He’s the real lamb-cook whisperer in our family. Where others are sheepish, he oozes cool confidence, knowing firsthand that lamb is one of the best no-fuss, go-to centerpiece roasts for group entertaining. Jim decided long ago to ditch the bone-in leg of lamb from our childhood table for the ease, time and predictability of a lean, butterflied lamb leg. Enrobed in a flavorful fresh herb coating, it cooks in under an hour and results in a range of succulent doneness from rare to medium to well, thanks to the uneven thickness of the butterflied piece. When serving your luscious lamb dinner, take a cue from our mom, Rose, who managed to raise a little flock of lamb lovers by always offering mint jelly at the table. Preparation: The night before you plan to cook the lamb, make your herb paste and spread it all over the meat. Cover the lamb with plastic wrap and refrigerate until several hours before cooking. If you’re short on time, marinate the meat at room temperature for at least an hour. To achieve a golden outside, it’s imperative to let the seasoned meat stand at room temperature for a good while before cooking, so it hits the oven sizzling, instead of steaming to gray first. The boned leg is also the perfect piece to stuff with a favorite filling; then roll, tie and season to roast at 375 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Use the following method as a starting point for ratios, and tailor it to your own tastes, seeking to achieve a balanced flavor that is an herbaceous, earthy, tangy, salty-sweet enhancement for the meat. Here’s how Jim roasts his butterflied lamb leg, which serves 10: n Mash together a small glug of olive oil, half a dozen
PHOTO BY TOM MCCORKLE/THE WASHINGTON POST
garlic cloves and a tablespoon of coarse salt with a mortar and pestle, blender or food processor. Add a hefty handful each of fresh oregano leaves and mint leaves, along with a teaspoon each of honey and balsamic vinegar. Blend to a paste. n Thoroughly dry the meat with paper towels and massage the herb paste all over. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator a couple hours before you plan to roast it. Massage the herb paste into the meat again. Leave it out, covered, at room temperature. n Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grind fresh black pepper all over the lamb and roast it on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan, for about a half an hour or so, until the thickest part reads 120 degrees (for a rosy medium) on an instant-read thermometer. n Transfer the meat to a cutting board and loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over it. Rest for 15 to 20 minutes (important, as this lets the juices settle, so that you get the most tender meat). Thinly slice the meat against the grain and place on a serving platter. (It can be sliced as larger, more formal pieces or smaller ones as lamb leg can be tricky to slice evenly across). Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top, and slice the remaining lemon half. Garnish with a handful of mint leaves sliced into the thinnest of ribbons, oregano leaves and lemon slices, and serve.
Savor
PHOTO BY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG/THE WASHINGTON POST
With fragrant, flavorful chutney, grilled chicken gets star treatment This dish taps enticing Indian flavors to elevate humble grilled chicken to a supremely tasty weeknight meal. The chicken breast, seasoned with a simple spice rub of ground cumin, coriander and turmeric, gets a lovely, earthy flavor and stunning golden hue. But the real star is the accompanying chutney. To make it, simmer a can of tomatoes with savory onion, ginger and mustard seed, along with sweet dried apricots and honey. Add a splash of vinegar for a balancing tang, and some peanuts for richness and crunch. Once cooked down, the chutney gets whirred in a food processor until it is spoonably smooth but still retains some texture. The simmer time for the chutney, just 15 minutes, makes it perfect for a busy night, but it can also be made ahead and refrigerated until needed. The chutney, served with chicken and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves, results in a dish that’s as tasty and healthful as it is colorful. This recipe makes more chutney than you need for this meal, but you’ll be glad to have leftovers because the sweet-savory-tangy condiment is also delicious on tofu, as an accompaniment for grilled fish, a sandwich spread or a toast topper. INGREDIENTS n 2 tablespoons peanut oil, or another neutral oil n 1 cup diced onion n 1 tablespoon minced ginger root n 1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds n One 14.4 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes n 6 dried apricots, finely chopped n 1/4 cup dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts, finely chopped n 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar n 1 tablespoon honey
n 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt n 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper n 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin n 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander n 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric n 4 pieces thin-cut skinless boneless chicken breast (about 5 ounces each) n Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish STEPS Heat 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the ginger and mustard seed; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, apricots, peanuts, vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the mixture barely bubble at the edges; cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the tomatoes have mostly broken down. Transfer the mixture to the small bowl of a food processor and pulse until the chutney is mostly smooth, but still has some texture. Combine the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil with the cumin, coriander, turmeric and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture onto the chicken. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until the meat is cooked through and grill marks have formed. Garnish the chutney with cilantro and serve alongside the chicken.
By Ellie Krieger Washington Post
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Food chat: Hockey pucks or biscuits? The difference might be related to temperature By The Washington Post
Cookbook author Paula Shoyer, known as “The Kosher Baker,” recently joined The Washington Post Food section staff in answering questions about all things edible. Here are edited excerpts from that chat. Q: I sometimes get asked “are you making hockey pucks or biscuits today?” I use the same flour, same leavening, same not over working the dough, etc. But sometimes its a discus and sometimes a fluffy wonder. Same with my bread, sometimes nice and fluffy and sometimes like hard submarines. Is it the atmospheric pressure? That’s what I blame it on. A: Maybe, or kitchen gremlins! It’s possible you’re handling doughs more differently than you realize each time you bake it. What about the temperature of your kitchen? That can certainly affect things. Also worth making sure your oven is consistent. — Becky Krystal Q: I found a bag of whole wheat flour in the depths of my freezer. The best buy date is a couple of years ago. Since it has been in the freezer the entire time I’ve had it, can I still use it? Or do I trash it and keep my freezer better organized? A: Two years is the max for whole-wheat freezer storage. — Bonnie S. Benwick Q: As I am the baker in the family, I was re-gifted a bottle of Godiva chocolate liqueur. Any recipe ideas? Also, I have a bottle of moonshine. Can this be used in cooking? A: You can use any alcohol to flavor a batter, sugar syrup, mousse, or even a dough, but not more than 2 teaspoons. — Paula Shoyer
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a microplane, and a meat thermometer in the suitcase. Maybe a Pyrex baking dish, cookie sheets, kitchen scale, and a dutch oven in the three-week shipment, with a couple favorite cookbooks. A: Make sure you always have a small frying pan, small saucepan, medium saucepan for soup and stews, 9-by-13inch pan, whisk, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, jelly roll pan. — P.S. Q: I’m trying to get more plant-based foods into my diet. What’s seitan like? Is it better in some applications than others? A: Seitan is based on wheat gluten, it’s chewy and can imitate the texture of meat pretty well. But I think it needs to be cut/shaved pretty thin, because many of the versions out there are maybe a little too chewy. The thing is, it’s gotten so much easier to make at home, because you can start with powdered vital wheat gluten rather than the old way, which involved washing/rinsing, kneading, etc. — J.Y. Q: I have a huge block of semisweet chocolate that somehow got lost in the back of my pantry for probably about a year (maybe more? I can’t find a date). It looks completely fine, no white bloom, no signs of having melted, etc. It’s wrapped in plastic wrap and the whole thing is in a freezer bag. My question is, do you think it’s still okay to use? And if so, what do you recommend to use up a huge quantity of chocolate? A: I would still use it. I buy huge blocks of chocolate and use over many months. Taste the chocolate and see if it is still good. If yes, bake with it. — P.S.
Q: What are some healthy ways to broil Brussels sprouts? A: I love using the broiler for tender vegetables like this. If you want, you can roast at high heat until they start to brown a little, then switch to broil to give them a little char. Just some olive oil, salt and pepper does the trick. Super healthy! — Joe Yonan
Q: I’m obsessed with lions mane mushrooms from the farmer’s market. I usually saute them til both sides are golden brown and add salt and pepper. I’ve also made soup. What other (vegetarian) dishes can I cook these in? A: They hold up pretty well in stir-fries. — B.S.B
Q: I’m preparing for an international move and trying to decide how to sort my kitchen. I’ll arrive with suitcases to a kitchen stocked with the bare minimum (four plates, blunt knives, one pot, a loaf pan if I’m lucky), then a small shipment of essentials will arrive three weeks later, then the rest of my worldly goods will arrive about three months after that. What would you pack for your threeweek and four-month kitchens? I’m thinking a good knife,
Q: I guess kohlrabi is in season now — I see a bit of it in the stores. So, information please? What does it taste like? What preparation is necessary? What is the best way to use it? Does it roast well? A: It tastes a little like cabbage and potato combined. You can eat it raw (thinly sliced), boil and puree or — as with almost all vegetables — roast it! — J.Y.
Want to find radishes’ sweet side? Fire up your ovens Ask most people how they eat radishes, one of my favorite ingredients of the season, and I bet most of them will talk about thin raw slices: on a salad, on pizza, in a sandwich or grain bowl. Or they’ll tell you about a not-sosecret French appetizer: raw radishes served with salted butter. I love all that, for the crunch and peppery bite. But when radishes are raw, a little can go a long way. So if you’re trying to dispatch a bunch or two, I recommend that you crank up the oven and roast them instead. As with so many vegetables, roasting brings out radishes’ sweet side, and they soften without getting mushy. Plus, they end up looking like little jewels. This recipe from one of my favorite vegetarian cookbook authors, Anna Jones, includes some more unexpected touches. Sure, there are roasted potatoes, plus a little honey and lemon. But how about something else you probably have never roasted: French green lentils? They’re already cooked when they go in the oven, where they crisp up to lend loads of texture to every bite of this warm salad. Fresh greens — lemony sorrel if you can find it, spinach if you can’t — and a quick buttermilk dressing make this dish as bright and brilliant as the first few weeks of spring. INGREDIENTS n 1 1/2 cups dried French green lentils (du Puy; may substitute black beluga lentils), picked over and rinsed n 4 cups water n 1 pound radishes (no greens), trimmed n 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed n 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil n 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest and 3 tablespoons juice (from 1 large lemon) n 1 tablespoon honey (may substitute agave nectar) n 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed n 1/4 cup buttermilk (may substitute thin plain yogurt) n 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper n 2 cups lightly packed sorrel or spinach leaves DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat until the liquid is gently bubbling and cook until the lentils are barely tender, 20 to 25 minutes. If you’re cooking the lentils in advance, reserve the cooking liquid for storage. When ready to use, drain the lentils, spread them out on a clean dish towel and pat them dry. Cut the radishes and potatoes into halves, if small, or quarters, if larger (to get them roughly the same size). Toss them on a large, rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of
the oil, half the lemon juice, the honey and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Roast for 15 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice to move them around. While the radish mixture is roasting, on a separate baking sheet, mix the cooked lentils with another 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the oil and all the lemon zest. Transfer the sheet to the oven with the radish mixture, and cook both until the lentils are crisped and starting to blister in places, and the radishes and potatoes are soft and starting to brown at the edges, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the buttermilk, the remaining lemon juice and the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a liquid measuring cup. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Taste, and add more salt as needed. Toss the lentil, potato and radish mixture with the sorrel or spinach leaves on a large platter. Drizzle the buttermilk dressing over the top, and serve warm.
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By Joe Yonan Washington Post
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