© Berthoud Weekly Surveyor
October 18, 2018
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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor October 18, 2018
Berthoud couple Kirk and Sara Brand turns family recipe into Mrs. K’s Salsa By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor Kirk Brand of Berthoud took on the challenge to improve a salsa recipe — and now he and his wife Sara can’t keep up with the orders. Kirk spent three weeks tweaking a recipe that soon brought in orders from family and friends, so he recently decided to make his hobby a commercial endeavor. “We are making it out of our home, and our friends and family love it,” Sara said. “It’s hugely blown up. We have people that want it. We just have a ton of people that love it. Everyone that’s tried it said it’s the best salsa they’ve ever had.” Kirk calls his salsa Mrs. Courtesy photo K’s Salsa, based on the Berthoud couple, Kirk and Sara Brand, launch first letters of the names of Mrs. K’s Salsa to bring homemade recipe to everyone in his family. The Berthoud area. Mrs. refers to the Brands’ daughters, Madison 15, Reganne 14, and to Sara, and the K to Kirk. “I really wanted it to be a family salsa, so I just took the first initials of everyone’s name and just played with it,” Kirk said. Kirk came up with the name in 2015, the same year he developed his base recipe. A family friend’s father had come over in the spring of that year with his recipe, and after he left, Kirk talked with Sara. He thought he could improve the recipe and tested different spices and ingredients every night for three weeks, serving it to his family for every meal. “I added more ingredients and balanced it out,” Kirk said. “It was good, but it needed more.” Kirk figured he could make something better than he could buy at the store, which either had “good flavor and no heat, or lots of heat with no flavor,” he said. “It ended up very easy to make and very straightforward and much cheaper making it at the house in large batches,” Kirk said. For his salsa, Kirk uses ingredients that are fresh and sourced locally. He’s willing to share the list of ingredients but not the amounts nor the secret red peppers he roasts. He uses a blender to mix the peppers with tomatoes, cilantro, lime and several spices, including salt and pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic, and then he adds red onions diced by hand. “It’s got a nice smoky flavor to it and a perfect mixture of spices and ingredients in it,” Kirk said. “It’s just a really nice tomato salsa.” The Brands use a base recipe in blended and rough-cut, chunkier versions, ranging in heat level from mild to medium, hot and extra hot, or Fire Never Tasted So Good. They cater to what the customer desires but won’t change the base recipe, though they will alter the amount of tomatoes, onions and cilantro. “The salsa is fresh and it’s like you never tasted,” Sara said. “It is made with a lot of love and a lot of thought, and that’s what we pride ourselves on.” The ingredients are measured exactly to the recipe to achieve consistency. “It’s not just put together,” she said. Kirk taught Sara how to make the recipe, and she does most of the cooking now. “I love to cook; I love to make people try something that they love,” Sara
said. The Brands’ next steps include sending samples to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for analysis of shelf life and nutritional value, obtaining access to a commercial kitchen to be able to produce mass quantities of the product and getting the product on store shelves and also at farmers’ markets. They hope to work with an investor to expand their offerings and want to get assistance with the jarring and distribution of the product. In the future the Brands may expand to hot sauces and salad dressings. So far they have won two awards for the salsa, including one from the Longmont Humane Society in 2015 and the Fort Collins Farmers’ Market this year. “We put our heart into it and make sure it’s the best salsa you ever had,” Sara said. For more information about Mrs. K’s Salsa, visit https://www. facebook.com/Mrs.ksalsa.
Berthoud Weekly Surveyor October 18, 2018 Page B3
Halloween boasts a rich history
Special to the Surveyor Costume-clad kids, bags of candy and jack-o’-lanterns are some indelible images associated with Halloween. Those images may forever be linked to this beloved, fun-filled holiday, which boasts a rich history that varies depending on where in the world you might be. Celebrations around the world may not mirror those in the United States, where trick-or-treating youngsters travel from house to house in search of candy. But true Halloween enthusiasts may be interested to learn the history of the holiday and how it has changed over the centuries. El Dia de los Muertos
In parts of Mexico and Latin America, El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) is celebrated each year in early November. The day is designed to honor the dead, who Day of the Dead celebrants believe return to their earthly homes each Halloween. Families may burn candles and incense in an effort to help their deceased relatives and ancestors find their way home. Guy Fawkes Day For many years, England had reason to celebrate around October 31, but those celebrations did not mirror the Halloween festivities familiar to those across the pond. While recent years have witnessed more and more Brits adopting the Americanized celebration of Halloween, for many the true holiday this time of year will always be Guy Fawkes Day. Celebrated on November 5, Guy Fawkes Day is a commemoration of the foiled Gunpowder Plot. Smithsonian notes that this was a failed attempt by disgruntled Catholics to blow up the British Parliament building while King James I was inside. Fireworks, parades and bonfires marked Guy Fawkes Day celebrations, which in recent years have gradually begun to transform into something that more closely resembles American Halloween. Samhain
History.com notes that Halloween can trace its origins to Ireland. But those origins did not involve giggling youngsters carrying plastic pumpkins around in search of candy. Halloween’s origins can be traced to the Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was considered the Celtic New Year and was sacred to the ancient Irish. The festival was celebrated as the days became shorter, and offerings were left for the dead, who celebrants believed could cross over into the land of the living at this time. However, they also believed demonic spirits could follow such a path during Samhain, giving the festival the taste of the macabre that many still enjoy imparting on their Halloween celebrations today. Halloween has a rich and interesting history that gals and ghouls from all walks of life might find interesting.
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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor October 18, 2018
Berthoud couple Kirk and Sara Brand turns family recipe into Mrs. K’s Salsa By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor Kirk Brand of Berthoud took on the challenge to improve a salsa recipe — and now he and his wife Sara can’t keep up with the orders. Kirk spent three weeks tweaking a recipe that soon brought in orders from family and friends, so he recently decided to make his hobby a commercial endeavor. “We are making it out of our home, and our friends and family love it,” Sara said. “It’s hugely blown up. We have people that want it. We just have a ton of people that love it. Everyone that’s tried it said it’s the best salsa they’ve ever had.” Kirk calls his salsa Mrs. Courtesy photo K’s Salsa, based on the Berthoud couple, Kirk and Sara Brand, launch first letters of the names of Mrs. K’s Salsa to bring homemade recipe to everyone in his family. The Berthoud area. Mrs. refers to the Brands’ daughters, Madison 15, Reganne 14, and to Sara, and the K to Kirk. “I really wanted it to be a family salsa, so I just took the first initials of everyone’s name and just played with it,” Kirk said. Kirk came up with the name in 2015, the same year he developed his base recipe. A family friend’s father had come over in the spring of that year with his recipe, and after he left, Kirk talked with Sara. He thought he could improve the recipe and tested different spices and ingredients every night for three weeks, serving it to his family for every meal. “I added more ingredients and balanced it out,” Kirk said. “It was good, but it needed more.” Kirk figured he could make something better than he could buy at the store, which either had “good flavor and no heat, or lots of heat with no flavor,” he said. “It ended up very easy to make and very straightforward and much cheaper making it at the house in large batches,” Kirk said. For his salsa, Kirk uses ingredients that are fresh and sourced locally. He’s willing to share the list of ingredients but not the amounts nor the secret red peppers he roasts. He uses a blender to mix the peppers with tomatoes, cilantro, lime and several spices, including salt and pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic, and then he adds red onions diced by hand. “It’s got a nice smoky flavor to it and a perfect mixture of spices and ingredients in it,” Kirk said. “It’s just a really nice tomato salsa.” The Brands use a base recipe in blended and rough-cut, chunkier versions, ranging in heat level from mild to medium, hot and extra hot, or Fire Never Tasted So Good. They cater to what the customer desires but won’t change the base recipe, though they will alter the amount of tomatoes, onions and cilantro. “The salsa is fresh and it’s like you never tasted,” Sara said. “It is made with a lot of love and a lot of thought, and that’s what we pride ourselves on.” The ingredients are measured exactly to the recipe to achieve consistency. “It’s not just put together,” she said. Kirk taught Sara how to make the recipe, and she does most of the cooking now. “I love to cook; I love to make people try something that they love,” Sara
said. The Brands’ next steps include sending samples to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for analysis of shelf life and nutritional value, obtaining access to a commercial kitchen to be able to produce mass quantities of the product and getting the product on store shelves and also at farmers’ markets. They hope to work with an investor to expand their offerings and want to get assistance with the jarring and distribution of the product. In the future the Brands may expand to hot sauces and salad dressings. So far they have won two awards for the salsa, including one from the Longmont Humane Society in 2015 and the Fort Collins Farmers’ Market this year. “We put our heart into it and make sure it’s the best salsa you ever had,” Sara said. For more information about Mrs. K’s Salsa, visit https://www. facebook.com/Mrs.ksalsa.
Berthoud Weekly Surveyor October 18, 2018 Page B5
Not a beer lover? Try hard cider
By Bob McDonnell The Surveyor Beer microbreweries seem to crop up in Northern Colorado almost daily. Those watching new trends are noticing small apple “cideries” are following suit. North of Denver, there are at least five facilities that make/ serve/sell hard cider. This beverage is usually around six percent alcohol by volume. It should not be surprising hard cider is becoming a “thing.” It’s been around since the Romans fermented apples in 55 B.C. The Romans arrived in Kent in Britain and noticed the local villagers drinking alcoholic beverages made with apples. The website webrestaurantstore.com says the fermented cider was actually safer to drink than water. It also provided some nourishment. Now people drink cider like wine, and it comes in a multitude of flavors. A recent stop at Loveland’s Climb Hard Cider Company confirms this. The cozy tasting room attached to the Big Beaver Brewing Company is located at 2707 W. Eisenhower, Suite #3. This is just west of the Loveland K-Mart. Since this location is almost walking distance from my house, I decided to check it out. A big wooden sign behind the bar shows the 10 flavors available for the day. On the day of my visit the list included apple dry and semi-dry, honey, cinnamon, cranberry, peach and lemon drop. Other flavors needed tasting for a better description. I tried elderflower, which has a slight floral aroma and herbal taste. I liken it to a not-too-sweet white wine. I think it was my favorite. The Moscow mule hard apple cider contains
lime and ginger, and is said to taste like the popular cocktail of the same name. The blood orange cider is made of pureed blood orange fruit. Tasting the variety of flavored ciders is easy at Climb Hard Cider Co. A customer may pick from five glasses, six thru 10 glasses or go for all 10 flavors in sampler-size glasses. Prices range from $4.50 to $9 per tray, depending on how many samples are chosen. Once someone finds their favorite or favorites, 12-ounce glasses are available for $4.50 or $5 depending on the flavor. Take-out glass bottles come in 32-ounce and 64-ounce sizes. Their prices range from $8 to $12 for the smaller bottle and $18 to $24 for the bigger jugs. The friendly and knowledgeable bartender said the cider has a shelf life of about a week. If you want something to munch on, Climb Hard can handle that too. Plates with crackers and cheese or jam and cheese are available for sale. Some local liquor stores carry the Climb Hard beverages in cans. This includes six-packs or mixed four-packs of 12-ounce cans. I found all the cider flavors to be enjoyable and not as sweet as I would have expected. My only point of reference is grocery-store non-alcoholic apple juice. After a trip to Climb Hard, I can see people using cider at their Halloween parties. I think a jug of the elderflower hard cider may even make an appearance at our family’s Thanksgiving dinner table. Hours of operation at Climb Hard Cider Co. are Fridays from 2 to 10 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 9 p.m.
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Gourds, squashes and pumpkins, oh my! Special to the Surveyor Halloween takes place during a time of year characterized by earthencolored chrysanthemums, leaf-lined walkways and crisp autumn air. As colorful as the costumes children wear for trick-or-treating may be, nature’s beauty is unsurpassed this time of year, and the scores of pumpkins, gourds and squashes on display only add to that colorful melange. The Cucurbitaceae family may be best known for pumpkins, squash and gourds, but there actually are 800 species that belong to this family. While they share many of the same properties, these fruits each have their own unique attributes. The main differences between squashes, gourds and pumpkins is their intended purposes — whether they’re ornamental or edible. Squash
Squashes come in summer and winter varieties. Winter ones do not actually grow in the winter; in fact, they’re harvested in late summer and early fall, but the name references the hard shell casing that protects the tender pulp inside. Zucchini are summer squash because their outer flesh is tender, while butternut, acorn, spaghetti,
Sweet Halloween statistics Special to the Surveyor Candy reigns supreme on Halloween. Candy compels trick-or-treaters young and old to don costumes and spend hours scouring neighborhoods for the best treats. Kids know which houses give out full-sized chocolate bars and which are offering other coveted goodies. Although consumer spending in October may not be as high as it is during the holiday season, Halloween shopping is considerable. Here is a look at some notable statistics for the season. • Financial resource The Balance states that 171 million Americans celebrated Halloween in 2016. Total spending for the holiday reached more than $8.4 billion, which was an all-time record. • Around 65 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween, including getting dressed up or handing out candy. The U.S. Census Bureau says 41.2 million trick-or-treaters are children between the ages of five and 14. • The National Retail Federation
says 70 percent of Americans hand out candy, spending around $25 per person on sweets. • The amount of children in Canada participating in trick-or-treating was up 1.4 percent between 2015 and 2016 totalling 3,870,938, according to Statistics Canada. • Roughly $418.8 million was spent on candy, confectionery and snack foods at large retailers in Canada in October 2015. • According to a survey conducted by RetailMeNot, the average Canadian plans to spend $178 on Halloween. • Many people associate Halloween with children, but the day gives everyone the chance to dress up. The NRF estimates that Americans will spend more money on adult costumes than those for children. Witches, pirates, vampires, Batman, and cats are the most popular adult costumes. • Halloween is celebrated in many different countries. In addition to the United States and Canada, areas of Europe, Asia and Latin America have their own Halloween celebrations
and hubbard squashes are winter squashes because they feature a tough skin. Even though it takes some effort to crack that shell, the dense, nutrient-rich flesh inside is well worth the workout. Gourds
Gourds are essentially ornamental squashes; they aren’t cultivated for eating. Instead they are bred to look beautiful and unique in autumn centerpieces. Types of gourds include autumn wing gourd, warted gourds, turban gourds, and bottle gourds. Each gourd is unique in its shape and color. Pumpkins
Pumpkins come in ornamental and edible varieties. Even though all pumpkins can be consumed, some taste better than others. Small pumpkins tend to be decorative because, according to Nutritious Life, they do not have enough meat inside to make them worthy of cooking. However, sugar pumpkins are best for baking and cooking favorite recipes, states the resource Pumpkin Nook. The festive hues and flavors of squashes, gourds and pumpkins are one more thing that makes Halloween and autumn special.
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Not exactly like Grandma used to make!
T
he texture of this pumpkin pudding recipe reminds me of the pumpkin puddings my grandma used to make on her old woodburning kitchen stove. Yes, it is true. My grandma had a coaland wood-burning cook stove a few steps away from her more modern gas range. She would use the old stove for about anything that required extended cook times, especially in the fall, winter and early spring months. Surveyor Columnist It is the coarse texture of the pumpkin puddings that were cooked over a low heat on that old stove I remember the most. Of course, in this modern age one has to start with a canned pumpkin puree that has not been forced through the finest sieve in existence. For that reason I usually opt for the “Great Value” brand when selecting canned pumpkin. Grandma never used canned pumpkin. Everything that came out of her kitchen was made from scratch — as in “First peel the pumpkin.” This pudding recipe has a nice surprise for your Rudy unsuspecting guests. That is the additional flavor Hemmann given by the white chocolate pudding mix. The recipe may easily be doubled just in case a hoard is expected for Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy.
Pumpkin pudding.
Pumpkin Pudding Dessert
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3/4 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 cup cold 2 percent milk 1 package (3.3 ounces) instant white chocolate pudding mix Whipped cream for topping In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger. Add milk and pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Transfer to individual serving dishes. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish servings with whipped cream.
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