Estherville Area
OUR
OCTOBER 2019
hometown
Presented by the
ESTHERVILLE NEWS
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OCTOBER 2019
FEATURES: 4 The Noblest of Fruits By Amy H. Peterson
9 Tips on Tipping By Amy H. Peterson
14 Don Jose: A New Look at an Estherville Classic By Amy H. Peterson
FEATURETTES 8 Searching in Estherville 10 Crossword 12 Hot Pics 16 Upcoming Events 18 Parting Shot
Estherville Area
OUR
On the Cover: The 2019 Estherville Fright Hike, held annually at Fort Defiance State Park, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26 this year. For more upcoming events, turn to Page 16 of this edition of Our Hometown.
hometown
Contributors MANAGING EDITOR - David Swartz WRITER: Amy H. Peterson PUBLISHER - Glen Caron ADVERTISING - Glen Caron Direct inquiries to: 10 North Seventh Street, Estherville, Iowa 51334 * 712-362-2622 Our Hometown is published every two months by The Estherville News, with all rights reserved, Copyright, 2019
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 3
Kenneth and Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler press apples for their familyʼs traditional Pelzer Apple Selzer Photo submitted
The noblest of fruits BY AMY H. PETERSON APETERSON@ESTHERVILLENEWS.NET
Henry David Thoreau said the apple is surely the noblest of fruits. Megan Fuhrman‐Wheeler and her husband, Kenneth Elias Fuhrman‐ Wheeler live on three‐quarters of an acre in Spirit Lake. Megan, the
granddaughter of Max and Bonnie Pelzer of Estherville, is proprietor of Megan & Co in Spirit Lake. Kenneth keeps bees. In September, the two pressed apples for a cider called Pelzer Apple Selzer. Grandfather Max Pelzer, reached
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 4
while out of state, said he didn’t have all that much historical pulp to add, but pictures of the family at work portray the core of a great family story.
Did you know? Eating apples can aid in brighten‐
ing teeth. Apples are the second favorite fruit of Americans, with each per‐ son on average consum‐ ing 19 pounds of fresh apples and apple prod‐ ucts. In Latin, the same word is used for both “apple” and “evil.” European pilgrims brought apples to Boston, Virginia and the Southwest. However, it was John Chapman, a/k/a Johnny Appleseed, who cultivated most of the apple trees throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and present‐day West Virginia during the late 1700s and early 1800s. Unlike the apples used in Pelzer Apple Selzer, the apples you buy from the store could be up to a year old. But food experts say they’re perfectly safe. Farmers use technology called controlled atmos‐ phere storage which allows them to control the temperature and atmosphere where apples are stored, so they’re delivered to you fresh and crisp. Why do apples float in water so we can bob for apples? Because they’re 25 percent air. It can be difficult to decide which apples to buy with all the varieties at the produce counter. But that’s just the first bite. There are over 7,500 varieties of apples grown around the world, with 2,500 grown in the U.S. alone. It’s official. The apple is the official fruit of Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Washington, October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 5
It’s Always BEST when it’s home cooked at
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October 2019 Ã&#x; OUR HOMETOWN Ã&#x;Ã&#x; 6
West Virginia and Illinois. The heaviest apple ever recorded weighed four pounds. It was picked in Japan in October, 2005. It’s good to grow apples in an orchard, because apples can help ripen other fruit. Apples give of ethylene gas that acceler‐ ates ripening. You can place unripe avocados, tomatoes and more in a bag with one apple to ripen them faster. Megan and Kenneth said this may be the last year for Pelzer Apple Selzer. Max Pelzer said, “I think we have an old recipe at home or something, but I can’t get to it now. We did make some cider over the years. I was glad apples from our trees could be put to such great use.”
This yearʼs batch of Pelzer Apple Selzer Photo submitted
STORE HOURS
362-5264 362-7305 October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 7
October Hometown
Turn in this completed word search to the Estherville News office at 10 N. 7th St. for a chance to win $25 in Estherville Chamber Bucks. Winner will be contacted by phone and announced in an edition of the Estherville News.
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 8
Drawing will be Oct. 4, 2019
Name:__________________ Phone:__________________
Tips on tipping Readers offer tips on giving and earning tips at restaurants and other service providing businesses BY AMY H. PETERSON APETERSON@ESTHERVILLENEWS.NET
At a readerʼs request, our newsroom looked into tipping for this Our Hometown story. The Emily Post Institute, a source of etiquette recognized as an authority for decades, provides an updated guide to tipping at restaurants and other service providers. Our newsroom asked readers how they view tipping, whether itʼs a good way to pay service providers, and whether they give tips always or mostly for exceptional service. The Emily Post Institute: for sit-down wait service, 15-20 percent. For buffet, 10 percent. James Helmick: I only tip if itʼs good service. If itʼs bad service, I donʼt tip. And when I do tip, I hand it to the waiter personally that waited on me. Charity Breiner: I was raised to always tip 15 percent, even for the worst service, and up from there for better service. Having said that, itʼs frustrating that one type business has somehow managed to get its customers to pay their staffʼs wages. Tipped workers are at a disproportionately higher risk of living in povery than service workers that are paid at minimum wage. The Emily Post Institute: For host or maitre dʼ there is no obligation for greeting you and showing you to your table. For going above and beyond to find you a table on a busy night or on occasion if youʼre a regular patron, $10-20. Take out: no obligation, 10 percent for curb delivery or a large, complicated order. Home delivery: 10-15 percent of the bill, $2-5 for pizza delivery depending on the size of the order and difficulty of delivery. Bartender: $1-2 per drink or 15-20 percent of the tab. Tipping jars present no obligation, but you can tip occasionally if your server or barista provides a little something extra.
Tabatha Anne Kizzier: Is it fair? Not exactly. Do I tip? Absolutely. If a server makes it a point to remember us or goes above the basic requirement of their line of work, we tip above standard to match the level of experience we had…having had friends and family in the service industry through school, Iʼd want others to treat them the way I try to interact with servers I have. Linda Woodley: Tipping is very important We give beyond the recommended 20 percent. Emily Post Institute: Some other service providers that receive tips include housekeepers at hotels or resorts, $2-5 per day, left daily with a note marked “Housekeeping- Thank You.” Concierge: no obligation for answering questions. $5-10 for tickets or restaurant reservations. $15 for hard-to-get reservations, or 10-20 percent of the ticket price. Taxi or rideshare driver: 15-20 percent of the fare. In the salon: hair salon 15-20 percent asked to be split among those who served you. Manicurist, facial, waxing, massage: 1520 percent.
Family Owned and Operated
Emily Post Institute: Tipping is one of the most stressful and confusing aspects of etiquette today. It is a significant way to show appreciation for a job well done; however, treating the person who has served you with respect is every bit as important. Furthermore, praising the person on the spot, or, when you can, commending them to their supervisor, can go a long way toward letting them know what constitutes good service. Tipping discreetly is classy. Tipping is a private matter. Donʼt act like a big spender and flash a lot of bills. Leaving a generous tip doesnʼt make up for ordering someone around or treating them dismissively. While tiping augments serversʼ incomes and rewards them for a job well done, treating them kindly is just as important. A larger tip can compensate the server for exceptional issues your party may have brought, from an excessively messy hotel room to babies and children who made noise at the table and left shredded remnants of their dinner on the floor. Finally, it is acceptable to tip on the pre-tax portion of the bill. For large checks, this can make a big difference.
Clair Iverson Jay Iverson
We Buy, Sell & Trade Daily
Answer to crossword on Page 10
712-362-5300 www.carzcentral.net • 827 W. Central Ave., Estherville October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 9
Trophies
Engraving Invitations Awards
“IF YOU’RE NOT HAPPY, WE’RE NOT HAPPY. AND, IF WE’RE NOT HAPPY - YOU’LL NEVER SEE IT.”
ESTHERVILLE PRINTING COMPANY
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17159
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 10
8 South 5th St. ESTHERVILE, IA 712-362-3776
Answer on Page 9
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Photos by David Swartz October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 12
Hometown
Hot Pics
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 13
Don Jose: A new look at an Estherville classic BY AMY H. PETERSON APETERSON@ESTHERVILLENEWS.NET
D
on Jose is the story of love and food and immigration with the dream of small town living for Isidro and Judith Peña of Estherville. The two met as young people in a small town in Jalisco, Mexico and knew each other casually, but it wasn’t until they grew up that they found a spark as family members started restaurants around the United States. The two worked in restaurants for their family members from Washington State, to Decorah to Des Moines, where Isidro and Judith’s oldest son, Isidro was born and the Twin Cities, where the younger son, Alex was born. “Once Alex was going to kindergarten, we questioned whether we wanted to raise him in the big city. We started looking for a smaller community and found Estherville,” Isidro said. “The school system is good. I really believe that. We have tried to be as involved with the school as much as we can, but our work requires a lot of
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 14
sacrifice,” Isidro said. While the couple has worked in many roles around the restaurant, Isidro said he is in the kitchen at the moment while Judith is running the front of house. “Judith does a tremendous job with the cus‐ tomers,” Isidro said. Don Jose Restaurant is considered a great place for nachos, tacos, many kinds of burritos, a large selection of seafood items, their leg‐ endary queso (cheese dip) to go with the bas‐ kets of tortilla chips and salsa that come with every seating. Isidro said as he and Judith have been looking after their health by working out at the Regional Wellness Center and becoming mindful of what they eat, he has been develop‐ ing new ways of preparing the meals and drinks customers have grown to love. Isidro and Judith brought out a platter of the popular combination Tres Hermanos (three brothers). With a charbroiled breast of marinat‐ ed chicken, several similarly marinated (in a spe‐ cially prepared potion) and grilled shrimp, a charbroiled ribeye steak, along with salad of let‐ tuce and tomato, fresh avocados, and boiled beans, Isidro said healthier substitutions are a way to care for customers who are watching after their health and to deliver tasty and healthy food to all diners. Don Jose is a popular spot for a bite to eat after events, and numerous area residents have celebrated their birthdays with the classic som‐ brero. With a full bar, Don Jose is also a spot for liba‐
tions, whether the occasion calls for sodas, juices on ice, a frozen delicacy, a selection of coffee drinks, or something with a bit more kick. Going for Mexican food often calls for a margarita as an accomâ&#x20AC;? paniment. Isidro makes a custom drink with juice from a fresh lime, Don Julio tequila, an orange splash similar to Grand Marinier, and a little secret something else. Isidro and Judith have brought their children into the business. Isidro Jr. is in college at the University of Northern Iowa. Of younger son Alex, Isidro Sr. said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He can do anything, but is really, really good back in the kitchen.â&#x20AC;? Don Jose has grown as an Estherville tradition, and the PeĂąas say they are thrilled to be part of the community and plan to continue for years to come.
NorthStar Bank & Agency
Jeffrey Robinson Registered Principal/Advisor
â&#x20AC;˘Wealth Management â&#x20AC;˘ Investments â&#x20AC;˘ Financial Planning
2202 Central Avenue. Estherville, IA â&#x20AC;˘ Office 712-362-7200 Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through )NTERCAROLINA &IN 3VC )NC , members FINR/SIPC. North Star Bank is not affiliated with )NTERCAROLINA &IN 3VC )NC , Securities are not FDIC Insured, not guaranteed by North Star and may lose value.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
October
November
Downtown Market
Estherville WA TAN YE Craft Show .................2
...................................5, 12
Estherville Fright Hike ..26
Chocolate Walk and Parade of Lights .......14
Estherville Trick or Treat ..............31
NW Iowa Concert and Jazz Band concert ....18 Estherville Small Business Saturday ....30
Funeral Preplanning for Peace of Mind
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Henry Olson
Funeral Home & Crematory
401 N. 7th St. Estherville, IA 712-362-0035 www.henryolsonfuneral.com
personalized funeral services | burials & cremations | preplanning | options | flexible payment options
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 16
UPCOMING EVENTS
December Winter Nights, Holiday Lights ..5 TUBACHRISTMAS .....................5 Many Voices Choir concerts .............First week of December
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 17
g n i t r a P OT SH
October 2019 ß OUR HOMETOWN ßß 18
Photo by David Swartz
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