Focus on Artesia Fall 2015

FALL 2015

the POWER of

The Adobe Rose Family Life Lessons from the Kitchen Serving Up Success for 50 Years Beer Today, Brew Tomorrow Recipes, Chamber News & More!

FALL 2015

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FROM THE EDITOR FOCUS ON A FAMILY RESTAURANT

SOUTHWESTERN FLAIR IS A FAMILY AFFAIR FOCUS ON FAITH

LIFE LESSONS FROM THE KITCHEN FOCUS ON FRESH FOOD

OUR BASKETS OVERFLOW FOCUS ON TRADITION

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FIFTY YEARS OF SERVING UP SUCCESS FOCUS ON MAINSTREET

Q&A - NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY

CELEBRATING A TIME-HONORED TRADITION FOCUS ON LIFE BALANCE

BALANCE IN THE CIRCLE OF LIFE FOCUS ON GREEN CLEANING

FOOD - IT’S NOT JUST FOR SUPPER

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FOCUS ON RETAIL

COOKING UP SUCCESS FOCUS ON BREWING

BEER TODAY, BREW TOMORROW FOCUS ON SERVICE

HOT MEALS & FRIENDLY VISITS PHOTOS IN FOCUS

A LITTLE ARTESIA FOOD HISTORY ARTESIA’S MOST WANTED! FOCUS ON THE CHAMBER

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ABOUT THE COVER

The Adobe Rose Restaurant Family (from left) Terri Bowen, Chloe Winters, Tom Winters, Tim Winters & Tammy Johnston.

Photo by Jessica Addington

Staci Guy, Editorial Director - Jessica Kirk, Advertising Photography by Jessica Addington, Staci Guy & Submitted Photos Special Contributors: Bryce Pinson, Holly Delgado, Sylvia Hewett Schneider, Kyle Marksteiner, Artesia Historical Museum & the Artesia Chamber of Commerce FOCUS ON ARTESIA IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY AD VENTURE MARKETING

Ad Venture Marketing, Ltd. Co. • 866.207.0821 • ad-venturemarketing.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information provided.

The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for errors, changes or omissions.

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S from the editor

STACI GUY

Editorial Director

FOCUS ON ARTESIA

Last year while I was packing up our house for our move, I came across something in one of my kitchen drawers that immediately transported me back to my childhood.

I stood there in my kitchen, smiling from ear to ear and quickly grabbed my phone so I could snap a picture.

“Look what I found in my kitchen drawer!” I wrote in the body of my text to my mother. “It’s Grandmother’s biscuit cutter!”

Yep, it was a biscuit cutter—a little metal circle with a black plastic handle on top that doesn’t look like much more than a rickety old piece of tin.

It might not seem like a big deal, but man, it was to me. It reminded me of my Grandmother’s homemade yeast rolls and it conjured up some amazing memories: holidays past, afternoons spent with my grandmother in the kitchen, and of trips to our family’s ranch when the men would work cattle and the ladies would work just as hard in the kitchen. Grandmother, as we called her, was actually my greatgrandmother, and she passed along a love of cooking to my grandmother, to my mother and to me. Oh how I loved being in the kitchen with those three women! My Grandmother passed away 17 years ago, and to this day, her face is the first thing that pops into my head when I smell yeast rolls cooking.

That, my friends, is the power of food!

I’m sure you have similar stories and memories evoked by food as well.

I think of food as the great unifier because it’s the one thing we all have in common. We might not eat the

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

same types of food, but we all eat food of some sort, right? In fact, I have found that if you ever find yourself struggling with a lull in conversation or a dreaded case of “awkward silence,” introduce the subject of food.

Everyone has an opinion, a story, a memory…something they can add to the conversation!

If I’m being honest, I have been ridiculously excited about this issue of Focus on Artesia ever since we decided on this theme in a planning meeting about a year ago! I mean, I seriously love food! I love eating it, cooking it, talking about it; I even love writing about it! Putting together this issue was so much fun for me and for the amazingly talented freelance writers I recruited to help us out. We were careful to select a variety of stories related to food and it was neat to see the way this issue came together.

As you read through this issue of Focus on Artesia, it is my hope that you will be inspired, entertained, educated, and encouraged. You will find food-related stories about local cooks, organizations, restaurants, and events. We included many recipes you can save and try out in your own kitchen

and a story about alternate uses for foods as well. If you do decide to try any of the recipes or alternate uses, I’d love to hear about it in an email or on our Facebook page! And make sure to check out the picture page, too. Nancy Dunn with the Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center provided some really neat photos of restaurants many people will remember from years past! Talk about evoking some memories!

Lastly, I’d like to ask you to consider supporting the advertisers in each issue of Focus on Artesia. They are the ones that make this free publication possible. As you can imagine, it costs money to put together a color publication of this caliber and we absolutely would not be able to so without the businesses and organizations you will find displayed throughout these pages. They believe in us and in our product and we would like to thank each and every one of them for doing so!

Blessings, - Staci Guy, Editorial Director A B O U T T H E E D IT O R

Staci Guy is the editorial director of Focus on Artesia. She can be reached at staci@ad-venturemarketing.com.

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F O C U S on a family restaurant

by Staci Guy

you live in Artesia and your last name is or has ever been Winters, chances are, you play a large part in the success of the Adobe Rose Restaurant. From the very beginning it has been a family affair— the entire family!

The Winters children—Tom, Tammy, Teri and Tim—grew up in Artesia.

Tom later moved to Houston and spent the majority of his adult life there until 2012 when he decided to move back to Artesia to help his father retire. His father owned a local retail business called Stylish Stitches but wanted to retire and just maintain a smaller location inside the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). After moving back to Artesia, Tom, a long-time marathon runner, decided to coach others who were wanting to run marathons. “I always ran by here (the Adobe Rose location) and thought it would be a good place for a restaurant,” he recalled. “At the time it was a bed and breakfast, but one day when I was running by I noticed it had a ‘For Sale’ sign out, so I called.”

In the midst of starting the restaurant, Tom found out his nephew, Chad Harcrow, was looking at the building, too, for a bed and breakfast (B&B).

“We started looking at [the] cost and decided to let them build the property, so they operate the B&B and lease to us,” he confided. “It kind of worked out because it solved a lot of problems at once; and thank God, because it cost 500% more than we were anticipating, between equipment, permitting, etc. It was a struggle.”

With costs mounting, Tom decided it was time to reach out to a couple

of his siblings. Enter his brother, Tim Winters, and oldest sister, Terri Bowen. After explaining his vision, the siblings were on board as investors, and Tri T, LLC was formed. See what they did there? “Later on after we got established, we brought in our sister Tammy ( Johnston) for catering,” he added. But no, another T was not added to the name!

After putting in countless hours of elbow grease, acquiring and installing state-of-the-art kitchen equipment and traveling the state to figure out their signature style and generate

That phone call would be the catalyst for the wildly successful Adobe Rose Restaurant. “My daughter, Chloe, was a sous chef at Bistro Alex in Houston at the time, but they were talking about moving her to New Orleans,” he shared. “It all kind of hit me, and I figured if I could get her here to start a restaurant, she could do that instead of going there.”

PHOTO LEFT: Tom Winters PHOTO RIGHT: Terri Bowen & Tim Winters Photos by Jessica Addington

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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PHOTO LEFT: Prior to serving as a restaurant or bed and breakfast, the

building housed the Peter Hurd Art Studio for the College of Artesia in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. PHOTO RIGHT: Owner Tom Winters works on the patio of the Adobe Rose Restaurant prior to its opening.

menu ideas, Adobe Rose was ready for business. “Since we’re right across from FLETC and the people coming and going are from all over the country, we decided to showcase New Mexico,” he explained. “We went all over the state. All of our products come from New Mexico. We make sure we have a big selection of wines and beers from New Mexico. We have flavors inspired by the spirit of our state…

Really, we do a little bit of everything.

That’s kind of our quirkiness.”

It turns out, the building itself is as unique and special as the cuisine.

While many residents remember it as a bed and breakfast from recent history, in the late 1960s and early ‘70s it served as an art studio for famed artist Peter Hurd as part of the College of Artesia’s art program. The Winters family renovated the building but were careful to keep the integrity of the structure intact. “It’s a neat place, which is why we got with the Artesia Arts Council and worked it out where they put their artwork in here,” Tom divulged. “The artists sell their work here on consignment, and it’s a win/ win because I get artwork on my walls and they get a place where they can

sell it.” In keeping with the idea of supporting the arts, Tom said it was also important to include musicians.

“That goes along with showcasing New Mexico,” he asserted. “We try to support the local music scene as much as possible, and our customers like it, too. We always have a good crowd when we have live music on the patio.”

The Face Behind the Success When Tom Winters decided to open a restaurant in Artesia, the reality of that dream hinged on one important

factor: whether or not he could convince his youngest daughter, Chloe, to trade her life in the big city for one in small town America. The odds weren’t exactly stacked in his favor. That same daughter who grew up in the Houston suburbs and went to culinary school in Hyde Park, New York was at the time contemplating a move to New Orleans. Somehow though, he managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible.

“It was really scary because I knew it would be a culture shock,” Chloe admitted. “I didn’t grow up in a small town and I wasn’t sure I’d like it.”

It turns out, fate intervened when she found herself overworked and frustrated shortly after her dad approached her about his idea to open a restaurant. As a bit of background, working in the restaurant industry in Houston meant that for several weeks throughout August and September, Chloe and hundreds of other chefs and cooks like her worked tireless hours during Houston Restaurant Weeks, one of the nation’s largest fundraisers for one of the nation’s largest food banks. Each year as part

“It’s hard working for family, but going in we said we aren’t going to let this tear us apart. I get to work with my dad every day. He’s like my best friend, so that’s one of the best parts.” of the fundraiser, local restaurants offer two, three, four and five course meals at incredibly discounted prices and donate proceeds to the Houston Food Bank. What that means for chefs is long hours and a lot of work. “It was insane,” she reminisced. “And that year the head chef went out of town and left me to do it all by myself. I had been worked to the bone anyway, but that experience was enough to push me over the edge and it really helped me make my decision!”

Besides, she figured, being able to design her own kitchen and cook her own food isn’t an opportunity you say ‘no’ to! “It’s different working that hard for yourself and working that hard for someone else,” she confessed. Plus, “I didn’t grow up around this side of

my family, other than visiting them on holidays and stuff, so that was an important part of my decision as well.

It was an opportunity to get to be closer to them.”

If closer was what she wanted, closer was definitely what she got. A typical work day consists of going to a restaurant owned by her father, aunt, and uncle in a building owned by her cousin to work on catering events with another aunt. “It’s definitely a family affair,” she laughed.

As one can imagine, working for and with family isn’t always fun and games.

“It’s hard working for family, but going in we said we aren’t going to let this PHOTO: Chloe Winters

Photo by Jessica Addington

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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tear us apart,” she maintained. “We have had our fights, but we work it out.

And I get to work with my dad every day. He’s like my best friend, so that’s one of the best parts.”

A chef by trade and an artist at heart, Chloe finds joy in experimenting and creating her own dishes. The reward has been seeing how receptive people have been to her unique culinary creations. “I love when people ask me when I’m going to change the menu,” she marveled. “We try to keep it fresh and new; and also, I get bored and need to be challenged. That’s why we offer different specials on Fridays, which is a lot of fun!”

If you’ve never experienced a meal at Adobe Rose, you might be asking yourself right about now, “What’s so special about the food there?”

The answer, Tom and Chloe will tell you, is that they serve “Southwestern food that is elevated up a bit.” Think Mexican meets seafood meets fine dining. “We like to think outside the box,” Tom pointed out. “If you just stay within the box and don’t change things up a bit, it gets boring. That’s partly why we change our menu with the seasons. Every week we get something different and do a feature item that we just do for the weekend.”

Aside from the interest factor, the size of the kitchen also plays a role in the quality and quantity of food. Due to size constraints, they don’t have the large walk-in freezers most restaurants use to store bulk foods. What this means for customers is that the food they eat at Adobe Rose is as fresh as it comes. “Through her previous work, Chloe had relationships with fish markets—one on the Eastern seacoast and one in Hawaii—so she’ll actually talk to the fisheries where they take the fish on a Wednesday and they will tell her what they caught. They don’t freeze it; they ship it right to us, which means we’re getting fresh fish in Artesia that was caught in Hawaii the day before.” He continued, “When we get our meat, it’s not 16 cases of frozen hamburger meat. We don’t have the room. We buy smaller amounts, but its stuff that’s more high-end or a higher grade. We spend a lot of time with vendors doing tastings and things like that and take time to pick out the best that is out there.” Even appetizers and desserts are made in-house, like the decadent cheesecakes and the

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

mouthwatering bananas foster.

Being far removed from the big city restaurant scene, 28-year-old Chloe has found the best way to stay up on trends is by good old fashioned networking. “I’m still in contact with old chef friends from school and different places—New York, Colorado, Texas—and we talk trends and Instagram pictures of cool food stuff. It helps me stay connected,” she acknowledged.

Adobe Rose to Go Remember the aunt who came on

board to handle the catering? Her name is Tammy Johnston, and like the rest of her siblings, she didn’t come from a food background. In fact, she retired from the Artesia Public School District right around the time her

brother was wanting to introduce catering as an option at his restaurant.

“How did you come to be involved in all of this?” I asked. “Birth!” quipped Chloe before Tammy could answer.

“Pretty much,” Tammy conceded with a grin and a nod.

“Actually, I got a phone call saying, ‘So…you retired from teaching, so you don’t have anything to do, right?’” she remembered. That wasn’t necessarily the case though. After retirement, she decided that rather than walking away from her passion altogether, she would take over a private preschool that was in need of a new owner. It was a gig that offered high rewards yet fewer hours, and a gig that freed up enough of her time to say “yes” to her family’s request for help.

PHOTO: Tammy Johnston

Photo by Jessica Addington

“Terri and I have always done showers and things like that, so Tom assumed I knew how to do catering. I didn’t, but that’s what he assumed,” she laughed. “It’s definitely been a learning curve.”

Fortunately for her, or Tom, rather, she had two important things going for her. “Being a school teacher, I’m very detail oriented anyway, and according to my niece I’m an A-type personality,” she mused. “It helps, though, because I ask all those little questions no one thinks to ask, which is important with catering.”

It’s been a little more than a year since Tammy signed on as caterer, and so far the growth has been steadily increasing. “This past August was our busiest month to date. It gets busier and busier each month, but it’s been a lot of fun. I get to go into other areas and see people I know but don’t get to see very often,” she commented.

Tammy leaves the cooking to Chloe and her staff, but she does pretty much everything else when it comes to catering.

“Whatever they need to make it complete, we do it,” she noted. “I ask all those questions and make sure everything is taken care of so all they have to do is make sure the people get there. We can drop off and set up or stay and serve.”

Catering events can include everything from receptions with heavy hors d’oeuvres to breakfast meetings to weddings with full meals.

“We do parties, lunches, meetings for oilfield companies, receptions with cookies and fruit trays—you name it!” she pronounced.

“Plus, we bring plates, napkins, cups, tea and water, whatever they need to make it complete.”

What started out as a favor for her brother has ended up being a busy yet enjoyable experience for the retired school teacher turned preschool owner. “I really thought I was doing him a favor by doing this,” she joked. “I had no clue how busy it would be; I didn’t realize there was such a need. But I love it! It’s been a lot of fun, and as long as I can do both (preschool and catering), I’m happy!”

Looking back, Tom and Chloe are both amazed at the reception their oasis in the desert has received. “I never imagined it would be what it is today,” Chloe beamed. “Before, even at the larger restaurants I worked at, we would serve maybe 80 people a night. Now we’re serving around 300. It’s crazy!”

Tom agreed, “It has been far more than we ever expected—far, far more! We never dreamed it would be this good. We have had a lot of local support; we’ve won some accolades and gotten notoriety. It’s just been an amazing ride so far.”

At the end of the day though, it all begins and ends with family. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun work,” Tom emphasized. “Having family to work with has helped us.

We couldn’t have done it without each other.”

Perhaps the best news of all is that the Winters family has no intentions of slowing down any time soon. Plans are already in place for future growth. “We want to establish our roots deep here!” Chloe exclaimed.

“I like it here. How could I leave this place? We’ve put in too much blood, sweat and tears!”

611 W Main St • Artesia, NM • (575) 746-9829 ZbarX Two Sisters Studio and Gallery was created in memory of local talent Merrill Nix.

F O C U S on faith

from the Kitchen

Life Lessons

by Bryce Pinson

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. - Ma tthew 13:44

hen Helen Mariscal was eight years old, she followed her mother around the kitchen and watched the talented woman evenly roll out dough to make fresh homemade tortillas. In the trade of cooking, Helen learned much from her mother, and learned equally as much a few years later when she was put in charge of the family kitchen.

Her parents found it necessary to obtain paying jobs, so Helen, in turn, was placed in charge of taking care of her younger siblings. “They had to eat,” she recounted. So Helen had to cook.

One day, she came across an advertisement in the local newspaper about the Beef Cook-Off. If she could win this regional competition, she would be entered into a national competition. On a bit of a whim, she decided she would enter, and she did well in the competition. She didn’t do well enough to get to Nationals, but she was picked as an alternate in case someone dropped out. This was a spark—a spark that lit a fire of passion for participating in food competitions. Since this spark, Helen has, in fact, been to the National Beef Cook-Off not once but twice. She has also appeared on the Food Network where she took second-prize in a PHOTO: Helen Mariscal

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Photo by Staci Guy

FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

beef-less burger competition. Her reward for placing second included a lucrative cash prize and a trip to the Napa Valley in California. In addition, she has also competed in the state fair competitions. With her winnings, she opened a college savings account for her son to help put him through school.

Food competitions require creativity.

It takes an artist who does well maneuvering through uncharted territory, as a requirement is that the recipe must be original. Helen has proven to be a master of her craft time and time again. She has competed against hundreds of thousands of competitors and proven she can wield her metaphorical brush to any canvas as well as anyone in the world.

It would be easy for most people to throw all of their successes in the faces of others, but not Helen. On the contrary, she emits a deep sense of humility as well as compassion and charisma. In her eyes is a story—a story of suffering and determination to survive through love and faith. Her pain runs deep for several reasons, one of which is her father’s death from a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma, which is caused by exposure to asbestos. Often, people with this disease are only expected to live for six months, but Helen’s father was strong. He lived another two years after being diagnosed.

However, there was a cost to his strength. It meant he had to go through chemotherapy. Eventually, Helen’s father’s taste buds were just about gone. He could hardly taste anything but he asked her to cook something he could enjoy. She went to work. From her empathy for her father and her relentless, perfectionist, artistic spirit, she mastered one of her

family’s favorites, a lemon empanada.

Her empanadas came to be known as “Dad’s Empanadas.”

Helen says her family still requests the empanadas, but she can no longer make them. Her family says they are not the same as they were when Helen’s father was alive. As she attempted to make the empanadas, she explained, “they would just fall apart,” and she reasoned it was because when her dad was alive she was “putting her whole heart and soul into the empanadas.” There was an extra importance for her father to taste them and she says she has not been able to reproduce the love that went into the original dessert dish since her father died. It goes to reason; one really cannot artificially manufacture or recreate something as powerful as love. Love is a powerful emotion that fuels passion, and passion fuels the artist.

The second trial Helen faced came when her mother suffered a stroke.

She took care of her mother, day in and day out, loading her and her wheel chair into her brand new SUV. The heavy lifting took a physical toll on Helen’s body, and she began to experience back pain. Eventually, she realized she could not take much more of the pain, so she decided to look into trading her SUV in for a car since it would be lower to the ground and easier to get her mother in and out of. That’s when she made a trip to a Toyota dealership and found a car she loved, but was informed it was not for sale because they were giving it away in a drawing. She continued her search and finally found a Toyota Camry that was in her price range, so she took it for a test drive. Although she was fairly certain she wanted to purchase the Camry, for some reason

she felt like she was not ready to buy just yet. During her visit, she decided to enter for a chance to win the car on the showroom floor, but like most people who enter drawings, she didn’t believe her name would actually be picked from the thousands that had entered. As she was getting ready to leave the dealership, the salesman talked her into staying for the drawing that would determine who won the Corolla. “You had to be present to win, and the drawing was within minutes, so I stayed,” she recalled. Helen ended up winning the car. Again, she beat out the masses and it seemed clear she had the favor of God on her life.

This favor of God has been with her from the beginning. “When looking back at all the good and bad things from my life, I can see that God has a plan for me,” she reasoned. She said she can see it every time she thinks about following her mother around the kitchen, and the hard times of taking care of her siblings paid off. It is almost like David killing lions and bears before slaying Goliath. It was all in preparation for her destiny. It was building a resume so she would have enough confidence to put in an application to her life story. What part of this journey was her destiny?

Maybe it was entering food contests to pay for her son’s college. Maybe it was becoming an amazing artist so she could spread the Word of God. Maybe it was as simple as preparing the famous “Dad’s Empanadas” for her father in an act of honor and love.

Regardless of what it was, or is, it is clear Helen’s footprints in the sand move parallel to God’s footprints.

In Helen’s eyes, recipes are treasures that can be passed down from generation to generation. “You can have a piece of your grandmother that

S

o do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Ma tthew 6: 3 1- 3 4 FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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one of your seven senses can feel,” she claimed. It feels as though a part of your deceased relative is still with you long after they are gone, and you can still taste the flavors they created on your tongue. It will place you back with them through the memory of Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Regardless of what you believe about the afterlife, it is clear Jesus of Nazareth had an idea about a heaven on earth. He talked about heaven

being in a field. He talked about heaven being a fine pearl. He said heaven was in us and around us. It is over there, and over here. He talked about heaven being a valuable treasure that can be possessed on this earth.

The beautiful suffering glowing in Helen’s eyes, the humility of one of God’s saints and the very life of Helen Mariscal says something about heaven. She explains her philosophy as having “learned to never take a breath of life for granted.” Before

her father died, she kept her house immaculately clean. Now she realizes people and family are more important, and “if dishes were left in the sink, it didn’t matter anymore.” It seems she found this treasure called Heaven on earth, and it is in enjoying people.

It is laughter and love. It’s not about preparation for the future, it’s about joy. The joy that is right here and right now.

Lemon-Scented “Salmon-icious” Burgers Helen Mariscal • Ar tesia, New Mexico MAKES 6 BURGERS

Ingredients:

ZESTY DILL SPREAD

Directions:

1. Heat a gas grill to medium-high.

• 6 slices smoked bacon • 1 cup sour cream • 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • 1/8 teaspoon organic honey

2. To make the spread, cook the bacon in a cast-iron skillet on the grill until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, dill, and chives in a food processor and puree to a smooth consistency. Remove to a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and the honey.

Crumble the bacon and stir into the mixture. Cover and refrigerate until assembling the burgers.

GARLIC BUTTER

3. To make the garlic butter, combine the butter and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Remove to a small bowl and set aside until grilling the buns.

• 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) Irish butter, softened • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

BUN GLAZE

4. To make the glaze, combine the butter and chile powder in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside until grilling the buns.

PATTIES

5. To make the patties, discard the side crusts from the bread. Tear the trimmed bread into pieces, place in a food processor, and pulse to a fine consistency. Remove to a large bowl. Coarsely chop the salmon and transfer to the food processor. Pulse several times to achieve a rough consistency. Add to the bread crumbs. Stir in the egg whites, salt, dill, thyme, and mustard and mix gently. Form into 6 equal 3/4-inchthick patties to fit the buns. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

OTHER INGREDIENTS

6. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. During the last 30 seconds of cooking time, squeeze half a lemon over each patty and sparingly spray with truffle oil. Place a cheese slice on each patty, cover, and cook just until the cheese begins to melt.

Remove the patties to a plate, cover with foil, and keep warm.

• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) Irish butter, softened • 1/2 teaspoon mild New Mexico red chile powder • 2 slices fresh white bread • 2 pounds fresh salmon fillets • 1½ egg whites • 2 teaspoons smoked sea salt • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack • 3 medium lemons, halved • Truffle oil spray • 6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese • 6 challah buns, split • 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices large heirloom tomato • 6 red-leaf lettuce leaves

7. Spread equal amounts of the garlic butter on the cut sides of the buns. Place the buns, cut side down, around the edge of the grill to toast lightly. Remove and immediately brush the outsides of the tops with the glaze.

8. To assemble the burgers, spread equal amounts of the spread on each bun bottom. Top with a patty, tomato slice, lettuce leaf, and the bun top.

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F O C U S on fresh food

by Staci Guy

Three years ago Julia Ferguson agreed to help a friend from Carlsbad who was interested in bringing a food co-op to the area.

What began as an offer to help has turned into a weekly staple for many Artesians.

“My friend from Carlsbad had heard about Bountiful Baskets and she wanted me to help her start one in Carlsbad,” Julia shared. “They had a site running in Portales, so we went and participated to make sure it was really something we wanted to put our effort into.”

“We loved it!” she continued. “So she decided to start one in Carlsbad and I decided, after talking to many people in our area and realizing there

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

was interest here, too, to start one in Artesia, rather than just helping her start one in Carlsbad.”

Bountiful Baskets is a food co-op whereby participants contribute money each week, fresh fruits and vegetables are then purchased in bulk, and the goods are delivered to participating sites throughout the country.

In order for Julia and her friend to start

new sites in this area, they first had to volunteer at an already established site three separate times. By then, Roswell had jumped on the Bountiful Baskets bandwagon, so the women were able to volunteer a little closer to home.

For the first of their three sessions, the ladies worked as volunteers only.

The second time, they shadowed a site coordinator, and the third time, they were required to coordinate the site on their own. After completing those requirements, Julia then collected 50 email addresses of people in Artesia who had expressed an interest in participating in Bountiful Baskets and submitted the information to Bountiful Baskets Food Services. “It took a couple of months, [but] once they were able to fit our groups onto the truck, they started in Artesia and Carlsbad pretty close to the same time,” she recalled.

Since then, hundreds of residents have benefited from the fresh fruits FOCUSNM.COM

FAQs for

Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op

It’s my first time participating.

Any do’s or don’ts?

Do:

• Bring something to carry your produce home in • Bring your contribution confirmation (aka receipt) • Make sure you get all your items before leaving • Gently transfer your produce to your own container to carry home

Don’t:

• Hesitate to ask questions • Hesitate to find out how other people cook items you are unfamiliar with • Hesitate to find out how to get a Bountiful Baskets site in your community from the Volunteer Site Coordinator So no hesitating. Jump right in and get involved!

How do I know what is in each Bountiful Basket?

Each week, different items will be in the Bountiful Basket.

We base the basket contents on what is in season, is of high quality, is a good value and is local. We generally have six fruit items and six vegetable items.

How do I know the produce is safe to eat?

The produce is chosen by us, and we feed it to our families, too! It is the same produce you get from your local grocery store. If there is ever a recall, we would be notified immediately, and because we have records of exactly who received baskets, you would have better notification than if you purchased at a grocery store. As always, you need to wash the produce properly and keep it refrigerated if appropriate.

What happens if I don’t pick up my Bountiful Basket?

Your Bountiful Basket will be donated to a local fire station that provides service to your community.

How do I volunteer?

To volunteer, just arrive an hour early at your pickup site.

What if I forgot to make my contribution online?

Can I buy a Bountiful Basket at the site? No, this is a co-op.

We take the pool of money that has been contributed for each site and spend it all. There are only enough baskets at a site for the people who contributed in advance.

For more information about Bountiful Baskets, or to view more FAQs, visit bountifulbaskets.org.

Enroll & Register Today!

ON CAMPUS OR ONLINE

www.roswell.enmu.edu

and vegetables as well as the other add-on items Bountiful Baskets offers, such as organic granola, multigrain breads, flavored wraps and even cases of seasonal fruits like strawberries and peaches.

Strawberry Salsa PREP TIME: 10 mins TOTAL TIME: 10 mins SERVES: 3

This easy and addictive strawberry salsa comes together in less than ten minutes and is about to become your new favorite salsa!

It’s perfect for summer get-togethers.

Ingredients: • ½ cup strawberries, washed, de-stemmed and diced • ½ small onion, diced • ½ Tablespoon chopped mint/parsley/ cilantro/herb of your choice • Juice of 2 small limes

Directions: 1. Mix the strawberries, onion and lime juice together. You want the salsa to soak in the lime juice for about 5 minutes to ensure all the flavors are mixed and the strawberries are slightly macerated.

2. Add the herbs and mix. If you can, chill until ready to serve.

Notes: You could add some chopped jalapeños in the mix, but I would recommend also adding a teaspoon of sugar if you do. It would add a delicious kick!

Courtesy of “Jessica in the Kitchen” blog

Suzanne Pearson is a loyal participant who enjoys being able to try new and different fruits and vegetables with each new bounty. “Bountiful Baskets is a great deal, not only monetarily, but the products are amazing,” she proclaimed. “Everything we’ve received has been so fresh and delicious.”

“Participating is really easy,” Julia declared. “Participants just need to go online and order by Monday or Tuesday each week, and then they can pick up their baskets on Saturday.”

According to the co-op’s website, each basket is comprised of approximately 50% fruit and 50% vegetables. The fruits and veggies are grown by farmers in the Southwest – with the green chilies coming from New Mexico – and then purchased by a company called Kodiac, which takes the produce back to a warehouse in Arizona. At the warehouse, the produce is divvied up and loaded onto trucks for distribution to coordinating sites across the country. Kodiac purchases as much produce as possible with the week’s contributions, which means the more people that contribute, the more money there is to purchase food and in essence, the larger the amount of produce in each basket.

“Instead of selling to a grocery store, they (Kodiac) put the produce on a truck to go to the site locations,” Julia explained. “It cuts out the middle man, and that’s how we are able to get the baskets for such a low price.” They do have a fuel surcharge, which in New Mexico is around $2.75 but can be a bit higher for places further away from the Arizona warehouse.

“What I love about it is that my family tries things that I wouldn’t even think to try,” Julia confessed. ”Things like celery root! You find out you like things you didn’t know you liked, and it’s always fun to try out new recipes with those items.”

One such recipe that has become

a hit at the Ferguson household is Celery Root Soup, which Julia compares to a hearty potato soup.

“It tasted like it had bacon in it but it didn’t!” she quipped. Her daughter even discovered she likes artichokes because they were in the basket one time.

Julia, a mother of six, confided that her family started out purchasing one basket a week and was barely able to finish it. Now she says they have all come to love fresh fruits and vegetables so much that their large family has no problems polishing off two baskets a week.

For smaller families or families who don’t consume quite as many vegetables, here’s a tip for the weeks when the veggies are still sitting around by week’s end. On Fridays, Julia revealed she will often take all of the vegetables she has left, toss them in some oil, sprinkle them with ranch seasoning or other spices, and then roast them all together. “It is delicious!” she beamed.

To purchase a Bountiful Basket, visit bountifulbaskets.org.

Participants must order by 10 p.m.

Tuesday to receive a basket the following Saturday. The pick-up location is the old CVE building at 13th Street and Richey Avenue, and times are 10:45 a.m. on “A” weeks and 10 a.m. on “B” weeks.

The reason for the alternating times, Julia explained, is that some locations only offer pick-ups every other week, so on those weeks the trucks have fewer stops and arrive earlier. Participants are asked to volunteer an hour of their time once for every six orders. To volunteer, simply show up an hour before the scheduled pick-up times, and children are always welcome. “Kids can help out, too,” Julia added.

“They can smash boxes or help carry baskets out to cars. It’s a great way to get them involved in volunteering.”

Along with the health benefits, Julia suggested volunteering and participating with Bountiful Baskets is a great way to socialize and make friends as well. “I’ve met so many people who otherwise our paths might have never crossed,” she reasoned. “Volunteers are always so nice and helpful. I just really enjoy it.”

FOCUSNM.COM

F O C U S on tradition

FIFTY YEARS of Serving Up Success

by Staci Guy

The 1960s were an era of bellbottom pants and bouffant hairdos, lava lamps and mood rings. But that decade also brought about the beginning of a dynasty in Artesia that has yet to follow the bouffant and fade into oblivion: La Fonda Mexican Restaurant.

Chances are, if you live in or around Artesia or have ever visited, you’ve experienced the local staple that is La Fonda. Thanks to owners Clif and Selah Perkins, the establishment is as famous for its ambiance as it is the award-winning salsa, which by the way, is bottled and sold in stores under the name Otiska in honor of his mother. Patrons from near and far frequent the restaurant time and time again and have been doing so for more than 50 years.

“Clif and his dad, B.J., started the business in ’65, and I came to work here in ’68 as a waitress and hostess,” Selah recalled. “Clif was my boss!” she chuckled. “We got to be friends and were married not long after.”

In the early days, the restaurant consisted of one small building, which is now referred to as the “banquet hall,” located on the far west side of the building. It was an intimate setting with room for about 60 patrons. The “early days” took place in the ‘60s, and history and Selah both will tell us those were very different times. “That

was back in the time when people didn’t mind waiting,” she pointed out.

“On weekend nights, customers would wait an hour and a half to two hours for a table. We took reservations back then, and you’d have to call three days ahead for a reservation. Those were fun times. They really were!”

time, two weeks away from having a baby. “The phone rang and when I answered it a lady said, ‘Selah! You’re not going to believe this but La Fonda is on fire!’ I hung up the phone and told Clif and he was out the door!”

The entire inside of the beloved restaurant was completely gutted.

“We were down for a while, but surprisingly, we only lost one employee that moved away; all the rest PHOTOS BELOW: Owners Clif and Selah Perkins pose for a photo in front of the fireplace in the middle room, or first addition, to the original La Fonda Restaurant. The Perkins’ son-in-law, Josh Shields, moved to Artesia several years ago from Arizona to serve as chef in the busy kitchen of the local institution famous for its Mexican cuisine. Photos by Staci Guy

What many people don’t know about, or perhaps have forgotten, is that the original La Fonda Restaurant was destroyed by a fire on the day after Mother’s Day in 1975. Back then, the restaurant was closed from 2-5 p.m. and Selah was at home during that

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

19

stayed and waited for us to open back up,” she shared.

Once they were back up and running, business again boomed and it wasn’t long before the Perkins family knew they had to expand if they wanted to accommodate their growing customer base. The first addition came in 1980 when they added the middle room where today the buffet on one end and the fireplace on the other end are located. The last expansion came in 1985 when they added the adobe portion—where patrons currently enter—and the sun room. “Our last remodel began when oil was booming, and from the time we began to the time we opened, it crashed,” Selah exclaimed! Fortunately, the oilfield crash of the ‘80s might have hurt a little, but it didn’t affect the Perkins’ restaurant enough to the point of closing its doors. Whew! Today, the restaurant boasts five dining rooms and a separate room for the buffet, employs more than 50 people, and comfortably seats more than 300 customers.

As the number of walls began to increase, so too did the need for décor.

In the early ‘80s, local artist and art teacher John Gunderson, along with his students, painted the first of several large portraits that are still hanging on the walls today. “A lot of people think they are murals, especially the one in the middle room by the fireplace,” Selah related.

“But they are actually large paintings.

John and his students painted those for us over the years and we still get a lot of compliments on them today.”

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

As is the case with most pieces of custom art, the pictures that grace the walls of La Fonda have stories all their own. The large painting in newer part of the restaurant, for instance, depicts a woman at the Taos Pueblos. “John actually went to Taos and painted that one for us. There was a lady there that he used as a model,” she recounted.

“And the lady in painting in the middle room—the one that looks like it’s a mural by the fireplace—a girl that worked for us realized one day that it was her mom in the painting! And she had worked here too before we had the painting done.”

Over the years the landscape of the restaurant might have changed a bit, but much of what keeps customers coming back time and time again has not: namely, Clif ’s own creation, the Guadalajara, and the famous chilies rellenos! “People come from all over for our chilies rellenos,” Selah beamed.

“And everyone loves the Guadalajara.

It’s our most popular dish, and it’s one that Clif actually came up with.”

Many customers have also had longstanding love affairs with the freshly made tortilla chips and homemade sopaipillas, both of which are madeto-order. “We have a lady and that’s all she does is make tortilla chips and sopaipillas,” she noted. “We had to start charging a small amount for the sopaipillas because we have to pay her to make them.” Those who enjoy the sweet treats drizzled with honey will tell you the price is surely worth it!

While many restaurants come and go, there has to be a secret to the Perkins’ success, right? Of course there is; two secrets, actually. “I think one thing that has made this business successful is that we’re not just local, we’re regional.

People come through here and always stop to eat, and we have a lot of

customers who drive to Artesia just to eat here,” she declared.

Secondly, the key to success in the restaurant business, according to Selah, comes down to showing up and putting in the hours. “In the beginning I didn’t realize the amount of work it would take,” she confessed.

“It takes the owner to work at it for it to succeed. You have to be here to see the day-to-day operations, see what’s going on, see how the customers are feeling…It’s not something you can do from home by making a few phone calls or from down the street. You have to be here.”

About six years ago, the Perkinses enlisted the help of their daughter, Betsy Shields, and her husband, Josh, both of whom graduated from culinary school in Arizona. Betsy’s primary duties are to her children, but she comes in and helps out a couple of days a week and takes care of the company’s catering. Josh is in charge of the kitchen and has a knack for plating—making the dishes look nice.

“He picked it up naturally, and that’s all he wants to do is cook. He brought some of his own dishes with him and loves to try out different things,” offered Selah, adding, “He does ribs on Thursdays and they are delicious!”

She admitted they have tried a few things that didn’t pan out, such as desserts and a breakfast buffet.

“People just want what we have and nothing else; nothing different,” she proclaimed. “We’ve tried to make it a little more cosmopolitan, but people didn’t like that either. At the end of the day, Cliff has the final say, and his philosophy is ‘They pay the bills, and if that’s what they want, that’s what they’re gonna get!”

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F O C U S on mainstreet

MAINSTREET HIRES

NEW Executive Director A ELISABETH JACKSON

Executive Director

ARTESIA MAINSTREET

fter serving in her position for more than seven years, Rebecca Prendergast stepped down from her post as executive director of Artesia MainStreet in September to move closer to home to complete her master’s degree.

The board of directors was quick to hire a replacement for the bustling organization, Oklahoma native Elisabeth Jackson.

Elisabeth grew up in Oklahoma and opted to stay in state to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations from Oklahoma State University. She moved to Artesia in October 2013 after marrying Artesia native Kale Jackson. Prior to her move to Artesia, Elisabeth spent several years working for a safety company in the oil and gas industry in Dallas, Texas, a position she maintained remotely even after moving to Artesia.

Most recently, she spent a short stint as patron services manager at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center.

Here’s a little more about the newly hired executive director.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your upbringing?

A: I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and

went to Jenks High School. Although right next to a big city, Jenks still has a small-town atmosphere. We are a huge high school football community, so an entire town that’s quiet on a Friday night except for the football stadium is something I’m used to!

Q: What were your initial thoughts when you permanently arrived in Artesia?

A: Moving from a large city and at

that time, working from home, I knew it would be quite an adjustment.

However, being a part of a loving family and creating relationships with those who I know will be life-long

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

friends made the transition easier than I expected.

Q: How long before you learned to love and accept the color orange?

A: Being an Oklahoma State Cowboy,

it was pretty easy to transition my orange and black wardrobe into Bulldog country!

Q: What is it about Artesia MainStreet that drew you in?

A: Not being a native Artesian,

MainStreet is what drew me in initially. We have a truly beautiful and vibrant downtown area. As the executive director of Artesia MainStreet, I have the privilege to be involved in an organization that is an integral part of preserving our history while promoting our future.

Q: To date, has your role as director been anything like you expected?

A: I know to expect to do something

different every single day! And that has proven to be true. Between the many partnerships Artesia MainStreet holds with the City of Artesia, Eddy County, the State of New Mexico and our downtown merchants, there is always a new project to discuss or an ongoing plan to implement.

Q: What are some of your goals for Artesia MainStreet?

A: As an organization, Artesia

MainStreet’s goals include: • Educating the public about downtown Artesia’s unique development, historical value and architectural heritage • Encouraging preservation of the area and its structures • Combating the economic causes of community deterioration • Promoting community pride and civic interest in historic downtown Artesia

As executive director, I hope to facilitate these goals by effectively communicating our efforts not only to the Artesia community, but to publicize state-wide all of the impacts being made in our historic downtown.

I will continue our ongoing efforts to preserve downtown and promote our local businesses.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

A: I am looking forward to working

with all types of people, from our city and county leaders to our devoted volunteers to the New Mexico Main Street program team and finally, to you, our wonderful Artesia community.

Q: Any funny stories about life in a small town/adjusting to your new job/or people you have met recently?

A: My first week in Artesia, I was

surprised when visiting the grocery store that every single person said “hello” to me. Coming from a big city, even a friendly wave is hard to come by. I came home and immediately told my husband, who wasn’t surprised in the least. “That’s just the Artesia way,” he said. And he was right. Artesia is a tight-knit community, and we treat each other like family. We not only want to make people feel welcome, we want to get to know them on a personal level. And that can only start with a “hello.”

So, if you haven’t visited MainStreet in a while, stop by, say hi and take a look around. You may be surprised at what you find. You might just find what I did—an invigorated passion for our community and the motivation to preserve our historic downtown for generations to come.

Elisabeth can be reached by email at mainstreet@pvtn.net or by phone at 575-746-1117.

FOCUSNM.COM

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F O C U S on the community

CELEBRATING a time-honored

TRADITION

by Staci Guy

F

or more than 50 years, February in Artesia has been synonymous with one annual event: the Altrusa Smorgasbord.

Each year nearly 1,500 people scoop up tickets in anticipation of the tasty meal that includes turkey and roast beef, rice dressing, cornbread dressing, rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, homemade pies and salads. While some factors have changed, such as the venue, the number of tickets sold, and of course the price of a ticket, one thing that hasn’t changed much is the menu. It’s what keeps families coming back year

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

after year. “It started out at Zia, and all the ladies cooked everything,” shared President Paula Menefee. “These days, the cafeteria personnel really help us out. Altrusa supplies the food and the cafeteria workers cook it.”

Before the event even begins, Altrusa members do plenty of leg work by pre-selling tickets, promoting the event, and preparing some of the side dishes and desserts. “We spend all day Saturday preparing everything and getting everything ready, and then on Sunday we get there, make

the gravy, make tea and coffee, take our annual group picture, and then we serve and serve and serve and never look up!” Menefee exclaimed.

Each month during the school year the organization names an Altrusa Girl of the Month, and when it comes time for Smorgasbord, the honored girls also show up to lend a hand.

Hundreds are served; some will eat at the school but a larger portion typically take their orders to go.

At the conclusion of each event, Altrusa members are finally able to sit down to eat, but it’s not long before they are back to work, cleaning up and packing leftovers to take to the fire department. It makes for a rewarding yet exhausting couple of days. “It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it,” Menefee expressed. Smorgasbord is our largest fundraiser and we are able to do a lot of things with the money we raise from it.”

Menefee has served as chairperson for the event for the past two years and she said she couldn’t do it without the famous “black book.”

The book, which has been passed down through the years, lays out what

PHOTO: Altrusa members and Altrusa Students of the Month pose for their annual photo prior to the start of the Smorgasbord this past February.

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the chairperson and other members need to do from beginning to end. In December, she will begin gathering insurance paperwork and food permits and by January they will be in full swing preparing for February’s annual event. The book will provide her with sign-up sheets for workers, ticket information and other logistical details. She attributes the black book with helping Smorgasbord run like a well-oiled machine.

the Emergency Relief pantry for the past couple of years. And in October they host an annual golf scramble to fund the scholarships they provide to the Girls of the Month. “I feel like it’s important to give back,” Menefee remarked. “I want Artesia to continue to be the great community where I grew up, so I enjoy being in Altrusa and being a part of a group of women that makes a difference by doing all of these hands-on projects.”

“Smorgasbord is a great event and we have so much support from the community,” she affirmed. “Different businesses and individuals will buy a bunch of tickets and just give them out to whoever wants them. It’s their way of supporting what we do.” The group makes sure that some of the extra tickets that are purchased go to places such as Grammy’s House and the Door of Opportunity. “We try to make good use of everything—the extra tickets and the leftover food—so there’s not much waste.”

The organization also generates funds by selling their trademark kitchen knives at events such as Light Up Artesia, the Bennie’s Western Wear semiannual sidewalk sales, and at Brown Drug Store. The monies raised from all of the groups’ fundraisers benefit a variety of local causes. On Make a Difference Day in October, for instance, volunteers set up outside Walmart and collect food for Feed Artesia, which has been used to stock

Longtime Altrusa members Ruth Bratcher and Mary Hendrickson show off the highly coveted knife sets that the organization sells as a fundraiser each year.

PRINCIPLES of ALTRUSA

1. Altrusa is a builder of women. 2. Altrusa is an expression of the search for the best in character, in business, and in citizenship.

3. Election to Altrusa is an evidence of confidence which imposes upon the recipient the obligation to strive to be true to the highest standards of life in her personal and business relations. 4. Altrusa, in the very derivation of its name, is committed to the philosophy of unselfishness, the joy of giving rather than getting, and to the search for that happiness which is based upon spiritual worthiness. 5. Altrusa is practical idealism. Its service consists, not in saying great things, but in daily earnest practice of its principles.

6. Altrusa commends to its members an active interest in public affairs, realizing that the State is but the individual writ large. 7. Altrusa develops true leadership, concerned with accomplishment and not with recognition. 8. Membership carries with it no obligation to transact business with other members. It makes no promise of returns in any commercial specie. Its rewards are in proportion to the loyalty, unselfishness and character of the member herself. 9. Altrusa expresses good will for all mankind. It emphasizes the good and lets the evil sink into the oblivion it merits.

10. Altrusa is democratic; it knows no class, no favorites, but is founded upon merit alone.

11. Altrusa believes that the way to progress lies not in emphasizing the faults of men and their failure to give proper recognition, at times, to women in business, but rather in arousing women to their responsibilities and their possibilities so that their accomplishments will blaze the trail for greater things. 12. Altrusa believes it is not enough to be good; Altrusans must be good for something. Each member must be doing the piece of work that is hers in a way that puts her in the front ranks of accomplishment.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

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SMORGASBORD

HISTORY OPAL’S LEMON PIE

For more than 50 years, Opal Rhyne baked her famous lemon pies for the annual Altrusa Smorgasbord. When she passed away in August of this year, her obituary included the coveted recipe. At the time of her passing, Rhyne was the oldest living member for District 10, which includes New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and Utah.

DECORATING FOR SMORGASBORD

Altrusa members working hard decorating for one of their signature events.

SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES

Over the past 60 years, longtime Altrusa member Opal Rhyne collected stories, photos, and other memorabilia for a scrapbook she kept at her home. After her passing earlier this year, the book was passed down to the organization.

Pictured is the original menu from the very first Smorgasbord.

Día de los Muertos celebration

F R E E

OCT. 24th 1-5 PM

A D M I S S I O N

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www.bennieswestern.com FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S on life balance

Finding Balance in the Circle of Life

by Holly Delgado

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF I TOLD YOU THE FOOD THAT GOES INTO YOUR MOUTH IS NOT WHAT FEEDS YOU? Go back in your mind for a moment to a time when you were enjoying a meal with a friend and you got so lost in conversation that two hours had passed and you had barely touched your meal but you felt satisfied. Or a moment when you were engrossed in a movie and before you knew it half your popcorn was gone and your straw was making that really annoying slurping sound. What was feeding you then? Relationships and entertainment have the ability to “feed” you on a different level that doesn’t involve the food you put in your mouth. The things of life that nourish us are called our “primary foods.” The foods we put into our mouth are “secondary foods,” and there is a direct correlation between the two when it comes to our health and wellness.

The four main primary foods are career, relationships, physical activity and spirituality. When you feel as though you are lacking in any of these four areas, it can cause your body to have cravings, which often are mistaken for secondary food cravings.

Being unhappy in your current career can cause stress and fatigue (mentally and physically) which leads to seeking fulfillment in other ways, causing

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

some to turn to many different and unhealthy alternatives such as alcohol, sugar and drugs. The same is true when you are lacking in other primary food areas. Longing for meaningful relationships, lacking movement and having no connection to your own spirituality are things that will cause you to seek fulfillment from alternative sources. Sadly, many of us seek out fulfillment through the most convenient and abundant supply of secondary food, i.e., the food we put into our mouths.

Visualize with me again for a moment.

It’s been one of “those days” where nothing is going right; you’re stressed, lonely, feel like you’ve failed at life, and oh, by the way, you’re craving something. You go to the kitchen and grab the first thing that entices you in your cupboard—say, one of those gloriously packaged, white powdered sugar donuts that glare at you from the package’s convenient little window.

How did you feel after you ate that?

Imagine, instead of going to the kitchen for food, you grabbed a glass of water and went outside to admire the day, or took a stroll down the block, or picked up a good magazine, or simply took a deep breath and played over in your mind some things

you are thankful for. How would you feel then? Recent studies show that positive thinking causes physiologic changes to neurons in your brain.

Oftentimes we’re not craving food at all. Instead, we’re craving attention, excitement, hydration, physical movement, friendship or a spiritual connection. Here’s a tip: when you are feeling an emotion, take a deep breath and feel that emotion. Let it come to the surface. Work through it, whether that means being mad, sad, happy or bored. Let it out and take action to do something positive.

Try this Circle of Life Exercise:

Take a look at the circle on the right that lists areas of primary food in life.

What does YOUR life look like? As you fill in this circle, make sure you are putting the dot at a place that signifies what YOU think is successful in those areas, NOT what the world defines as success in those areas. If you are happy with staying at home and enjoying time with your family on the weekends then place the dot towards the outer area of the circle in the area of Social Life. Don’t define your life by what others define as a “good life.”

1

Place a dot on the line in each category to indicate your level of satisfaction within each area.

Place a dot at the center of the circle FOCUSNM.COM

to indicate dissatisfaction, or on the periphery to indicate satisfaction. Most people fall somewhere in between. (see example)

2

Connect the dots to see your Circle of Life.

3

Identify imbalances. Determine where to spend more time and energy to create balance.

As discussed previously, nourishment for our bodies doesn’t just come from the foods we eat; it comes from every aspect of life. However, the food we eat is important and accounts for about 80% of our health. Once we find balance in our Circle of Life, we begin to depend less on secondary food to fulfill us and can begin to look at food as nourishment rather than fulfillment! Secondary food will NEVER give you the long term fulfillment your body needs, but it can give you the nutrients your body needs in order to do the things that make life exciting. Proper nutrition is key to living a healthy life. I love this quote from an unknown source: “Health is not the mere absence of illness but a continual striving to live a life that is full, meaningful, zestful and exuberant.”

Feed yourself on a new level today. Balance out those areas of primary food that need balancing. Health is so much more than diet and exercise. Do things that nourish you; eat things that nourish you, and you will find yourself on the track to living a healthier life!

Circle of Life

example

Ezekiel Toast

• Ezekiel bread (toasted) • Drizzle olive oil • Slice an avocado and place on toast • Sprinkle garlic powder • Another drizzle of olive oil • Sprinkle crushed red pepper

Sautéed Mushrooms

• Slice the mushrooms • 1/2 Tbsp of REAL organic butter • Balsamic vinegar, to taste • Put all ingredients into a pan on the stove and sauté to your taste

Green Power Juice

• 1 bunch kale • 2 carrots • 1 apple, cored • Juice of 1/2 lemon (to help with nutrient absorption of the kale) • Place ingredients through a juicer/high powered blender

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S on green cleaning

FOOD it’s not just for supper anymore

Y

ou would be amazed at the number of “regular” things we can buy at our local stores that have hazard warnings on them and specifically warn against using around children or pets. What if you replaced some of the everyday chemicals to which we’ve become accustomed with ecologically-friendly items? Wouldn’t you feel better about SYLVIA HEWETT letting your babies (both the twoSCHNEIDER legged and four-legged varieties) crawl Special Contributor on a floor that was sparkling clean and FOCUS ON ARTESIA germ-free after it was cleaned with a product that wasn’t potentially toxic?

You would also be amazed at the number of things you can clean and sanitize with using a couple of simple cleaners that are food-based.

“Cleaning with food? Are you nuts?” you may be wondering. Those of you who know me well know that I’m not a big fan of cooking, although I do enjoy a nice meal. And I wanted to contribute to this issue, so… yes! You can clean with food! A Google search will easily give you more cleaning tips than you can use in a million years.

To keep it simple, I want to extoll the virtues of baking soda and vinegar (processed is fine). With these two “foods,” you can clean practically anything and everyone in your home.

“Wait a minute…did you say everyone?” Why yes, yes I did! Food is great for cleaning and beauty! Baking soda and vinegar are not just for science fair volcanoes. For instance, “no-poo” is a more environmentallyfriendly and hair-friendly movement.

Instead of expensive shampoo filled

with unpronounceable chemicals massaged onto your body just a few centimeters from your brain, thoroughly wet your hair and massage it with baking soda (59¢ a box at Dollar Tree). Well, it’s actually baking soda in water. I’m not sure how pouring dry baking soda on your head would be an improvement. I like about a quarter of a cup in a pint of water.

You may prefer a different ratio, so just experiment! Rinse well, then spritz with diluted vinegar (I prefer apple cider vinegar, but any will do) instead of conditioner. It’s kind of a weird sensation, and it does take some trial and error to find the right balance for you. Google it and save some money on designer shampoo and conditioner.

No more lather, rinse, repeat on a daily basis. Your hair WILL thank you!

Baking soda can also replace abrasive chemical cleansers for your countertops, bathtubs and cookware.

Vinegar is the ideal cleaner for windows, shiny surfaces or anywhere you want to kill germs, e.g., bathroom tile. Yes, vinegar, a.k.a. acetic acid, can sanitize your household surfaces.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll love cleaning with food. For advanced ideas, including lemon (definitely in the top five cleaning supplies), one of my favorite articles is found on the web at www.earth911.com/living/ health/cleaning-vinegar-baking-sodalemon/.

Do you want to talk health and beauty? Coconut oil is probably the most palatable oil for “oil pulling,” an ancient Ayurvedic practice for oral

Where Does It Come From…Where Does It Go? When we’re talking about food, the obvious first question is “Where does it come from?” followed up with “Where does it go?” The fun food fact here is that (theoretically) it can be a wonderful, fun, fulfilling circle of life: grow a garden for better food, then compost food scraps for a better garden.

Whether you’re a first-time gardener or a seasoned hand, one way to give your

vegetable patch a boost is do-it-yourself compost. Autumn is the perfect time to start a compost project, so you’ll have an adequate amount of product when you start planting next spring. Yard waste, veggie scraps, paperboard cartons, eggshells, tea bags, and coffee grounds can all go in your compost heap. Getting the right mix of “brown” and “green” results in a wonderful, almost odorless

hygiene. Really! Google it! Coconut oil helps in fighting and preventing acne. Yup, OIL on zits. If you don’t believe me, check it out on www. cookingwithsugar.com/coconutoil-beauty-and-health-secrets-50ways-to-use-organic-virgin-coconutoil-shower-scrub-video. Swishing coconut oil in your mouth or gargling with diluted apple cider vinegar (raw, with the mother) is recommended for a sore throat. I like a “potion” of apple cider vinegar, lemon, raw honey and water, sometimes with a little cinnamon for fun, as part of a daily health routine.

Coconut oil is probably my favorite beauty product, and coincidentally, I’ve been told it makes a wonderful substitute for vegetable oil in baking.

Unless you’re allergic to coconut, we’re talking about a head to toe product.

Literally. You may choose to use baking soda and/or vinegar for beauty besides hair care. Vinegar is great for feet, as a facial astringent, to cool sunburn, to aid in removing skin tags, etc. And coconut oil can do multiple jobs, too. It is an amazing moisturizer, and contrary to its name, it’s not oily!

Well, after a few minutes, it’s not oily so it won’t ruin your clothing, furniture, upholstery, etc. Some folks use it to tame unruly hair or as a base to make other non-chemical beauty treatments such as deodorant, lip balm or make-up remover. I would like to think I look younger than 60, and I give coconut oil some of the credit for that!

So, now you’re cleaning with food, going to the cupboard instead of the medicine chest, and saving money while looking younger and healthier.

You could, conceivably, never buy chemicals for your home, health or beauty needs again!

For more fun ideas on replacing chemicals with food, I recommend visiting the following websites: • NaturesNurtureBlog.com/greenerhousehold-cleaners/ • www.care2.com/greenliving/51fantastic-uses-for-baking-soda. html#ixzz3EA2yrBCy

and basically free nutrient-rich soil additive for your garden or greenhouse.

The Solid Waste Bureau of the New Mexico Environment Department provides a brochure and additional information at www.env.nm.gov/swb/ compostingmulch.htm.

There are also options for farm-fresh food, even if you aren’t a farmer or gardener. All over the country a variety of produce from nearby farms and prolific gardens has been for sale to people looking for higher quality, organic food

for their families. From asparagus to zucchini, freshly harvested and straight to your table makes sense on so many levels. Local, fresh produce is usually more nutritious and tastes better than commercially canned or frozen food.

Farmer’s Markets and other vendors set up in various locations throughout the harvest seasons offering some of your favorite fruits, veggies and, of course, green chilies!

Whether you grow it or buy it, fresh just tastes better.

"Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."

- Danny Thomas

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Proud to be a part of the Artesia community!

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F O C U S on retail

Cooking Up Success in the World of Retail

by Staci Guy

early two years ago, in December 2013, Cindy Polk went shopping for a Christmas gift for her daughter but somehow ended up purchasing a retail business in downtown Artesia.

Talk about an impulse buy!

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t exactly an “impulse” buy, per se, but the decision to purchase the already established retail shop was one that had to be made quickly and with little time for overthinking.

“I was walking by one day and I saw the ‘Business Closing 30% off ’ sale sign,” she recalled. “There was a cross in the window that I had thought about buying my daughter for Christmas, so I went in and for some reason started talking to (then owner) Sharon Sigenthaler about buying the business. I have no idea why I even started talking to her about it!”

While most women might go home after a day of shopping with a bag or two full of merchandise, Cindy went home with a dream and plan. “I went home and told Bill (her husband), ‘I want to buy Simply Bello,’” she laughed. His reply? “He said, ‘Well, I guess I had better go in and look around since I’ve never been there

PHOTO MAIN: Simply Bello owners Bill and Cindy Polk pose for a photo during a recent cooking demonstration at their retail shop downtown.

PHOTO INSET: The Polks’ granddaughter, Tinsey Polk, is getting an early start in the kitchen testing out new gadgets she finds at Simply Bello!

Photos by Staci Guy

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

before.’ He was on board,” she said with a smile. “He always supports me on whatever crazy thing I decide to do!”

The Polks, it turned out, had always

dreamed of owning their own business, and the fact that Simply Bello was an already established retail shop in downtown Artesia proved to be the winning combination they were looking for. Having never worked in retail before, however, would mean Cindy had a lot to learn in a very short time frame. “We made the decision within a couple of days of my visit with Sharon because she was going to close so quickly…So from the time we made an agreement, I asked her if she was ready for some free help, because I had to learn everything from the ground up,” she confessed.

One of the first things she had to learn was the art of navigating “market” in

Dallas without losing her sanity. “Sharon went with me one day, and I remember just being amazed at how huge it was. It was so overwhelming!” she exclaimed.

Because Sharon was planning to go out of business, her inventory had been depleted, which meant Cindy had some decisions to make. Market was where she would learn to pick and choose items to bring into her store that customers would like and that would reflect her own retail style as well.

Once she decided which items she wanted to carry, the next task she had to master involved her inventory—a tricky concept for any retailer in the ever-changing world of consumerism. “In the beginning I wasn’t ordering in large enough quantities because I was scared,” she admitted. “It took several months to learn that you have to have inventory, because people think it’s empty and the store just looks empty, which isn’t good.”

They say experience is the best teacher, and for Cindy, that’s likely the case.

Having never worked in retail before, she discovered she had a lot to learn from her predecessor before time ran out. When the previous owner officially turned over the reins and then moved out of state, Cindy was on her own, so she decided to turn to the first place most of us search when we need answers as well: the internet. “At first, when she was here I would rely on Sharon to help me out if I didn’t know how to do something, but when she left I had to figure it out on my own. Now I just Google it!” And what Google can’t help with, like running the register or unloading boxes, her family can. Her husband can often be found unpacking boxes and doing the heavy lifting, her daughter, Brandi, and daughter-in-law, Sara, both help man

the store, and even her granddaughter, Tinsey, lends a hand with the dusting. “It’s definitely a family affair,” she quipped.

So what are some of the items you’ll find at Simply Bello? Well, quite honestly, there’s a little something for everyone!

From kitchen gadgets to serving pieces, silverware to pots and pans, barbeque tools to spices, if there’s something you need for the kitchen, you’re sure to find it. “I try to find things that are unique and that you can’t find at big box stores,” she divulged. “I watch the internet, too, and try to keep up with prices, because I have to be competitive with my pricing since you can get free shipping with a lot of places online. I want people to shop locally and not have to spend more than they would by ordering online.” Her strategy seems to be working. Not only does she have a loyal local customer base, but she also has return customers from places such as Odessa and Houston who always stop by on their way to Ruidoso.

Some of the top selling brands you will find in Artesia exclusively at Simply Bello include Nambé®, Le Creuset® and Taos Twist. Those brand name items, along with many others, make great gifts and are good additions to bridal registries. As a bonus, they offer complimentary gift wrapping as well as free delivery to bridal showers and weddings.

Simply Bello 323 W. Main Street 575-736-3663

Tues - Fri: 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sat: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Email: simplybello@pvtn.net Facebook: Simply Bello Kitchen Shoppe and Unique Home Accents

PHOTOS RIGHT: Some of the items customers will find at Simply Bello include decorative kitchen accessories such as these colorful canisters as well as quality cookware; Simply Bello is the exclusive carrier in Artesia of Le Creuset® cookware. Items in the shop range from gadgets for the novice to tools and equipment for the more experienced cook, and Cindy said she tries to bring in items in a variety of prices from the very affordable lines all the way to the more high end, such as Nambé® and Le Creuset®.

PHOTOS BELOW: The Polks treated a dozen lucky customers to a cooking demonstration where they prepared delicious foods using ingredients and supplies from their retail shop. The highlight of the demo was the Himalayan salt slab used to cook meats on the grill. The salt slab flavors the meat and can be used time and time again until it eventually dissolves. Cindy said she tries to get in a variety of items for men, such as barbecue supplies and masculine aprons, because more and more men are spending time in the kitchen today.

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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F O C U S on brewing

Beer Today, Brew Tomorrow

by Kyle Marksteiner

Y

ou know the story of the talented amateur player who is discovered one day and moved up to the big leagues? That’s kind of what happened with Wellhead brewer Chris Sexton.

It was about a year ago, in the fall of 2014, and the beer enthusiasts of Artesia’s Wellhead Restaurant and Brewpub were starting to get a little bit nervous. The restaurant’s previous brewer had moved on, and the levels of some of the beer casks were starting to get a little low.

That’s when the Wellhead’s management discovered Sexton.

Sexton, a mechanical engineer with the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad during the weekday, had been active on a county-wide internet page about home brewing beer.

“I used to work at a pub when I went to the University of Louisville (Kentucky),” he shared, noting that he worked in the restaurant but visited with the brewer whenever he had the time. “There were lots of little pubs around, but when I moved out here there were not that many.”

He moved to Carlsbad from Kentucky about five years ago, and home brewing beer had become a pretty big hobby.

PHOTO: The Wellhead’s brewmeister, Chris Sexton, poses

on the restaurant’s patio. Sexton is a mechanical engineer at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad when he isn’t making the Wellhead’s beer.

A friend of Sexton’s had been helping at the Cottonwood Winery, Eddy County’s other commercial brewing location, and knew about the Wellhead’s vacancy. The friend passed on Sexton’s name to Wellhead manager Emily Bills, and the two connected.

“They said they were without a brewer, and they were looking around for some local person to help out,” Sexton recalled.

He decided to give it a try. There was much rejoicing.

“All the regulars were really excited,” he noted. “I think they were getting nervous.”

Sexton confessed that he was a little nervous, too, but signing on did mean that he was granted access to the Wellhead’s recipe book. It’s a file that was put together when the restaurant

first opened that details the instructions for making each beer. He got to work.

That was October of 2014, and Sexton’s first batch of beer was apparently very well received by Artesia’s beer enthusiasts.

“I didn’t have any complaints,” he laughed. “I think things went off relatively well, almost without a hitch.”

Because the restaurant was closed for Labor Day weekend, Sexton was the only person on hand during my visit to the Wellhead on this particular Saturday. His

The process isn’t really that much different from beer-brewing in the Middle Ages, give or take a few monks.

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

35

shirt, which read “These Machines Kill Fascists,” came from the microbrewery he worked at while he was in college, he explained, and the machines pictured are identical to the ones around him in the Wellhead’s brewery room, located next to the pub’s patio.

Sexton said he makes the drive from Artesia to Carlsbad a few times a week to handle one or more components of the brewing process.

Sexton stops periodically through the process to check to make sure the grains are doing their thing. There’s a visual inspection first, followed by an examination through a speciallydesigned microscope. That records sugar level. The liquid is cycled through the mash several times, but once Sexton rules that phase to be complete, he turns a pair of valves and the mixture is pumped over to the kettle.

In a nutshell, brewing at the restaurant level seems to involve pouring liquid and grains together in one tank, doing something to them, then moving the concoction on to another tank for the next phase. And so forth. Until you have beer.

In the kettle, the mixture is boiled for at least an hour, with some variance based on the type of beer. This is where the beer is sterilized, and it is also where some of the bitters and spices are added to give the beer its unique flavor.

Everything starts out in the mash/ lauter tun, a vessel with a false bottom designed to extract the sugar from the grains that will be used to make the beer. Based on item names, much of the equipment, unsurprisingly, appears to be German in origin. The process isn’t really that much different from beer-brewing in the Middle Ages, give or take a few monks. Sexton was working on a large vat of the Wellhead’s wheat beer at the time, the popular Indian Basin Wheat.

“Basically, it’s a hot water tank,” Sexton gestured. “I’ve got 240 pounds of grain and 100 gallons of 150° water.

Whatever kind of grain you are using is the base flavor of the beer.”

PHOTOS: Chris Sexton inspects the wort of a batch of beer he is

making at the Wellhead. The first phase of making beer involves pulling the sugars out of whatever grain is being used.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

After time in the kettle, the wort (a combination of liquid grain sugars and water) is transferred to one of three fermenting tanks, where it will sit for four to six days after the yeast is added.

“There’s a rest period and a cleanup/ cool-down period where you crash it,” Sexton revealed.

Then, everything is pumped across the hall into the actual restaurant, where it is placed into one of several brite tanks or kegs inside the freezer. This is where final filtration and carbonation take place and also where the beer is poured by the staff ’s servers.

Sexton said he was a little nervous making the jump from home brewing to working at the restaurant level, but it turns out the principles are all basically the same. “It’s a big scale up,” he admitted. “But ultimately, it’s just that you have better equipment.”

Even though it’s a part-time gig, Sexton is an employee of the Wellhead. He is reimbursed for mileage, and he will usually visit the restaurant after he finishes his work.

The Wellhead would have likely had to contract with a brewer from outside the area had he not been recruited to help.

Brewing, he maintained, is a lot of waiting between the different stages of the process. “It’s really not that glamorous,” he added. “I think it’s probably 90% cleaning and waiting.

Oh, and you are constantly either soaked or almost soaked.” He mopped the patio floor during one waiting interval. Another shift change involved gathering leftover grain for a local farmer who has worked out a deal with the restaurant.

While he’ll follow the Wellhead’s playbook for the restaurant’s perennial beers, he also looks forward to a little creativity for various seasonal beers.

Sexton said he isn’t a huge fan of fruity beers, though he understands that others find them popular. He finds the recent trend of “pumpkin-spicing” everything to be amusing.

What’s his favorite Wellhead beer?

“I like everything, but I’d really go with the IPA (Indian Pale Ale),” he declared. “I’m a hop-head. An IPA is a good way to get a feel for a brewer.”

He also would like to participate in more beer festivals and other events.

For Wellhead brewer Chris Sexton, a weekend hobby has become a way of life.

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F O C U S on service

Extending Independence with Hot Meals, Friendly Visits

by Staci Guy

AS WE AGE, THERE ARE THREE MAJOR THREATS TO OUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING: HUNGER, ISOLATION AND LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE. For the past 45 years, Meals on Wheels of Artesia has helped countless senior residents cope with those three threats by providing nutritious meals and friendly visits.

Very often, those meals are the difference between seniors being able to remain at home or being moved into a skilled nursing facility. Research proves that when senior adults have the proper support, such as what Meals on Wheels provides, they gain a greater quality of life, require fewer hospital stays and even live longer.

“With Meals on Wheels, our clients can maintain some of their independence by being able to stay home but not having to cook,” explained local coordinator Julia Ferguson. Whether it’s a fear of their loved one using a stove or their inability to cook at all, Ferguson said family members are put at ease as well knowing their loved ones will receive hot, fresh meals each day.

Two such recipients, William Livingston, or “Sweet William,” as he refers to himself, and his friend, Mildred Waters, love receiving the daily meals and look forward to their visits with the volunteers that deliver them. Their friendly banter

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

and thoughtful, kind words are part of what makes volunteers like Debbie

Chavez enjoy delivering the meals so much. “I love seeing the elderly people and getting to visit with them a little bit when I deliver,” shared the longtime volunteer. “And knowing that they are getting a home cooked meal that they might not get otherwise is very satisfying to me.”

Livingston and Waters are two of the

PHOTO BELOW: Debbie Chavez and her granddaughter, Mollie Guy, deliver a hot meal to recipient “Sweet William” Livingston, as he refers to himself, as part of Meals on Wheels. PHOTO RIGHT: Volunteer Andria Tavera packs hot

meals before heading out on her Meals on Wheels route.

nearly 40 recipients that receive daily meals thanks to the Meals on Wheels organization. Their stories, like many others, differ greatly from one another, which is why the organization goes to great lengths to provide options for everything from payment options to accommodations for varying diets.

According to Ferguson, payment options vary for participation in Meals on Wheels. “We have programs in place where participants pay for most of the meal and some where they pay $1 per meal, and then we have others that don’t pay at all because we get generous donations from the community,” she shared.

Participants who are not able to pay for the full cost of a meal are eligible for reduced or free meals based on their income.

The total cost of each meal provided by the organization is $2.65. “The hospital charges us

$2.40, and then it costs about 25¢ for the trays and lids,” she noted. By the numbers, it costs less to provide a senior with meals through Meals on Wheels for an entire year than it costs to spend one day in a hospital or six days in a nursing home. Those are staggering statistics, especially considering the fact that the low-cost meals contribute to a much higher quality of life for the aging segment of our population.

HOME PUMPKIN PIE, FALL LEAVES & FAMILY MEMORIES

As with any non-profit, volunteer-based organization, Meals on Wheels would not be able to operate without generous monetary donations and willing volunteers. With five different routes to deliver five days a week, finding able bodies to fill the need can be challenging. “We rely heavily on volunteers,” Ferguson admitted.

“Most days we serve about 30 to 36 people and on Fridays—it’s our biggest day—we serve about 44. It can take between five and

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eight people a day to deliver, plus we have one person on-call each week that is on standby in case a volunteer gets sick or doesn’t show up for some reason.” Each route typically takes less than an hour to complete, depending upon experience. “Sometimes the first time takes a while when you have to figure out where all the houses are, but most get it down pretty easy and by the end of the week they don’t even have to look at the map anymore; it’s old hat!” she added.

Along the same lines as volunteering, Ferguson is quick to point out the fact that many local businesses not only allow but also encourage their employees to volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

If one side of the non-profit coin is volunteering, the other side quite obviously has to be funding. Meals on Wheels of Artesia is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization, which basically means money is tight and

no one takes home a big paycheck.

Participants who are financially able to will typically pay for their meals in full, which is a break-even point for Meals on Wheels. Not all, however, are able to pay even a portion, which means Meals on Wheels foots the bill. Add to that the cost of overhead for things such as building rent and supplies, and donations quickly become a necessity. “We get donations from businesses and individuals and then we also receive some proceeds from the Concho Clay Shoot and United Way,” Ferguson concluded. “We are so appreciative of the support we receive because we could not do this without it.”

To assist with costs, the organization will soon be placing small black and white car piggy banks at various locations around town to collect spare change. “As little as 65¢ can help with a meal. We want to show the community that a little bit of change can add up and really help a lot of

PHOTO BELOW: Volunteers Fran Wood and Kandese Spikes pack ice chests with hot meals before heading out on their respective routes to deliver Meals on Wheels.

PHOTO RIGHT: Debbie Chavez first began delivering Meals on Wheels when her now-grown children were very young. After taking some time off, she has been volunteering a week of her time every month for the past several years and credits her employer, Yates Petroleum, with not only allowing but encouraging her to do so. She added that several of her coworkers from Yates deliver one week each month as well and they all deliver year-round.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

people,” she expressed.

If you or someone you know might be interested in participating in Meals on Wheels, here are some things to consider: weekend meals are now available and are delivered on Friday with Friday’s meal; the program can accommodate specialized diets, such as low sodium/cardiac diet, diabetic, and mechanical soft foods; meals are now being delivered to DaVita Dialysis patients.

For more information about volunteering with the organization or receiving meals, call 575-746-9642, stop by their office located at 108 S. 14th Street or visit their Facebook page—Artesia Meals on Wheels.

PREPARING FOR THE UNEXPECTED ...planning for a better future!

M

ost people have an ideal retirement age in their head. Perhaps you hope to retire early and travel the world, or stop working right at age 65 – for years, the traditional retirement age. Or maybe you’re nearing your 60s, or even your 70s, with no desire to slow down. Essentially, the decision when to retire is yours. And it’s one you should consider carefully and base on a number of factors, such as your retirement savings, when you’ll begin collecting Social Security, your plans for retirement, and your health.

Changing jobs or retiring?

Clara Mauritsen, Agent 607 W Main Street Artesia, NM 88210 Bus: 575-746-2886 clara.mauritsen.rnph@statefarm.com

Do I Have Enough Money?

Whether you’ve been stashing away money since the beginning of your career, or started a retirement fund a little later than you intended, you’re likely wondering if you have enough savings to stop working. Financial experts estimate that you’ll need between 70 and 90 percent of your pre-retirement income to maintain your standard of living. (www.dol.gov/ebsa/ publications/10_ways_to_prepare.html) Yes, less than 100 percent, because hopefully you’ve paid off your mortgage and other installment loans, aren’t carrying a heavy load of credit card debt, and no longer have costs associated with children, such as childcare or college tuition.

Plus, you’ll no longer be saving for retirement.

To determine your post-retirement income, you may want to start with a thorough examination of all the resources you’re planning to use during retirement. These might include a combination of funds from Social Security, your pension, a 401(k), an IRA, mutual funds, stocks and bonds, annuities and savings accounts. Be sure you know how much you can expect from Social Security.

Knowing the amount of your benefits is essential if you’re planning to rely on them during retirement. Remember: You can start receiving Social Security benefits at age 62, but you’ll receive more money each month if you wait until your U.S. government-deemed full retirement age. Your benefits will continue to increase the longer you wait to file, up until age 70.

- See more at: learningcenter.statefarm.com

Questions? Give me a call!

Clara Mauritsen, Agent 575-746-2886

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State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL

Putting Patients First

in our State of the Art Facility!

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How to Build an Emergency Fund

Most people face some sort of financial emergency during their lifetime. This could range from home and car repairs, to a job loss or health scare. And it’s usually not easy to pay for these unexpected expenses. In fact, a 2011 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling showed that 64 percent of Americans don’t have enough cash on hand to handle a $1,000 emergency.

That’s why having an emergency fund is important. Most financial experts recommend setting aside enough money to cover your expenses for at least three to six months. But if you’re not already there, don’t worry. It might seem like an unattainable goal, but we’re here to help so that you can be prepared for the unexpected.

Take your retirement savings with you.

Rolling over your 401(k) to a State Farm IRA is easy. I can take care of the paperwork while helping you with a retirement plan that meets your needs.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

CALL ME TODAY.

Marko Farion DDS

Stephen White DDS

575.736.3100

606 N. 13th Street • Artesia, NM

Photos and history courtesy of:

A LITTLE ARTESIA

FOOD HISTORY

PHOTOS ABOVE: Frenchie’s Corral: Florence & W.T. “Frenchie” French opened Frenchie’s Corral on the

corner of 10th & Richardson in 1944. Frenchie’s was originally a grocery store but quickly evolved into a snack bar/restaurant. Since it was across the street from Artesia Junior & Senior High Schools, Frenchie’s became THE place for students to hang out and have lunch. When you were done eating, you could dance away the rest of the lunch hour or carve your name in the big awning post (once you became a sophomore). Frenchie’s closed in 1978 and was torn down in 1980.

Sy’s Café: The L.G. Syferd family came to Artesia in 1915 and opened Sy’s Café a year later at 210 W. Main Street. The original Sy’s was a small place, but by 1940 Sy’s had expanded into a restaurant and soda fountain with its own ice cream manufacturing plant. Sy’s boasted of having more electrical refrigeration than any other retail establishment in New Mexico, including a freezing capacity for 260 gallons of ice cream per day. Sy’s Café closed in the mid-1940s, and The Smoke House Bar & Cocktail Lounge occupied its building for many years. Today, La Fonda Restaurant stands on the old site.

PHOTOS LEFT: Honey’s Donut Shop: Ethel “Honey” Brown and her husband James “Bus” Brown moved to Artesia in the 1940s. Honey opened her donut business in the old Safeway store on 4th Street ca. 1946 and later moved to her own location on Quay in the early 1950s. Business was always good (who doesn’t like donuts?!), and in 1968 Honey’s moved again, to Main Street across from the LandSun Theater.

In this photo, Honey and Bus are celebrating the Main Street shop opening with a cup of coffee. Honey retired in 1975, and Honey’s Donut Shop closed for good in 1982.

Woodie Pie Co.: The Wood-Underwood Pie Company, co-owned by Roy V. “Woodie” Wood and William Underwood, opened in 1946 at a shop north of Artesia (not sure where—that’s all the clues I could find!). In 1948 the WoodUnderwood Pie Co. moved into town, to 1117/9 S. Roselawn Avenue. By 1949 Mr. Underhill was no longer a partner (don’t know why), and the Woodie Pie Co. had moved again, to 909 S. 2nd Street. The shop stayed there until 1958, when it moved into its final location at 110 S. 13th Street.

By 1982 the company was producing over 1,200 pies daily for local and regional distribution. We miss them!

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

Mann Drug Company: These photos were taken

by Fred Henderson during the 1940s. Fred worked at the Mann Drug Company at 319 W. Main prior to buying the Palace Drug Store at 309 W. Main in 1949.

Fred was a prolific photographer, and he took these candid photographs inside his drugstores.

ARTESIA’S MOST WANTED! I

by Nancy Dunn

f you want proof of how much we’ve changed over the years, just take a look at our eating habits. Early menus and cookbooks contain recipes that no one can imagine eating today, and ingredients and their availability have changed as well. Also, increased awareness of health and nutrition has (hopefully) changed our eating habits for the better through the years.

Artesia’s Most Wanted: Pioneer Recipes 19001960, published by the Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center, features over 200 recipes by early Artesians that demonstrate just how much our tastes have changed.

The recipes in this book are actual recipes used by Artesia’s earliest residents and recorded in their own words. The staff of the Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center had a lot of fun selecting them, and every recipe is reproduced verbatim—all quirks of language, punctuation, grammar and spelling are set down exactly as written in the original. Some of the recipes were included just for fun, and others because they are so unusual and different from anything we would choose to eat today. But the majority were included because they sound just plain delicious!

Artesia’s Most Wanted: Pioneer Recipes 1900-1960 is available at the Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center for $19.95. The proceeds from the book’s sales will go directly towards traveling exhibit fees for our new Art Center.

water, a pinch of salt and while hot stir in corn meal to make a thin batter. Set in a warm place until morning. Cover the mouth of the pitcher with a towel. Very early next morning place the pitcher in a vessel containing hot water, let the water be as hot as you can bear your hand in and keep it a uniform temperature until the mixture is light, when it is ready to make up. Boil one pint of fresh sweet milk, cool with one pint of cold water; into this pour the mixture from the pitcher, beat well, add two teaspoons of sugar, one of salt and enough Fauchon flour to make a very stiff batter. Beat well for about fifteen minutes. Cover the vessel tight and place in a larger vessel containing very warm water and

keep at a uniform temperature until light and foamy. This should be made up in a gallon-sized vessel and when it rises to the top it is ready to make into loaves. Next, sift about one gallon of flour, mix into this one tablespoonful of lard and add the yeast. Work until it is thoroughly mixed and will not stick to your fingers. Make it up as soft as you can handle it and then place in individual pans, butter well, set in warm place to rise. When to top of pan put into moderately hot oven; bake about forty minutes. Do not shake this bread at any time during its preparation, let

it get chilled, or keep it too hot.

- Mrs. J.B. Atkeson, ca. 1903

Facebook.com/FocusOnArtesia

HERE’S A PREVIEW:

To Boil Rice: Pick over the rice carefully, wash it in warm water, rubbing it between the hands, rinsing in several waters, then let it remain in cold water until ready to be cooked. Have a sauce-pan of water slightly salted; when it is boiling hard, pour off the cold water from the rice, and sprinkle it in the boiling water by degrees, so as to keep the particles separated. Boil it steadily for twenty minutes, then take it off from the fire, and drain off all the water. Place the saucepan with the lid partly off, on the back of the stove, where it is only moderately warm. This is the true way of serving rice as a vegetable.

- Mrs. C.W.W., ca. late 1900s Salt-Rising Bread: At supper time take one egg, beat well in a small pitcher, add one small cup of boiling

BALLOONS LAUNCH FROM EAGLE DRAW AT 7:00 A.M. DAILY (WEATHER PERMITTING) FIRE CONCERT AT EAGLE DRAW 7:00 P.M. SATURDAY 11/7 - FEATURING AHS BAND AND BALLOON PILOTS

p U t h g i L a i s e t r A

NOV 7-8 DEC 3RD

LIGHT PARADE 6:00 P.M.

DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS OPEN LATE FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING

SHOP ARTESIA

SHOP LOCAL FROM OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER

EVERY $50 COUNTS TOWARDS CHANCES TO WIN CHAMBER BUCKS CALL THE ARTESIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR DETAILS

1 -800- 658- 6251

Ar t es i a Cham b er . c om

F O C U S on the chamber

ARTESIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH PROGRAM The Artesia Chamber of Commerce and the Trailblazers proudly recognize a Chamber member business each month.

We take pride in our Chamber members and enjoy celebrating their service to the community and their commitment to the Chamber! Here are our most recent Businesses of the Month: Listen to member station KSVP and check out the Artesia Daily Press to see who next month’s Business of the Month will be.

JUNE 2015

TERRY’S ELECTRONICS

1211 W. Main 575-748-1301 The Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Artesia Trailblazers surprised Terry’s Electronics and Home Center as the June Business of the Month! Terry’s is a locally owned retail store for furniture, appliances, electronics and mattresses. Located conveniently in downtown Artesia, they serve Artesia and much of the surrounding area as the authorized RadioShack dealer.

Thank you, Terry’s Electronics, for being a valued member of our community and the Chamber.

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FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2015

JULY 2015

AUGUST 2015

811 W. Main 575-736-1777 www.henrysbarbecue.com Artesia Trailblazers and the Artesia Chamber of Commerce were pleased to present Henry’s BBQ with the July Business of the Month award. Henry’s BBQ is a place you can go for great food and excellent service, and they have a very reliable catering service for all of your special events as well. Thank you, Henry’s BBQ, for being a valued member of our community and the Chamber.

309 W. Main Street 575-746-4936 B&B Newstand, a longtime Chamber member and a valuable MainStreet merchant for 45 years here in Artesia, was honored as the August Business of the Month by the Artesia Trailblazers. With an eclectic style, they are sure to have something for everyone, from magazines to some of the best fountain drinks in town.

They do their part to stay open during events to accommodate the community and visitors. It is a local favorite stop to sit and drink coffee in the mornings or hot chocolate on those chilly nights (especially during Light Up Artesia!). Stop in to see all that they offer!

HENRY’S BBQ

B&B NEWSTAND

F O C U S on the chamber

MEET THE CHAMBER STAFF WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS! HAYLEY KLEIN

Executive Director

DEBBIE

VICKIE

Director of Administration

Events & Marketing Coordinator

VAN DER VEEN GROUSNICK

KELCEY McCALEB Membership Coordinator

MICHAEL BUNT

Artesia’s Economic Development Director

YEAROUT MECHANICAL, INC. 8501 Washington NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 505-884-0994 Yearout.com

BOLIDE SERVICES, LLC P.O. Box 62 Artesia, NM 88211 575-513-4688

DON-NAN PUMP & SUPPLY 11299 Lovington Hwy. Artesia, NM 88210 575-736-0251 Don-nan.com

HAMPTON INN 2501 Permian Pavilion Loop Artesia, NM 88210 575-746-0707 HamptonInn3.Hilton.com

T HE PA D D OCK CAFÉ RIBBON C UTTI N G 11354 Lovington Highway • 575-748-8747 The Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Artesia Trailblazers were excited to celebrate the opening of The Paddock Café with a ribbon cutting June 25. They are located in bustling Loco Hills where much of our oil business happens. The Paddock is open early during the week and on Saturdays to accommodate people’s working hours. They have an extensive menu of traditional Mexican and American food, so join them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Thank you, Paddock Café, for being a member of the Artesia Chamber. Go enjoy a meal at the Paddock Café, 11354 Lovington Highway. Give them a call at 575-748-8747 or check them out on Facebook at www.facebook. com/thepaddockcafe.

FALL 2015 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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575.746.1900 • 2520 W. Hermosa Dr. • Artesia, New Mexico

B E H A V I O R A L H E A LT H S E R V I C E S Outpatient Mental Healthcare Available in Carlsbad and Artesia One out of every five individuals will experience a mental disorder that disrupts their life.

With proper medical attention and emotional support most behavioral health issues can be successfully treated.

Whether it’s depression, panic attacks, grief, suicidal thoughts, anxiety or stress, help is available!

For more information about Outpatient Mental Healthcare, please call:

575.725.5562

Dementia & Depression Care Behavioral Health Services for Senior Adults The Senior Care Unit at AGH is designed to meet the needs of adults 50 and older, suffering from behavior or personality changes including those related to dementia and its complications.

For more information about the Senior Care Unit at AGH, please call:

575.736.8175