Our Hometown • June 2023

15 Years of

Delicious

By HANS MADSEN

When Burke Risetter, owner of the Grid Iron Grill and Sports Lounge, found out his restaurant had won the Iowa Pork Producer’s Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin award in 2017, the Pork Producers warned him of what might happen once word got out.

Or rather, when word spread like wildfire.

“They told me you’re going to have a tenderloin

tsunami,” Risetter said. “At the time, we were going through about 300 pounds of tenderloin a week. I had to ask myself: How much is a tsunami?”

He ordered, and had 15 cases of 40 pounds each on hand when the announcement went out on a Friday. That’s 600 pounds.

“By Saturday morning I was on the phone trying to find more tenderloin,” he said.

He did manage to procure some more, having

Burke Risetter, owner of the Grid Iron Grill and Sports Lounge in Webster City, makes sure a pork tenderloin is breaded just perfectly before it goes into the fryer, left.

ON THE COVER: Burke Risetter proudly shows off a freshly-plated breaded pork tenderloin in the outdoor seating area. The Grid Iron won the Iowa Pork Producers Iowa’s Best Breaded Tenderloin award in 2017.

his brother in-law pick up the pork.

It wasn’t enough.

“I ran out by Monday. It was just insane.”

The award, and its ensuing tenderloin tsunami, is just one of many adventures he’s had since opening the doors on June 26, 2008.

He’s celebrating the restaurant’s 15-year anniversary with a celebration on June 24 from 7 to 11 p.m.

“We’ll have homemade chips, dogs, brats and $2 draws,” he said. They’ll also have the band Fret Noise, a group of local musicians that are alum-

- Photos by Hans Madsen

ni of several other bands.

Risetter came into the restaurant business through the distribution side. He worked for Harkers and Martin Brothers Food Distribution.

“I went from selling groceries to places like myself, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals to this.”

He’s taken the hard work and long hours in stride. The why of it comes up, well, occasionally.

“I ask myself that every night,” he joked.

The location was the Shady Oaks Restaurant for many years. When Risetter purchased it, it was known as the Half Mile Bar and Grill.

“That lasted eight months.”

Customer-provided photos show the Grid Iron as it was during renovation and how it was when it was the Shady Oaks Steakhouse Lounge, above.

Rick Sexe, the cook at the Grid Iron Grill and Sports Lounge in Webster City, works on getting ready for the day’s customers. Sexe has been with the restaurant since it opened 15 years ago, opposite top.

LeAnn Louk, who’s been working at the Grid Iron Grill and Sports Lounge in Webster City for about 10 years, preps salads. Owner Burke Risetter said she does “everything,” opposite bottom.

He got help, and encouragement from his uncle, Kevin Ades, who had been involved in the restaurant business for decades.

“I said, let’s do something with this place,” Risetter recalled. “So we made an offer. The next thing I know, I own a restaurant. We knew it was going to be blood, sweat and tears.”

Risetter gladly credits his uncle with being a great mentor. He said his expertise in the various aspects of actually running a restaurant were critical. Everything from creating the menu, deciding on decor to calculating food and labor costs.

“He was a good guy.” he said. “I looked up to him in many ways. He was a good role model, a good business operator. He had a great sense of things we should try. He had a lot of great ideas and a lot of great feedback.”

He also fondly remembers his grandfather, Sam Ades. Ades owned the Gold Room Cafe and Zip’s Burgers.

“That’s where I first learned,” he said. “That was my first real job. He was all business. He was there every day, open to close. He cared about the employees that worked for him and treated them fairly. He was a great guy.”

Risetter also managed to navigate the COVID

pandemic and the shutdowns.

“(Iowa) Gov. (Kim) Reynolds shut us down on St. Patrick’s Day,” he said. “We had a bunch of corned beef and green beer. We had to hustle. I needed ‘to go’ boxes. I had 200 on hand. That turned into 2,000 a week. I was running around trying to find more.”

He said they had to adapt as the rules changed. Masks, gloves, social distancing. These all became part of day to day life. Then there were supply chain issues and there were even things that had to come off the menu.

He took some of the menu on the road.

“I dabbled in the food truck,” he said. “We’re out of that now.”

One thing that did stay constant? Risetter made sure his employees were taken care of. He quickly credits them with helping the business get through and he remains grateful for their dedication.

The winning Breaded Pork Tenderloin continues as a popular menu item. He said it’s been nominated again in this year’s contest and the Grid Iron is a destination on the Tenderloin Tour.

“I don’t think that will ever go anywhere,” he said. “It’s our No. 1 seller.”

Risetter’s been surprised once or twice by his customer’s preferences.

“I never thought we could sell salmon,” he said. “We sell a ton both in dinners and salads.”

He plans on being around for awhile; he’s considered some expansion and maybe a bigger kitchen. But for now, he’s happy to celebrate 15 years.

“I have a lot of gratitude to our customers who come from near and far to support us,” he said.

Expand your campsite culinary repertoire

Hiking and camping opportunities heat up when the weather warms. Come summer, individuals feel compelled to load up their campers or pack their tents and enjoy some forested paradise.

Meals are a consideration when camping. Certainly frankfurters or sandwiches can get you by in a pinch, but for avid campers, it helps to have a more diverse array of recipes at the ready, which can really enhance the camping experience. Consider this recipe “Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork” courtesy of “The New Trailside Cookbook” (A Firefly Book) by Kevin Callan and Margaret Howard.

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork

Serves 8

Sauce

1 cup chili sauce

1⁄3 cup Dijon or grainy mustard

1⁄3 cup liquid honey

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons paprika

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 cups sliced onions

3 to 4 pounds frozen pork shoulder roast, thawed after roast

2 cups chopped apples

Large ciabatta rolls, onion or crusty buns, mashed potatoes, or rice

At home: Mix together the chili sauce, mustard, honey, chili powder, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic. Store in a tightly sealed container or freeze for longer storage.

At camp: Place onions in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Thaw pork, place over onions; top with apples. Pour sauce over meat and apples. Cover and cook on medium heat for 4 hours or until meat is tender and starts to fall apart. Remove meat from oven and place on a large plate. Using two forks, shred meat along its length. Stir meat back into sauce. Serve on rolls, or as desired.

CITY SCENE CITY SCENE

CITY OF WEBSTER CITY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION BREAKFAST

MAY 19, 2023

The City of Webster City would like to thank all of its dedicated and hardworking employees for all they do each and every day.

Years of service awards:

5 years of service – Ryan Basinger, Brandon Bahrenfuss, Chuck Stansfield and Brett Ratcliff Not pictured: Tanner Nowell, Brandon Pritchard and Dylan Rose

10 years of service – Rick Peterson Not pictured: Jeromy Estlund

15 years of service – Russ Mourton, Dana Casey, Rod Paschke Not pictured: Joan Windschitl and Ryan Orton

20 years of service – Liz Pevestorf. Not pictured: John West

25 years of service – Brandon Hayes, Jeff Jackson, Todd Madsen Not pictured: Chad Dingman

30 years of service – Beth Chelesvig, Adam Dickinson

Ann Smith was recognized for 70 years of service; a celebration was held on June 2, 2022 in Ann’s honor

Also recognized were Ron Holst and Earl Stewart for 50 years of service as volunteers with the Fire Department

2021 & 2022 AWARDS

CITY SCENE

Attendance Award: Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez, Chuck Stansfield, Dedra Nerland, Steve Thumma, Dodie Wolfgram, Mark Glascock, Brandon Hayes, Brandon Bahrenfuss, Rick Peterson and Andy Sowle

Attendance Award: Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez, Chuck Stansfield, Dedra Nerland, Steve Thumma, Dodie Wolfgram, Mark Glascock, Brandon Hayes, Brandon Bahrenfuss, Rick Peterson and Andy Sowle

Not pictured: Karyl Bonjour, Jeromy Estlund, Deb Rush and Ian Holcombe

Not pictured: Karyl Bonjour, Jeromy Estlund, Deb Rush and Ian Holcombe

Ariel Bertran, Laura Johnson, Terri Clark, Shawn Kliegl, Cole Youngdale, Bryan Dayton, Rilee Scheuermann, Jacob Daniels, Kooper Jondal and Dan McFarland

Not pictured: Dan Watkins, Ian Holcombe, Greg Farwell, Jean Dilley, Logan Parker, Doug McCollough, Audriana Whitehill, Brady Newman, Ben Nelson, Nick Bindert and Rhonda Rich

New Employees : Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez, Derrick Drube, Biri Bishop, Ashley Dinsdale, Denise Haglund, Emily Hesley, Ariel Bertran, Laura Johnson, Terri Clark, Shawn Kliegl, Cole Youngdale, Bryan Dayton, Rilee Scheuermann, Jacob Daniels, Kooper Jondal and Dan McFarland

Not pictured: Dan Watkins, Ian Holcombe, Greg Farwell, Jean Dilley, Logan Parker, Doug McCollough, Audriana Whitehill, Brady Newman, Ben Nelson, Nick Bindert and Rhonda Rich

LET’S EAT 10 unique ways to put rotisserie chicken to use

Once a novelty in select stores, rotisserie chicken is now ubiquitous in supermarkets and other food centers. People are drawn to rotisserie chickens by flavor and convenience. Hot and ready to serve, rotisserie chicken makes for a quick and easy meal when time is of the essence and people don’t want to spend on dining out at a nearby restaurant.

Rotisserie chicken can be served right out of the container just like a traditional roasted chicken. It also can be a component in many different meals. Consider these 10 ideas for putting rotisserie chicken to use.

Our Hometown Recipe Corner

1. After most of the meat from the chicken is eaten, boil the carcass with sliced onion, parsnips, carrots, turnips, and your preferred herbs to make a soup stock. Add bits of leftover chicken and noodles to have a delicious chicken soup.

2. Purchase premade pie crust and use it to line small ramekins. Mix chopped rotisserie chicken with a can of cream of chicken soup and thawed frozen mixed vegetables. Spoon the mixture on top of the bottom crust, then top with another crust round, poking venting holes in the pastry. Heat up until the crust browns and the filling is piping hot. The result is a delicious chicken pot pie.

3. Rotisserie chicken can be used as the filling for enchiladas, fajitas, and tacos. Simply season with a packet of taco seasoning or make your own blend from a combination of paprika, chili powder and cumin.

4. Pulse rotisserie chicken meat in a food processor with celery, dill and a few dollops of mayonnaise or even Greek yogurt or ranch salad dressing. Add some crumbled bacon and serve the chicken salad between slices of toasted whole wheat bread.

5. Shred the rotisserie chicken and blend together with melted butter and hot sauce to make it Buffalo-style. Use it as a topping for pizza served with a blue-cheese sauce on the crust.

6. Add pieces of rotisserie chicken to omelettes and top with melted cheese for a savory breakfast or brunch option.

7. Rotisserie chicken chunks can be added to any of your favorite casserole recipes in lieu of fresh chicken.

8. Make mac-and-cheese a more substantial meal by mixing in shredded rotisserie chicken.

9. Recreate “chicken bog,” a traditional South Carolina dish made from chicken cooked in broth and rice to make a thick and creamy meal.

10. Create a chicken stir-fry with the rotisserie chicken, Asian vegetables and seasonings. Serve over glass rice noodles.

These are just a few of the many different ways to utilize rotisserie chicken in everyday cooking.

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PHOTO

SAVVY SENIOR

by Jim Miller

Can I Collect Social Security from My Ex-Spouse?

Dear Savvy Senior ,

Is it possible to collect Social Security benefits from my ex-spouse? We were married for 12 years but have been divorced for almost 20 years now.

Never Remarried

Dear Never,

Yes, depending on your specific circumstances, you may very well be eligible for divorced spouses Social Security benefits. Here’s what you should know.

Who’s Eligible?

A divorced spouse can collect a Social Security retirement benefit on the earnings record of their exhusband (or ex-wife) if you are at least age 62, were married for at least 10 years, are unmarried, and are not eligible for a higher benefit based on your own earnings record.

In order to collect, your former spouse must also be at least 62 and eligible for Social Security benefits. But he doesn’t have to be receiving them in order for you to collect divorced spouse’s benefits, as long as you’ve been divorced for at least two years.

Even if your ex is remarried, it won’t affect your right to divorcee benefits, nor will it affect your ex’s retirement benefits or his current spouse’s benefits.

Benefit Amount

A divorced spouse can receive up to 50 percent of their ex’s full Social Security benefit, or less if they take benefits before their full retirement age, which is 66 for people born in 1945-1954 but is gradually increased to age 67 for people born in 1960 or later. To find out your full retirement age and see how much your benefits will be reduced by taking them early see SSA. gov/benefits/retirement/planner/agereduction.html.

Keep in mind though, that if you qualify for benefits based on your own work history, you’ll receive the larger of the two benefits. You cannot receive benefits on both your record, and your ex’s work record too.

To find out how much your retirement benefits will be, see your Social Security statement at SSA.gov/ myaccount. And to get an estimate of your ex’s

benefits, call Social Security at 800-772-1213. You’ll need to show your marriage certificate and divorce decree to prove your marriage lasted at least 10 years along with his Social Security number to get it.

Other Factors to Know

You also need to be aware that working can affect your divorced spouse’s benefits. If you start taking benefits while working, and are under full retirement age, your benefits will be reduced $1 for every $2 you earn above the annual limit, which is $21,240 in 2023. In the year you reach full retirement age, however, the annual limit increases to $56,520 and the reduction lowers to $1 for every $3 above that limit. See SSA.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10069.pdf for more details.

Another factor that can reduce your divorced spouse’s benefits is receiving a pension from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes (like a government). This is a rule know as Government Pension Offset (see SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/ planner/gpo-calc.html) which can reduce your benefits by two-thirds of the amount of your pension.

Divorced Survivor’s Benefits

You also need to know that when your ex-spouse dies (and if you were married for 10 or more years), you become eligible for divorced survivor benefits, which is worth up to 100 percent of what your ex-spouse was due.

Survivor benefits are available to divorced spouses as early as age 60 (50 if you’re disabled). But if you remarry before 60, you become ineligible unless the marriage ends. Remarrying after age 60 will not affect your eligibility.

Also note that if you are receiving divorced spouses benefits when your ex-spouse dies, you will automatically be switched over to the higher paying survivor benefit.

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

JUNE 18

Blake Shelton, Singer (47)

JUNE 19

Macklemore, Rapper (40)

JUNE 20

Nicole Kidman, Actress (56)

JUNE 21

Chris Pratt, Actor (44)

JUNE 22

Danny Green, Athlete (36)

JUNE 23

Alexandra Trusova, Skater (19)

JUNE 24

Lionel Messi, Athlete (36)

Parting SHOT

WHEN YOUR FEET HURT, EVERYTHING HURTS.

Podiatrist Dr. Willis has the experience and knowledge to help you feel better from your toes up. He specializes in the diagnosis, and medical/surgical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower extremities.

Seeing patients in the clinic, and performing surgeries in the hospital, Dr. Willis treats the following conditions:

Schedule your next appointment online!

Foot and ankle pain / sprains / fractures

Plantar Fasciitis

Tendonitis

Bunions / Hammer toes

Biomechanics / Orthotics

Wound care

Foot and ankle surgery

Dermatological issues

515.832.7800 vandiestmc.org