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Susan's Blog

Holiday Greetings and Gratitude

For me (and many of you!), food is virtually synonymous with family, and the holidays are a time when both are in abundance. Needless to say, this is one of my favorite seasons of the year. 

Posted by Susan on 12/19/2011

The Mystery of The Little Pink Bean

While we are perhaps most known at Susie Q’s Brand for our signature Santa Maria Valley Style Seasoning, our Pinquito Beans are a close second.

In fact, pinquitos are the product that launched Susie Q’s Brand in 1981, back when we had just one retail outlet—our family’s Far Western Tavern restaurant! We also offered them in our mail-order catalog (remember life before ecommerce!?), and our little business got a big boost in 1983 when USA Today showcased our beans in its food section.

As you may know, pinquito beans are a commercial crop exclusive to the Santa Maria Valley, and they are considered an essential component of the traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu. These small pink beans are prized for their firm texture and robust yet refined flavors. Yet despite their lofty place in local culinary history, no one is quite sure exactly how they came to find their home in the valley.

My mother Rosalie recalls that sometime in the 1930s, her father was given a five-pound bag of pinquitos from a man named Ben Granas, who was a grain and bean dealer in the Santa Maria Valley. When he asked Ben where they came from, he was told that they were from the Los Osos area, which is about 30 miles north of Santa Maria. My grandfather put out some feelers, and with the help of his friend Sheriff Murray Hathaway, was able to secure a 100-pound bag. Apparently, he really liked pinquitos.

Pinquitos ultimately became a mainstay in the family kitchen, and my mother believes that the Far Western Tavern was the first to local steakhouse to put pinquitos on the menu.

There are other stories about how pinquitos came to flourish in the Santa Maria Valley, and the mystery remains unsolved. But at the very least, it sounds like our family had a little part in popularizing this distinctive and delicious pink bean.

Posted by Susan on 09/20/2011

A Timeless Experience

One of my annual summer highlights is attending the Santa Barbara County Fair in our hometown of Santa Maria, which I have been doing since I was a child.

This year’s fair was particularly gratifying, as the heifer raised by my nine-year-old granddaughter, Regan, was named Reserve Supreme Grand Champion. It was her first time presenting at the fair.

Regan is apparently a chip off the block, as her mother—and my daughter—Renee showed champion steers and was named Junior Livestock Person of The Year in 1985. That same year, my father Clarence was named Livestock Producer of The Year. My husband Paul and I received the Agribusiness Award in 2002, and my brother Tyke was named Livestock Producer of The Year in 2008.

My point isn’t to brag about our family’s awards, but to simply illustrate what this community fair has meant to us, and how it plays an instrumental role in supporting and celebrating the local agriculture and ranching industries.

When I walk into the fair and the livestock area, I see the same friends and peers from when I was very young, and now it’s our grandchildren who are participating. I still see the same family involvement, and the same enthusiasm, as I did so many years ago. It’s a truly timeless experience.

In some ways, you could say the same about the tradition of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, which is rooted in the 19th century. They say that change is inevitable, but it can be comforting when some things remain the same.

Posted by Susan on 07/31/2011

A Father's Day Tribute

This upcoming Father’s Day will be my first without my father, Clarence Minetti, who passed away earlier this spring at the age of 93. I miss him dearly, but will choose this day to remember him fondly. 

In the realm of Susie Q’s Brand, Clarence is most known for establishing our family restaurant, the Far Western Tavern, along with my mother Rosalie, as well as my mother’s cousin Richard Maretti and Richard’s wife Jean. The restaurant was a natural extension of my parents’ love of family, food and hospitality, which I learned to appreciate at an early age.

But Clarence was more than a restaurateur. He was also a rancher, businessman, public servant and community leader. Naturally, he was never short on little pearls of fatherly wisdom. He told us to, “Never respond with ‘I don’t know.’” He often said, “Anyone can make money, but it takes a special guy to make a little money and a lot of friends along the way.” And one of my favorites: “There’s no hill for a climber.”

Another thing he said really stuck with me. When asked about how the Far Western Tavern had managed to keep going strong for 50 straight years, he replied, “To last in this business, you have to like people and you have to serve great food. It’s that simple.”

Those are words that we live by here at Susie Q’s Brand. This is more than a business to us. It’s a way of life, and an opportunity to share our culinary creations with you in a spirit of family and community.

In that way, Susie Q’s Brand is a tribute to my father, and to his outlook on both food and life. Wishing you all a Happy Father's Day filled with family, food and festivity. 

P.S. Thanks to everyone who has sent kind words and sentiments about my father since his passing. Our family is grateful for your support. 

Posted by Susan on 06/14/2011

Celebrating Our 30th Anniversary

Posted by Susan on 05/24/2011