Family Tradition

 

 

 

     We hit a tremendous milestone this year, Eighty-Five Years in business!  Granddaddy McCarthy

started Glades Gas in Okeechobee, Florida in 1929, following his arrival from Nebraska

in 1911.  In 1929 after the stock market crashed, he started a side business aside from the

D.B. McCarthy General Store on the northwest corner of Park Street and 5th Ave in Okeechobee.

 

     He brought in propane gas refrigerators by train from Tampa, and for the first time, every resident in Okeechobee was offered refrigeration in their homes.

When Daniel founded Glades Gas Company in 1929, he offered the Okeechobee housewife

a luxury, which had not been available to her previously.  She was now able to have

refrigerators powered by propane in her home.

 

     McCarthy's only son, Daniel M. (Dennis' Dad) returned from the service (WWII) and in 1946

married Ruth  Ottens from St Louis.  The following year the young couple founded the Clewiston Glades Gas and they moved from Okeechobee to that community.

 

     In 1954, Indiantown Gas Company came into the company fold.  Timer Powers had worked

with the  McCarthy family from the time he was a young teen and when the Indiantown

office was opened, he left as manager of the Okeechobee office and took over the Indiantown

operation which his family still operates today.

 

Daniel Benedict McCarthy died on December 16, 1963 following a bout with pneumonia.

He had been a vibrant part of Okeechobee and its economic development for more than

50 years at the time of his death.

 

In 1987, Monica McCarthy Clark took over the reins of her grandfather's company.  Monica's

brother Kevin managed the Clewiston operation and Dennis and Karen operate the

Belle Glade facility.

 

Currently, the only Glades Gas still operating is the Belle Glade office.  Okeechobee

and Clewiston sold off the propane side of the operation to Florida Public Utilities in 

February of 2013.  They continue to operate the air conditioning side.

 

The Family Business Institute reports that only 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation.  Twelve percent survive into the third and only three percent

make it into the fourth generation and beyond.  I guess that makes us a pretty rare statistic.

 

Everyday business for us is just a family tradition.

 

We just got back in town with a fresh batch of Batter It Up and it now comes in Cajun flavor!  Check out the 

new packaging.  Still no MSG and now it is made with Sea Salt which is actually better for you.  The salt we normally use, may come from salt mines or even from the sea. However, this so called "table salt" is a refined product - it is mainly a kiln-dried sodium chloride with anti-caking agents added.

Kiln-drying involves scorching salt at high heat to remove moisture. This refining process creates a product that is unnatural and hard on the body. It is the true culprit that contributes to high blood pressure, heart trouble, kidney disease and eczema, among other problems.
It often contains additives like aluminum that makes it powdery and porous. (Aluminum is a very toxic substance dangerous for the nervous system and it has been found to be one of the primary cause of Alzheimer's disease).

Table salt is mined from underground salt deposits. Table salt is more heavily processed to eliminate minerals and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that's lacking in naturally occurring sea salt.  

 

We got to try a recipe made by one of Batter It Up's owners Roscoe Parsley that was literally to die for.  He took fresh conch, fresh lobster he had caught during Lobster Season in the Keyes and fresh shrimp, rolled them in Batter It Up and tossed them into a home made Caesar dressing that had us drooling for more.  He threw all this together in twenty minutes time!  I can honestly say it was one of the best salads I have ever tasted, and I love a good salad!   Dennis suggested we use the Cajun batter on the shrimp and it really added an extra zest.

We only have 6 cases in stock so if you want to try this blend, you better hurry in, it will not last.

Skeeter Warner and his partner Roscoe Parsley are busy introducing their batter all over the country.  They are in several negotiations with some big time chains we have all heard of.....It won't be long before you can order your dinner with our very own Batter It Up coating in one of your favorite restaurants.  

If you know anyone in the restaurant business that would like a free sample, tell them to come on by or give us a call....we will be glad to share!!  In the meantime, keep enjoying Skeeter's Batter It Up...it is the best!

                          

Air Conditioning Quiz

     Who can tell us how the coils work on your      central air conditioning system?  First call gets a prize!  561-996-3770

Who Else Wants to Support the Youth of Belle Glade?

     This morning I attended the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast mixer and had the pleasure of running into James Lee and his business manager Cathleen Laport.  I was pleasantly surprised as they  had stopped in our store yesterday to say hello and thank us for our meager donation from last year.

 The breakfast was well attended and we had a wonderful program on sugar cane provided by the University of Florida (Go Gators!!) Research Center's Dr. Ron Rice.  My head was filled with facts about the soil and farming and how environmentally sensitive the cane farmers are!  Leadership Glades attendees were there in full force ready to load their bus and spend the day getting educated on ecotourism.  Breakfast was provided by Lakeside Medical Center and was great as always.

     Upon returning to my office, I decided to learn more about the James Lee Foundation as I was seeing so much publicity about him in the local news.  Check out his website as he seems like the real deal.  http://www.teamlee.org/about-us/  I love it when to locals go off, make something of themselves and then return to their roots to give back.  I met his mom, Elaine Bain last year in McDonald's at the sign up for his one day football camp.  She was extrememly nice.  I guess the saying "the apple doesn't fall far" certainly rings true in James' case.  I believe we have ourselves a real hometown hero!!

New Cuban Restaurant on Main Street: Prado's

   

     There is a new Cuban restaurant at 612 S Main Street in Belle Glade!  The best news is that it is open Monday through Saturday 5:30 am to 9:00 pm and Sunday 6:00 am till 9:00 pm.  How about that?  We have a new breakfast place right here in town!  They have dine in or take out.  Last week we tried take out with a steak sandwich, a media noche and pan con lechon which is a pork sandwich.   All were really good!
     The menu has soups, sandwiches as well as quite a few specials ranging  from ropa vieja and picadillo to pollo asado and Caribean chicken.  They also have lots of sides that you can choose from.
    We provide the gas for their beautiful new kitchen and we can tell you it is really clean!  Hope everyone comes out and supports this new restaurant!  See you there!

Two Gals Deli Now Open!

There is a new restuarant in Pahokee.  It is located at the base of the levee and is owned by Becky Maynor.  It features  wonderful homecooked specials three days a week.  Monday is Chicken-n-Dumplins, Tuesday is Chicken/Fajita Steak and Thursday is Chicken Pot Pie....yummmmmm, I can smell the wonderful creations right now.  They offer an array of sandwiches, salads and deserts.  You can call them and place an order for pickup at 924-0024 and be sure and tell them we sent ya!

Local Talent

     I recently attended the the Belle Glade, Pahokee Annual Christmas mixer at the Bank of Belle Glade.  It was very festive with lots of food, great trimmings and good folks.  There were bank presidents,  business owners, farmers, high school principals and retirees among the crowd.  The thing I was most struck by was our local talent.  Zarak Lawson played Christmas music for us with his downhome comtemporary style.  Some local women immediately jumped on the microphone and chimed in with song.  Zarak is a local musician who graduated UF (Go Gators!) and has come back to make Belle Glade his home.
       I met a local anesthesiologist named Glen who told me how lucky we are to have Dr. Karis as our local surgeon because he is top notch and extrememly well educated.  I had to agree as he has operated on nearly everyone in my family!
     When it was time for door prizes, I was lucky enough to win a book written by our very own Ann Rust who signed the copy for me.  Although already considered a local hero, someday, I believe  she will be a real celebrity.  I really enjoyed myself meeting new people and reconnecting with some I hadn't seen for awhile.
     We have a lot of talent in the Glades.  Sometimes we get a bad rap from the press but if you come out and visit for a day or so you will meet some of the finest folks in the land.