Liz Rosenbaum, who recently started her own business, Her Story Cafe, will teach a soup-making class Feb. 12 at Ranch Foods Direct. She’ll demonstrate two soups, a creamy potato and a chicken noodle, and talk about the basics of good soup-making, how to blend ingredients, how to prepare ingredients beforehand for the best outcome and how to choose dairy items that contribute to healthier, smoother and creamier results.

She’ll offer samples of her own creations. “Come hungry,” she says.

And don’t be surprised if you leave with a history lesson or two.

She’s a history teacher by trade. “I love history,” she says. “With my soups, you can eat them and not just enjoy a local product, you can learn a little bit of history and feel inspired. I do a lot of research before choosing a name for each.”

Greta Garbonzo Bang, for example, mixes garbonzo beans and tender chicken with chunks of avocado and a special spice to give it a kick. She credits Actress Greta Gorbo with saying, “Anyone who has a continuous smile on her face conceals a toughness that is almost frightening.” Her Chili Queens Chili is named after the Texas women who first turned whatever-you-have-on-hand stew into the now-signature dish that has a distinctive formula and flavor. She also wants to rename her Working Woman’s Beef Stew after Rosie the Riveter. History reveals there were a number of “Rosies” in countries around the world who stepped up to the plate during World War II, working hard in factories to make things. They came home at night with a hearty appetite; this stew is meant to honor them. She likes using her soups to tell stories and introduce inspiring women.

Liz gets all her meats from Ranch Foods Direct. Her stew is made with Callicrate Beef chuck roast. “It is so tender it melts in your mouth,” she says. Likewise, she says the boneless chicken breasts are “amazing,” and she’s also a fan of the Applewood-smoked bacon.

“I’m from Iowa, so I use corn a lot. I like bacon too,” she says. “That’s what’s nice about soups: you can experiment.” Ranch Foods Direct has turkey stock available, and Liz says it makes a fine substitute for chicken stock.

Liz is no stranger to the concept of buying local. Since moving to Colorado Springs 11 years ago, she’s been a regular at the farmers market. She also gardens and has three chickens to provide her family with fresh eggs. When she learned about GottaLoveIt, the new commercial kitchen in Old Colorado City that teams up with artisan food makers who want to sell their own products, she jumped at the opportunity to sign on: “I’m sold on this idea. This is an excellent way to get our own food economy going.”

Her soups are sold at GottaLoveIt Kitchen and at Ranch Foods Direct. She also makes an Alfredo sauce for serving with pasta or chicken. “Our family puts it over eggs in the morning,” she says. She posts regular product updates on her website. Her motto? “Eat. Laugh. Relax.”