A fond salute to the inventor of Jan’s sauce

Chicken George is one of those specialty dishes for which the Sterling-Rock Falls restaurant realm is famous.

If you have guests in town and you want to take them out to sample some of our local cuisine, a trip to the Candlelight Inn is almost a must.

What makes those battered chicken breast strips even more tasty is a special sauce.

Jan’s sauce.

It’s a kind of sweet-and-sour sauce that Candlelight Inn co-owner Jan Prescott invented in 1971, according to a 2007 story in SVM’s archives.

If you’ve got a plate of Chicken George and french fries, and plenty of Jan’s sauce to go with it, you’re in for a tasty meal. Fill a doggy bag with the leftovers, and you’re all set for another meal or snack the next day.

We were saddened to learn that the inventor of Jan’s sauce died last week.

Janet Elizabeth “Jan” Prescott of Sterling was 76 years old when she passed away July 6.

For many years, she and her husband, Bob, delighted diners at their restaurant, and later, restaurants. That’s right. One restaurant on Sterling’s north edge wasn’t enough to handle all the fans of Chicken George and their numerous other menu items, so the restaurant expanded with locations in Rock Falls and Clinton, Iowa.

And right along with all that Chicken George is, you guessed it, plenty of Jan’s sauce.

Jan Prescott’s family paid tribute to her life and legacy with these words in her obituary:

“Jan enjoyed life to the fullest. She was blessed with a tremendous family and fun-loving friends who enjoyed her motherly guidance and companionship. Jan always was there to lend a helping hand to friends and relatives. Her compassion for other people was second to none. She always will be remembered for the anchor of love she provided to her family. Jan and Bob spent more than 46 years pursuing their passion, to provide great food and offer a friendly neighborhood atmosphere to the patrons of the Candlelight Inn.”

Jan Prescott will be remembered for all those things.

She’ll also be remembered for the tasty dipping sauce that bears her name.

As you might have already guessed, we’re among the many fans of Chicken George and Jan’s sauce. At a newsroom luncheon last week, both items were served, much to the delight of hungry staffers.

Perhaps a metaphor for life can be found in all of this. Sooner or later, we learn that in life, we must take the good with the bad, or the sweet with the sour, if you will.

Jan Prescott made accepting the sour with the sweet very easy on the taste buds.

For that accomplishment, her name will be spoken by Candlelight Inn patrons for as long as the restaurants keep serving Chicken George with Jan’s sauce. Not a bad legacy, indeed.

We offer our sincere condolences to her family and friends.