Making a Quilt

Over the years, my grandmother has made dozens of quilts for me.  The summer I watched Gone with the Wind repeatedly, she made me a quilt with parasols and hats reminiscent of Scarlett's barbecue attire.  When I declared a pre-law major, she started work on a courthouse themed quilt.  And, there have been several Wildcats quilts, commemorating my obsessive love for my team. 

Now, my grandmother is getting older, and her health is starting to falter.  Over the years, I've said many times that I planned to start making a quilt of my own, but I just never got around to it.  I'm not the craftiest of people.  Besides, I far prefer knitting or needlepoint for relaxation; they're far more mobile and self-contained.  Still, I wanted to be able to say that I'd worked on a quilt with my Nan. 

Last summer, I ran across this gorgeous beachhouse bedroom on a magazine cover.  I loved the simplicity and old-fashionedness of the Ohio Star quilt pattern.  I simply adored the classic red and white color scheme.  I immediately  decided that this would be the quilt we made together.

So, I picked out my fabric, found a pattern, and was ready to go.  I was expecting a poignant family moment.  It wasn't quite as charming as all that.

First of all, as Sarah has previously mentioned, making a quilt isn't easy. (Lydia, I'm not calling you out on this "quick and easy" foolishness, but I'd sure like some pointers.)  Before you get to the point of putting together beautiful quilt blocks, there's a whole lot of minutia to be accomplished.  Like cutting out pieces.  And measuring.  It's tedious. And precise.  And it isn't nearly as conducive to kicking back with a bottle glass of wine as, say, knitting a scarf.

Second, a quilting bee may sound like a wonderfully retro girl-power experience.  In reality, when you have two wildly opinionated and, let's face it, bossy, women working on a project, there's bound to be tension.  I wanted a King-sized quilt; my granny prefers to make smaller pieces.  My granny works quickly and wanted to get the project finished; I just couldn't keep up her pace.  We weren't smiling and sewing, side by side, like a perfect picture.  She didn't hand down life lessons as we worked.  It didn't really match the image I'd built up in my head.  Things seldom do.

Still, it was an amazing experience, learning a bit about a tradition that's been passed down through generations of my family.  My granny and I may have butted heads a bit, but we also spent some wonderful time together.  And, the finished product is absolutely stunning.

If you're brave enough to try it, you can download an Ohio Star pattern here.  Let me know how it turns out!

In Search of the Perfect Beer Cheese Recipe

via BeerCheese.com

When I was a kid, I thought beer cheese came in a plastic tub from the grocery store.  Specifically, one that said "Hall's."  My parents are EKU alumni, and they had fond memories of trips to Hall's on the River  from their Richmond days.  It was always a huge treat when we could find containers of Hall's Beer Cheese at our local grocery store; I loved the snappy, spicy cheese spread as a snack with vegetables or crackers.

When I got to college, I first heard of making your own beer cheese.  My roommate's aunt would whip up a batch a few times a year and send us some.  And, you know, it tasted a whole lot fresher and less "chemical-y" than the pre-made stuff.  I also developed quite an affinity for the beer cheese and crudité plate at Charlie Brown's.  (I was, by this time, way too grown-up and sophisticated to just call them vegetables anymore!)

Now, beer cheese has gotten creative.  Winchester, the birthplace of beer cheese, hosts an annual festival to spotlight it.  Local restaurants have found that it sure is good as a hamburger spread.  And, many people find that the flavor of their beer cheese can be altered by the quality and type of beer added to the recipe.  Beer cheese connoisseurs use stouts or ales to provide complex flavor.  My personal favorite recipe is from Chef Jonathan Lundy's cookbook; it uses Kentucky Ale's fantastic Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. The result is a spicy, nutty cheese spread with wonderfully subtle bourbon notes.  

Whether you prefer gourmet or classic recipes, though, pretty much any beer cheese is wonderful.  Just open a beer, take a drink or so off the top, and fire up the food processor.  It's a great taste of Central Kentucky in just a few minutes' prep time.


Basic Beer Cheese:

10 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese

10 ounces mild cheddar cheese

2 cloves garlic

7 ounces beer

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

 Dash of hot sauce (I prefer Louisiana or Crystal)

1. Open beer and bring to room temperature.

2 Grate cheese with box grater and mince garlic. Place in food processor.
3. Add remaining ingredients, mix in food processor until smooth.  You may need to add seasonings to taste.
4. Refrigerate overnight.  This is best served the next day.

Books In Progress Conference

A couple of weeks ago, I finally utilized a gem in Lexington, The Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning. As someone who has a goal to write a book but no idea if I'm on the right path, I thought the Books-in-Progress Conference sounded perfect.

The conference featured sessions for writers of all types: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, YA, and more. Bestselling author and Kentucky-native Barbara Kingsolver led the keynote session where she answered a variety of questions from the group about her inspiration, research, writing, and editing process. Literary agents Sorche Fairbank and Janet Reid were on hand to have individual sessions with authors, and also to speak about the querying process.

The sessions were fantastic and I left not only with inspiration to write, but also feeling that you don't have to be a literary whiz in order to call yourself a writer. 

The Carnegie Center offers classes both online and off throughout the year, and also provides writing mentors for consultation. If you have any interest in writing, check them out as we continue to hold Kentucky as the literary arts capital of Mid-America. (Here's a great article from Business Lexington about local authors)

Learn more about the Carnegie Center on their website. To read about more of HerKentucky's favorite Kentucky-writers, check out this post. 

In Photos: Favorite Lexington Diners

Summer in Lexington means patio dining at my favorite local diners.


Ramsey's. Go to the original at High and Woodland. Order the fried green tomatoes.

Stella's.  The best hamburger in Lexington.

What are your favorite summertime diners?

A Kentuckian in California

I mean they have these in the BACKYARD!

I went abroad last week, y'all. Or at least it felt like another country.

I went to California.

Now, first let me say, it is not Californians with which I have a problem. Everyone was super sweet and accommodating and generous. Got nothing but love for all the fabulous people I met in California. However...let me share a rundown of observations from the Sunshine State that left me longing for the the bluegrass of Kentucky after only a couple of days.

* The June gloom was a real bummer, even if it did burn off by the afternoon.
* Everything is SO. SO. SO. expensive.
* There is an excessive amount of door locking that had me pretty paranoid by the end of the trip.
* I do not ever in my life want to spend that much time and energy thinking about (much less sitting in) traffic.
* Seriously, $4.15 for a *&%# gallon of gas!
* I'm not sure I want kale to be that large of a part of my diet.
* I do not miss living in an one industry town.
* A plethora of options is at the same time exciting and exhausting.
* Turns out being around a bunch of skinny tan people is not so great for the old self-image.
* Lunch should never cost $30 for ONE person. (Noticing a theme here?)

In full disclosure, there were some nice things. They have SIDEWALKS - a novel concept I know but one Paducah hasn't quite got on to yet. Despite the annoying and pervasive presence of skinny people, it was nice to always have fresh, healthy food options close by. The Coffee Bean is in fact delicious and I got to go to an H&M (Hallelujah!).

But...

My first full day back home I had to go to baby shower. It was about five minutes away (in fairness, everything in Paducah is about five minutes away) and as I rounded a corner and turned onto a highway surrounded by green fields and topped by big, wide open blue sky I found myself taking a deep, slow exhale.


~ Sarah Stewart Holland 

Gift Guide for Kentucky Dads

The other day, my brother and I were joking about how easy it is to phone it in with Father's Day presents.   I figured that most Americans would opt for a new iPad loaded with the Weber Grill app -- done and done.  This got me thinking about truly unique, Kentucky-themed presents.  Here are a few ideas that I believe your father, husband, etc., will adore.

via Keeneland Gift Shop

If Dad loves racing, Keeneland-logo gear is always appreciated.  This Smathers & Branson needlepoint belt is just gorgeous, a Keeneland Tervis Tumbler is always appreciated, and the Keeneland twill baseball cap is a classic favorite.

via Pennington and Bailes

via BigTimeBats.

The Kentucky fan on your Father's Day list would love these seersucker shorts from Pennington and Bailes or a UK tie from Vineyard Vines.  And how awesome would this National Champs Louisville Slugger be for his office shelf?

Of course, Kentucky has so many local treasures to offer your dad.  My own daddy asked for a round at Lexington's Kearney Hills Golf Links. If Dad isn't a golfer, a trip to a local lake or state park would be fun.  A trip to see the Legends or the Bats is appreciated by the baseball-loving dad.

 

The foodie dad would appreciate a trip to one of Louisville's incredible restaurants.  I'd suggest Proof on Main for great food, cool atmosphere and fantastic cocktails.  Of course, you can never go wrong with a bottle of bourbon.  Pair dad's favorite bottle with a set of whiskey stones, and you're good to go.

Are there any Kentucky gifts on your Father's Day shopping list?

Garden Success in the Bluegrass!

Last month, I shared with you my source for all things vegetable plants: Michler’s in Lexington. Today, I’m here to show you a little bit of success.

I am proud to reveal my very first harvestable, I-can’t-believe-I-didn’t-kill-them vegetables. I give you…radishes:

These guys were, reportedly, juicy and carried a little bit of spicy bite to them. I’m not a fan of radishes, so I happily divided my harvest between my husband and my mom. Both of them bit right into them like they were apples. Success!

Almost ready to harvest is this banana pepper. I LOVE banana peppers and am trying to wait patiently until it’s fully ripe. Not much longer!

The cayenne peppers are coming along quite nicely, too. My husband says we need to wait just a bit longer for these to be ready. I have no idea what do with them once harvested, but he seems excited at the process. It took me by surprise that there was even fruit on this plant. It’s hard to spot!

For you seasoned green thumbs, these three successes might seem old hat or piddly. Not so, my friends! This is proof that I do not kill every living plant placed in my care. It’s a summertime miracle!