Guest User 7/12/12 Guest User 7/12/12

Courthouses and Cafes

Early in my career, I worked as an auditor of local government officials all over the Commonwealth. I would spend a week in the courthouse going over the tax collection records of the county Sheriff or combing through bail bond monies at the Circuit Court Clerk's office.

I understand that most people would find this an incredibly boring and tedious job. Sometimes, it was just that. Other times, though, those weeks served as my opportunity to explore a new part of Kentucky. I worked from Pikeville to Paducah, Whitley City to Covington and lots of places in between. I didn’t quite make it to all 120 counties, but I saw more than my fair share!

This was the era just before counties started getting monstrous new buildings called Justice Centers – financed by the Administrative Office of the Courts and designed to bring the judicial system in Kentucky into the high-tech modern world. At the time, working in a broom closet or in a back office whose exposed brick walls had crumbling mortar enough to see the outside world, I would never have admitted to feeling lucky. I was, though, I got to work in the old-style courthouses. The buildings were lined with historical markers, and it was cool for a history buff like me to imagine the events that had transpired in each building.

One (of many) unfulfilled ideas I’ve had was to create a cookbook featuring pictures of the old Kentucky courthouses and recipes from the local, hometown restaurants found near the courthouse square. Ok, so I know the idea of crumble old buildings might not get you going, but the little restaurants should! Some of these places are amazing! My coworkers and I tried to always opt for local eateries over national chains.

Not the prettiest courthouse, but a tasty cafe!
Photo via Kentucky Court of Justice.

There was Dooley’s Purple Cow Restaurant in Beattyville, Kentucky. We patronized that establishment for two reasons: 1) it had been featured in Southern Living, and 2) it was pretty much the only game in town besides the IGA deli counter.

Photo via Shelby County Facebook Page

Shelby County had more than your average number of city-center restaurants, but McKinley's Bread Shop and Deli was my very favorite. This little gem has decor that's pleasing to customers of all ages, but I think the kids really loved the model train that circles the room every so often. Adults are probably too busy noshing on the flavorful sandwiches, salads and soups. Hands down, my favorite was the bacon ranch potato salad. In fact, I made my mom and sister go try it so we could recreate it for my wedding reception.

Photo via Kentucky Court of Justice

While I haven't visited many of these places in recent years, I still find myself craving a trip to Oldham County and the quaint downtown of LaGrange. Complete with a railroad running through the central business district, fantastic antiques and curiosities shops, LaGrange also boasts one of my all-time favorite restaurants: The Red Pepper Deli. I remember the food as fresh, flavorful and going beyond the typical cold-cut sandwiches fare. My colleagues and I kept meaning to try the other restaurants within walking distance of the courthouse, but we found ourselves at The Red Pepper every single day. It was not monotonous at all!

From the Hickman County Courthouse, where the Clerk showed us filming locations for the Tommy Lee Jones film U.S. Marshals, to the Bell County Courthouse, nestled in Pineville among the mountains, there are some amazing small towns, old buildings, and awesome eateries in this state. I was afforded the opportunity to see and spend some time in these towns, and I encourage you to explore them, too. Not all the Kentucky gems are found in Louisville or Lexington. Some of the best hometown hospitality and charm just might be off the beaten path in the local courthouse square.

Do you have a favorite courthouse or cafe? Share it with us in the comments!

Heather C. Watson 7/11/12 Heather C. Watson 7/11/12

Junior League Horse Show

Most good Southern girls have worked what seems like countless volunteer shifts at countless charity events. We've sold cookbooks and raffle tickets. We've led tours of homes and we've decorated for holiday markets. And we've gone to more dinners than we can even remember. They all seem to run together after a while. But nobody can ever claim that Horse Show is anything but unique. The Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show, which takes place this week at the Red Mile Race Track, is unlike any other charity event you'll ever attend. For one thing, it's huge: now in it's seventy-sixth year, it's the world's largest outdoor Saddlebred horse show. It's also a really big deal, serving as the first jewel in the Saddlebred Triple Crown.

Source: lexjrleague.com via Connie on Pinterest

I've had the pleasure of volunteering at a few Horse Shows, and I have to say it's one of the most entertaining and unique events I've ever attended. Even if you know nothing about Saddlebreds or show events, it's an amazing spectacle. The delightful historic track and the show's pageantry provide a charmingly anachronistic evening. It's the kind of event where you see four generations of a family turn out to enjoy the show, and I've honestly never seen more Lilly Pulitzer prints under one roof!

Source: aceweekly.com via AceWeekly on Pinterest

Y'all should head out to the Red Mile for the remaining sessions of the Horse Show. I promise you've never seen a charity event like it!

Heather C. Watson 7/10/12 Heather C. Watson 7/10/12

Coal in Appalachia

When I was in the third grade, the local coal miners' union went on strike. It would take me twenty years to realize it, but that was my introduction to politics and economics.

Elkhorn scrip via KY Coal Heritage

My hometown, the tiny Floyd County hamlet of Garrett, was quite literally built by the Elkhorn Coal Company. The two-story wooden homes lining the hillside along the town's major street were constructed in 1912 as Elkhorn's coal camp. Growing up, I heard stories of the Company Store, which traded with its employees on a scrip system. It was always a point of pride among my mother's family that my grandfather refused to be paid in scrip; this act was a symbol of independence and rebellion in the collective family lore. The subtext of the story was pretty clear, though: coal owns us all.

Garrett, 1915 via KY Coal Heritage

Now, in third grade, I didn't quite realize the rationale behind a union strike. I didn't know if I stood on the side of labor or management. I didn't know that coal was a politically charged issue. I did, however, know that a whole lot of my classmates were directly impacted by the strike. Suddenly, my friends behaved in a far more subdued manner. They quietly alerted the teacher that they'd be switching over to free or reduced lunch. They talked about the strike a lot, and it was evident even to a third grader that money was tight. The science lessons about a dwindling fossil fuel supply took on a scarier, more immediate quality. I came to realize that, while my friends' families were no longer paid in scrip, our town belonged to coal as much in the 1980s as it had seventy years earlier.

Garrett, 1970s via Garrett Historical Society

Twenty years later, coal is still crucial to my town's existence. Even though the big, easily-mined seams are long gone, coal is everywhere. A thin strip, far from mineable, runs through the mountain in my parents' backyard. We drive past coal tipples every day. Some friends' families made their fortunes as coal executives; others lost a bundle investing in mines. So many of my friends' parents are miners and mine-related professionals. In my own family, one uncle was an electrician in the mines, another ran a coal truck business for many years. My fiancé's family has a long history with the steel plants that run along the Ohio River on the state's northeastern border -- plants that are, of course, fueled by Eastern Kentucky coal. In one way or another, everyone with ties to Eastern Kentucky relies on coal.

The truth is, coal is the basis for Eastern Kentucky's economy. Last month, when Arch Coal announced a five hundred job layoff, it seemed far more real to most people I know than the devastating economic forecasts that have plagued the United States for the past few years. In a historically poor area, amidst a woefully soft national economy, the reduction of five hundred jobs was devastating. As Eastern Kentuckians, we need coal to keep our area afloat. It truly does, as the slogans say, keep the lights on. And yet, there is no question that it's an inherently dangerous enterprise.

Mining always has been a dangerous business. Miners are, by the very nature of their work, frequently injured on the job. Black lung has always been a working hazard that accompanied mining. Now, new studies show that current working conditions have spawned a resurgence in black lung cases among coal miners. The environmental impact of mining is pervasive as well. Study upon study points to carcinogens in our air and water. And then there's the issue of mountaintop removal, which has escalated the coal issue to a fever pitch. Supporters claim that this radical form of surface mining will keep the mining industry afloat; opponents claim that the process creates toxic by-products, rendering the water table lethal.

Mining is a thorny issue, and there isn't one right answer. Coal companies fight to continue production. Activists fight to raise awareness of the environmental and health risks. And miners work hard -- sacrificing their own health and even their lives -- to provide for their families. It's a complex cycle. And yet, it's so often portrayed with a cartoonish naïveté: You're either for coal or you're against it.

I suppose, on one level, that is correct. You can't both support the extraction of a mineral and advocate leaving it in place. You either want to remove mountaintops or you don't. As the old saying goes, you can't be a little bit pregnant. To me, though, the issue has always been about grey areas. I'd love to see a cleaner, more sustainable energy source. I'd love to see the people of my beloved Eastern Kentucky live without the fear of mine-related deaths and without the contaminant by-products of mining. But I also don't want to see an already-precarious economic system suffer an irreparable crash. I don't want the price of cleaner energy to be the economic death of coal-producing regions.

Eastern Kentuckians have, in my experience, always felt stymied by this conundrum. Our region is mineral-rich and nestled away; it was absolutely perfect for the signature industry we developed. Now, that industry is slipping away. Most of the coal is gone. Environmental regulations -- whether you love them or hate them -- are phasing out the portions of the industry that remain. And, we're left terrified, wondering What's next? The very "nestled away-ness" of the region that once produced deep mineral reserves has also prohibited any successful bids for establishing factories or other large-scale business.

What we see, time and again, are people who approach the problem of the End of Coal as We Know It by erecting dividing lines and conducting ad hominem attacks. There's a pervasive belief that, in acknowledging the environmental repercussions and health risks that accompany the coal industry, we're attacking the fathers, uncles and grandfathers who risk their lives to put food on the table. The distinction that many outsiders draw between being anti-coal and pro-miner is, for most Eastern Kentuckians who rely on coal for their livelihood, solely an academic one. My own home county has memorably jumped on the blame bandwagon, singling out Kentucky-born actress and activist Ashley Judd for her highly publicized criticism of mountaintop removal.

In this Sunday's New York Times Op-Ed page, the Berea-based author and environmental activist Jason Howard takes issue with many pro-coal Appalachians' treatment of his fellow mountaintop removal critics. In this piece, entitled "Appalachia Turns on Itself", Mr. Howard describes deplorable violence taken against activists. He concludes:

"There is no easy resolution to the fraught relationship between the coal industry and the people of Appalachia, many of whom rely on it for jobs even as it poisons their regions. But it is imperative that the industry's leaders and their elected allies lay down their propaganda and engage an honest, civil dialogue about the issue. The stakes are too high to do otherwise."

Mr. Howard is right; there is no easy resolution to the tensions between Appalachia and coal. And, there certainly is a need for a civil dialogue among all affected parties -- coal industry representatives, activists, miners, and elected officials on both sides of the partisan divide. It is time for Eastern Kentuckians, through our community leaders and elected officials, to address the economic realities of our future. All signs point to an increased call for energy sources with a lower carbon footprint, rendering a dire need for new infrastructure and industry in Eastern Kentucky. Coal is a very personal and divisive issue for Eastern Kentuckians. Our towns were built on it. It is our past and our present. It's time, however, for a thoughtful and informed dialogue about its role in our future.

Heather C. Watson 7/6/12 Heather C. Watson 7/6/12

National Fried Chicken Day

Today is National Fried Chicken Day! Now, I don't know who thought of such a brilliant holiday, but they're 100% correct. Fried chicken sounds wonderful for dinner tonight.

Source: vintageadbrowser.com via Her on Pinterest

I've never had a lot of success re-creating my granny's signature recipe. It looks so easy; you just dredge the chicken pieces in flour and fry in a skillet. No matter how hard I try, the breading winds up coming off. I have the skillet temperature down pat, and I make a tasty breading. It just doesn't stick. My own fried chicken recipe is fairly simple. I let the pieces soak in buttermilk for half an hour or so. I prepare a mixture of flour, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a little cayenne pepper. I dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then deep-fry it in vegetable oil in a dutch oven. This process is quick and ensures a moist, perfect piece.

Source: neatorama.com via Her on Pinterest

Of course, here in Kentucky, there are more than a few places to go for chicken. Ramsey's and Merrick Inn are my go-to spots in Lexington. And, of course, there's always KFC! How do you like your fried chicken?

Heather C. Watson 7/5/12 Heather C. Watson 7/5/12

Coca-Cola Cake

Apple pie has long been the embodiment of Americana. Except, well... I'm not a huge fan of fruit pies. And I don't make good pie crust. So, when I decided to make a dessert for last night's family Fourth cookout, I decided to seek inspiration elsewhere.

Nothing's more American (and, for that matter, Southern) than Coca-Cola, right?

So, I decided to make a Coca-Cola cake. I'd heard many times that it was a classic recipe of my late great-aunt's, but I'd never actually sampled it. So, I tried a recipe from Southern Living, which is, of course, the bible for such things. The cake turned out well, if a little gooey and indulgent. I'm always fascinated to try recipes from bygone eras. Boiled frosting and mini-marshmallows are such a throwback to Sixties cookery. I'd never used either before. Nor had I cooked with soda. But, the result was really fun and, I have to say, delicious.

It was also really nice to hear comparisons to my Great-Aunt Marie's cooking; she was such a wonderful, gracious, vibrant lady. She and my Great-Uncle Ed lived on the Atlantic Coast of Florida in the Eighties and Nineties. They spent their summers here in Kentucky; we were always so excited when they would arrive, bringing them, their curiously Florida-bright polyester ensembles, their ubiquitous chihuahua, and a van-load of presents for us kids. Now that we're all adults, my brother and cousin frequently joke that I've become the Aunt Ree of our generation whenever I don a particularly loud Lilly Pulitzer dress, adopt yet another dog, or wear one of her vintage brooches. I sure hope they're right. At least I know that I have one of Aunt Ree's signature recipes down pat.

Coca-Cola Cake, via August 2002 Southern Living

Ingredients

1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Coca-Cola Frosting
Garnish: 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

Combine Coca-Cola and buttermilk; set aside.

Beat butter at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar; beat until blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat at low speed until blended.

Combine flour, cocoa, and soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with cola mixture; begin and end with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended.

Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes. Pour Coca-Cola Frosting over warm cake; garnish, if desired.

Note: Don't make the frosting ahead--you need to pour it over the cake shortly after baking.

Coca-Cola Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup Coca-Cola
3 tablespoons cocoa (I used dark chocolate cocoa here.)
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla.

Emily Ho 7/4/12 Emily Ho 7/4/12

How To: Kentucky Printable

Last week on Pinterest, I saw a fabulous link to a post on The Vintage Lemon with blank state printables. I promptly grabbed the Kentucky one, added a heart and the word "Lexington" to it. This now serves as my computer desktop background, and it makes me deliriously happy.