The Five Best Cups of Coffee in Kentucky
Everybody needs at least one cup of coffee a day, right? Or maybe more?
You coffee-obsessed residents of the Commonwealth know that it doesn't really matter how hot it gets outside, a good cup of coffee or two are necessary every day. Here are the best we've found in the Bluegrass State.
- Best espresso drink: Sunergos cappuccino from Atlantic No. 5. A locally brewed roast served up with perfectly steamed, milk, you're in luck, but make sure you can handle big flavors and a serious caffeine jolt. This isn't for amateurs.
- Best French press: Ghyslain. I'm really into French presses and pour-overs these days. You get so much more flavor from the coffee oils and packs a powerful punch. My favorite is the dark roast French press from Ghyslain, the fabulous bistro with two Louisville locations.
- Best cup of drip: (tie) Coffee Times. I adore the artisanal blends from this Lexington coffee shop. The blends are smooth, subtle, and inviting. You'll always see somebody you know. You'll love it, I promise. Lizzie B's: Glory be! I can finally get a great cup of coffee when I visit my hometown. Prestonsburg's favorite cafe serves up an amazing cup of drip. Don't miss out!
- Best Newcomer: Paducah Coffee Company roast at Piper's Tea & Coffee. I don't know if y'all have heard, but HerKentucky contributor Sarah Stewart Holland is shouting from the rooftops that Paducah is Having a Moment. Everywhere you look, there's artisans and renovations and locally made products. Sarah suggests the Turkish Coffee at Piper's, in the fabulous Coke Plant building.
Where do y'all get your favorite caffeine fix?
In case you missed it:
Philly Cheesesteak Pizza with Red Gold Tomatoes and Laura's Lean Beef
Quick, easy and light grilled pizza snack!
Summertime means grilling, fresh flavors, and easy recipes!
This morning, I was on WTVQ's Good Day Kentucky morning show making a quick, fun recipe that's easy enough for the kids to help make! This cheesesteak pizza, from our friends at Red Gold and Laura's Lean Beef, is light and easy!
GRILLED CHEESESTEAK PIZZA
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 5 MINUTES
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, sliced (use from a jar)
- 1⁄2 onion, sliced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can RED GOLD® DICED TOMATOES, drained
- 1⁄2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 5 ounces Laura’s Lean Beef Sirloin Steak, cooked and thinly sliced
- 1 10 to 11 ounce container pizza dough, your favorite recipe or store bought
- 2 tablespoons RED GOLD® TOMATO PASTE
- 2 ounce shredded provolone cheese
- 2 ounce shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
· Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook red bell pepper, onions and tomatoes together until onions are soft. Sprinkle with oregano and set aside.
· Grill or cook steak to a medium temperature. When finished cooking, slice the steak into thin pieces.
· Divide pizza dough in half and roll each half out into a circle, getting it as thin as possible. Heat grill to high. Make sure grill rack is clean and gently lay each crust onto the grill rack. Cook about 1 to 2 minutes per side depending on grill temperature. Use tongs to flip and cook each side of each crust. If bubbles appear, just prick the dough bubble and keep cooking.
· Spread 1 tablespoon of paste on each crust. Divide and top each pizza with the tomato mixture, beef and cheese. Carefully return pizza to grill, lower heat and close grill lid. Cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted. Keep close watch on pizzas, moving them away from the hotspot on your grill if crust is getting to toasty. If you like a little bit of char on the bottom of the pizza – this is what gives it some authentic flavor.
· Sprinkle with the ¼ cup tomatoes that were set aside along with the fresh parsley. Serve Immediately.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS PER SERVING
Calories 390, Fat 15g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 1010mg, Carbohydrate 38g, Fiber 4g, Protein 25g,
Vitamin A 25%, Vitamin C 30%, Calcium 30%, Iron 20%
If you love to grill, you should check out the Red Gold Facebook page -- Red Gold and Laura's Lean Beef are giving away a Big Green Egg grill!
herPaducah: A Paducah Summer List for Adults
Summer fun in Paducah!
Welcome to the first installment of herPaducah!
If you read bluegrass redhead, you know Paducah is having a MOMENT (and you've entered yourself in the #PaducahProud giveaway!). Here at herKentucky we decided that Paducah was having SUCH a moment we wanted to create a special section where we can explore all this little river town has to offer.
Summer is a perfect time of year to go exploring so we're going to kick things off with a summer list for ADULTS. We've made a list with lots for little ones. Inspired by You Are My Fave's "How to summer" categories, this list is for the big kid inside us all. Click here to download a copy!
GO
- To the Paducah Farmers' Market and stock up on homegrown food, handmade crafts, and pickled everything.
- On a tour and stop for a tasting at the Purple Toad Winery.
- Hear music at the river, MAC, the Coke Plant ... you've got options.
MAKE
- Something new during an Ephemera workshop.
- Something inspired at MAKE.
- A new goal, a new business, a new dream at SHARE.
DO
- Bike the Greenway Trail.
- Take your taste buds on a tour of the Coke Plant with Turkish Coffee from Piper's Tea and Coffee and/or a flight of beer from Dry Ground Brewing Company.
- Try Stand Up Paddleboarding on Kentucky Lake.
EAT
- The pasta carbonara at Italian Grill on Broadway... you can eat anything there but start with the pasta carbonara. Just trust us.
- Anything from The Freight House - the restaurant doesn't open until August but don't miss the pop ups!
- At Happy Chili's Parlor. Rib tips. Brisket. Fried Chicken. You won't go wrong.
National Pink Day!
Every girly-girl's favorite holiday!
Today is National Pink Day. I have no idea where this "holiday" comes from, but I look for any reason to sport my favorite color. (I also don't know how it wound up on a Tuesday, but that's another story.)
We rounded up a few of our favorite ways to celebrate -- from fun, inexpensive, trendy pieces to some gorgeous statement pieces. We'd love to hear what you're wearing today!
This jumpsuit is only $65. I LOVE the color. So, so cute!
This Romper is under $50. It's hot pink, on fleek for the romper trend, and adorable!
Y'all. This popscicle crossbody. At $33, you need one. Your daughter wants one. Your BFF probably does, too. It's a summertime must-have.
This Lilly Pulitzer Elsa silk top is my summertime go-to. It takes me back to my college Phi Mu days, when I couldn't get enough pink and white (our sorority colors) or lions (our mascot); of course I had to get one of my own!
This gorgeous Boden top is on sale at Ruelala right now!
And, of course, you'll need a cocktail. Why not celebrate with a Chambord Champagne?
Cheers to all things pink!
Shop the Look: National Pink Day
{This post contains affiliate links. HerKentucky LLC receives a nominal profit from revenue generated by this post.}
The Five Best Cupcakes in Kentucky
Counting down the Bluegrass State's best cupcakes!
Today we're counting down our favorite cupcakes in the Commonwealth. If you have a different suggestion, we're happy to go out and field-test some more. You know, solely in the name of research.
5. Caramanda's Bake Shoppe, Lexington. Caramanda's brought the idea of trendy cupcakes to the LEX a few years ago, with a kiosk in the Fayette Mall and a drive-through window at their Boston Road location. If you love fluffy icing and lots of flavor varieties, this is the spot for you!
4. Treehouse Cafe & Bakery, Hazard. Creative and delicious cupcakes!
3. Dave's Bakery, Flatwoods. One of our readers wrote in to say that we'd overlooked Dave's on our Donut List. It's hard to even say what's the best thing on the menu at Dave's, because it's all really good. This old-school bakery has been popular in Greenup County for as long as anybody can remember.
2. Upside-down dipped cupcake, Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen, Louisville. This cupcake is unlike anything else on the list. A hot cupcake is dipped, bottom-side-up, into icing. The result is a widely-distributed, seemingly baked-on effect. Simply delicious.
1. Magee's Bakery, Lexington. Magee's hasn't changed their icing recipe since, well, ever. There's no need to. This is old-timey bakery buttercream on a smaller, more traditional cupcake. It's also, basically, perfect.
Did we get it right? Who makes your favorite Kentucky cupcake?
In case you missed it:
- The Five Best Barbecue Joints in Kentucky
- The Five Best Doughnuts in Kentucky
- The Five Best Burgers in Kentucky
The Kentucky Book Lover's Summer Fun List
Isn't it at the top of everyone's summer fun list to relax and read more books? Today, I've put together a list of ten recently-released books with a Kentucky connection that you should consider for your summer reading list! Click here to download a PDF of the list!
by Emily Bingham. This is at the top of my to-read list for the summer. It's the story of the scandalous Jazz Age daughter of Louisville's famous Bingham newspaper family, as told by her great-niece.
by Wes Berry. I'm always looking for an excuse to get more barbecue in my life.
by Aimeee Zaring. I love the idea of celebrating the cultures and stories of folks from across the Commonwealth, and food is such a universal language of comfort and care.
by Kate Mayfield. It's not very often that you first hear of a book set in small-town Kentucky when perusing a British magazine. Indeed, Kentucky-native Kate Mayfield, herself an undertaker's daughter, has lived in England for many years. I've seen several reviews calling this one quirky and interesting; I look forward to reading it!
,
by Peter Brackney. Our friend Peter Brackney, an attorney and writer of the excellent historical blog The Kaintuckeean, talks about Lexington landmarks that have, sadly, been lost.
by Melissa McEuen. A look at some of the most influential women in Kentucky history.
by Wendell Berry. A new anthology of essays on politics, environmentalism, and morality by the venerable Kentucky author.
and Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey
, both by Fred Minnnick. Bourbon writer Minnick's two latest works include a tasting manual and a history of women in the spirits industry.
by Megan Whitmer. Young Adult novels, particularly of the fantasy genre, aren't usually my jam. That said, Megan, my cousin-in-law and a sometime HerKentucky writer, has crafted a really fine book here. You should check it out!!
What's on your Summer Bookshelf?
{This post contains affiliate links through the Amazon Associates Program. HerKentucky receives a very small percentage of any purchase you make through clicking the links above.}
Joy Williams Venus Album Review
I was a huge fan of the Nashville-based duo The Civil Wars. I LOVED the way Joy Willams' haunting, ethereal voice soared opposite John Paul White's soulful sound. Like a lot of Civil Wars fans, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of Joy's post-Civil Wars solo album. Of course, when One2One Network offered me the opportunity to review the album, I was thrilled to give it an early listen.
Williams' solo album, Venus, tells a beautiful, uplifting story of modern womanhood. Themes of mothering, relationships, and strength abound. The songs don't have the dreamy, old-time feel of Civil Wars tunes; rather, they're often straightforward tales of love, loss, or celebration. "Sweet Love of Mine" will resonate with mothers or anyone else who has a very special child in their life. "Woman (Oh Mama)" is beautifully celebratory, and if "Before I Sleep" hasn't already been slated for a movie soundtrack, it should be soon! Of course, for Civil Wars die-hards, it's easy to interpret a few songs as being about the band's breakup; perhaps "One Day I Will" is just that, or maybe it's about the end of another type of relationship. That's the beauty of Venus; many of these songs go beyond Joy's own experiences and touch something universal in the listener.