HerKentucky's Guide to an Extraordinary Independence Day!
Happy Fourth, y'all! Independence Day is a great holiday. There's cookouts, and fireworks, and cookouts and fireworks...
But this year, why not do a little more? Celebrate the nation while doing something fun and memorable! Here are some great ways to celebrate the holiday around the Commonwealth.
2014 Nashville Hot Chicken Festival
- Start the day off right with a run! Owensboro's Independence Bank is holding a Freedom Day 5K on July 4th. You'll get your exercise in for the morning and feel a little better about splurging on some good holiday food the rest of the day!
- Hot Chicken Festival! Nashville's Hot Chicken Festival is always fun! You can sample the Music City's very own fast food delicacy, take in some great local beer, and meet some really cool new friends.
- The Flea off Market With great vendors and even better food trucks, Louisville's Flea off Market in Nulu is a fun way to see everybody and find some unique treasures.
- Peaches from The Peach Truck! Catch The Peach Truck, Nashville's mobile source for the most amazing fresh peaches, is bringing its Freestone Tour to Kentucky and Ohio over the next few days. At noon on the 4th, they'll be at Brownsboro Hardware. On Monday, they'll be in Somerset and Danville. Check their website for the full schedule, then take a look at Garden & Gun's recipe for Bourbon Brown Butter Peach Ice Cream.
- Take in a Reds Game! Baseball is America's pastime, after all. Why not catch a game in the Cincinnati Reds' series against the Brewers? Sign up here for a free Mustache Appreciation Glass with your ticket purchase.
- Ice Cream Social! Take in the 4th of July Pie Contest and Ice Cream Social in Lexington's Cheapside Park.
- Local Celebrations! Of course, the best party of all is the one that includes your own family, friends and neighbors! Take in your hometown fireworks with friends. Celebrate Elizabethtown's birthday. Celebrate freedom!
- Wear a patriotic tee with a Kentucky twist! I've already planned my outfit with a little help from My Kentucky Tee.
What are y'all doing for the 4th?
B.You July Challenge
Those of y'all who've been reading HerKentucky most of this year know that I fell in love with B.You fitness studio. I quickly found relief from my back injuries through barre classes. I was feeling great, looking great, and then...
And then I hit that point. Everyone who's ever signed up for a gym membership knows exactly the point I mean. The point where, all of a sudden, it doesn't feel like quite as much of a necessity to go to fitness classes. The point where long workdays, or a touch of the flu, or a million other excuses mount up. I was still going once or twice a week, but I was no longer devoted. My form in class suffered. I went up a pants size. My back started to hurt again.
It's like B.You specifically had me in mind when they designed the July challenge. 21 classes in 31 days -- that will certainly get me back to where I need to be. It'll be nice to win a tank top. It'll be much better to lose a few inches and get back in the groove of health and mindfulness.
Meet me at the barre! There's still time to sign up for the B.You July challenge, and I guarantee you'll feel better for it! Visit B.you's Facebook page for more information!
Five Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Corvette
Celebrating the 62nd birthday of the Corvette!
On June 30, 1953, the first Chevrolet Corvette was completed. Conceived as the "dream car" of GM Chief Designer Harley Earl, the original Corvette was crafted by hand.
The Corvette quickly became THE American luxury sports car. The body styles have changed throughout the years, but the Corvette brand remains a cult favorite for folks who love classic American styling, big motors, and speed. Famous Corvette owners include John Wayne and Matthew McConaughey. Seriously, does it get any cooler than that?
1968 Corvette. Image via Car & Driver.
The Corvette is also one of Kentucky's most famous exports. The Bowling Green GM plant has produced every single 'Vette for the past thirty-four years. If you've ever taken a trip from Louisville to Nashville on I-65, you know that Corvette owners from across the country love to drive their cars to festivities at the plant and the museum next door. It's a really cool, surreal experience to see a caravan of Corvettes heading down the highway!
In honor of the Corvette's birthday, (and just because I love any opportunity to drop a little Matthew McConaughey and Steve Sanders into a HerKentucky post), here's some fun Corvette trivia:
- The name "corvette" comes from a small, highly maneueverable naval warship. The Middle French term is derived from the Dutch "corf", meaning "small ship."
- The 1953 Corvette had a base price of $3,498.00; optional accessories were a heater ($91.40) and an AM radio ($145.15). The model came in one color combination: polo white with a black soft top, red wheels, and a red interior.
- In 1981, production of Corvettes was moved to Bowling Green. New 'Vettes from Bowling Green included clear coat paint and the fiberglass-reinforced rear monoleaf spring.
- There was no 1983 Corvette. 1982 was the last year for the C3 model. Although a handful of prototypes were built in 1983, the focus was on the redesign for 1984's C4, which included a one-piece removable roof panel and digital instruments. 1982 was the last year you could purchase the optional eight-track tape deck in a Corvette.
- In February 2014, a sinkhole measuring 40 feet across and 25-30 feet deep damaged the National Corvette Museum, which is located across the street from the Bowling Green plant. Several special edition cars, including the one millionth Corvette, were impacted.
Image via Reuters.
Happy Birthday to the Corvette! If Steve Sanders loves you, then you must be legit.
Everybody's favorite 1990s Corvette enthusiast, 90210's Steve Sanders!
The 10 Bourbons We're Drinking This Summer
Everybody knows that, when asked "what are you drinking, a real Kentuckian will never just say, "bourbon." We take our brands seriously. True Kentucky women don't keep one bottle of bourbon on hand any more than we own one pair of shoes: we know that you keep a bottle for drinking, a bit for cooking, and some to savor. You use different brands for cocktails than for sipping. You serve your guests something a little nicer than you'd drink on a regular day. Today's HerKentucky Summer Fun List was a fun experiment -- I asked our writers what they're drinking right now. Click here to download. The list may surprise you.
Mash at Jim Beam Still House.
- Basil Hayden's. I sipped some Basil the other day when I visited Jim Beam. I'd forgotten how ridiculously smooth and full-bodied it is. 80 proof, rye-heavy, and aged 8 years, it's a lovely sippin' whiskey.
- Bulleit. This is another rye-heavy mixture. Very bold and spicy. And, as I learned at the Original Maker's Club Pimento Cheese Social this year, it makes a fantastic Old Fashioned or bourbon punch! Great for mixing, great for tailgating; the flavor is complex yet clean.
- Four Roses: If it was good enough for William Faulkner, it's good enough for me. The yellow label is good for everyday use -- clear and clean with high caramel notes; the Small Batch is fantastic for tastings.
- Maker's Mark: The iconic red bottle symbolizes so many good things for me: Christmas, football games, and basically every chocolate-flavored baked good I've concocted in the past 10 years or so. Maker's Mark is the "house wine" at my house, and we completely ignored the know-it-all from the New York Times who called it the "Volvo of bourbons." The high-wheat mash bill provides a smooth, sweet, drinkable bourbon with up-front notes of caramel and vanilla. You know it's delicious.
- Woodford Reserve: This is a great sipping whiskey. High-rye, lots of vanilla and oak notes. Basically, the creme brûlée of bourbon. Makes a great sweet cocktail, like an Old-Fashioned!
- 1792: Mellow and sweet, slightly spicy, with a brown sugar note. Named for the year that Kentucky became a state. Just a lovely whiskey with a very complex palate. Great for mixing or for an end-of-the-day drink.
- W.L. Weller 12: So, while people are running around paying zillions of dollars for Pappy Van Winkle, folks around here know that this well-aged wheater delivers a huge punch. In fact, it's what Pappy's own grandson, Julian Van Winkle, recommends when he can't drink his family's famous product. I've even heard it called "The Poor Man's Pappy" due to its similar smoothness, super-high wheat content, and intense age. Toasty notes of oak and toffee; unbelievably smooth.
- Elijah Craig: Heaven Hill's 12 year has a mash bill that's overwhelmingly corn, with nearly equal parts of rye and wheat. The result is a spicy, balanced whiskey named for the minister who,as legend has it, first produced the spirit we know as bourbon. Whether that's the stuff of fact or marketing, it's a smooth, fine drink of bourbon.
- Old Forester: Mark my words, y'all: This is the next big thing in bourbon. Now, that sounds a little odd, given that OlFo has been around since 1870. But, "America's Guest Whiskey", as it was marketed during WWII, is poised to make a huge comeback. It's the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, it will soon have an opulent new visitor's center in Downtown Louisville, and it's, simply put, as delicious as ever. If you don't believe me, head down to St. Charles Exchange for the world's best Old Fashioned.
- Evan Williams 23: They say that Evan Williams was the first commercial distiller in Kentucky. If you visit the Evan Williams Experience, you'll get a little taste as part of the cost of admission. A bottle runs in the $400 range retail, and climes near $900 in the aftermarket. It's smooth, oaky, and mellow, and quite drinkable!
What are y'all drinking this summer?
Red White & Blue Picnic Outfit
Several of y'all asked about the apron I wore on the WTVQ Grilling Segment this week. It's Martha Stewart for Macy's! I thought it was perfect to go with the Red Gold Tomato theme. In fact, I put together a little Independence Day picnic getup for the show. It was fun, and everything is on sale right now! You can shop the look below, and don't forget to visit the Red Gold Facebook Page to enter to win a Big Green Egg.
Shop the Look: WTVQ Grilling Segment
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.
Cappuccino, Atlantic No. 5
- 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!
