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Ale-8 honors GRC with state championship bottle

by: Braxton Caudill

Posted: Mar 29, 2022 / 11:44 AM EDT

Updated: Mar 29, 2022 / 11:44 AM EDT

WINCHESTER, Ky. (FOX 56) – Ale-8-One is honoring the George Rogers Clark boys basketball team for their first state title since 1951.

The iconic Winchester-based soft drink company is now selling a line of decorative bottle stickers to commemorate the milestone.

Stickers are being sold at customer service counters in Winchester Kroger locations and can be wrapped around separately-sold Ale-8-bottles.

‘Henry Clay’ Comes to Town

Published 7:00 am Tuesday, March 15, 2022

By Warren Taylor

Winchester got a blast from the past Thursday evening.

Lexington actor Kevin Hardesty performed as famed statesman Henry Clay in the one-man show “Divided We Stand” for the Bluegrass Heritage Museum’s Second Thursday program.

“This Henry Clay piece is actually a brand new endeavor for me,” Hardesty said to the audience after his performance. “I actually started working on it two years ago, just prior to the pandemic.”

Hardesty said that the performance was one of his first times acting as Clay in public.

“I’m still working out the style of it and learning more about Clay,” he said.

Hardesty spoke about Clay’s background as a legal apprentice in Virginia, his successful tenure as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, his legendary statecraft in the U.S. Senate, and his many failed bids for the presidency.

Clay is best known for the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. Both were legislative packages that simmered down tensions about slavery, and each bought the nation time to grow before the Civil War erupted.

“He gave time for this country to strengthen itself enough to survive, Hardesty said about Clay’s compromises.

For all of Clay’s achievements, the elephant in the room concerning his legacy was and still is his contradictory stance on slavery. Clay owned dozens of enslaved Black people but publicly denounced the institution. He favored gradual emancipation and colonization of formerly enslaved people in Africa.

“That’s the most difficult part in, I think, preparing this and bringing it to you,” Hardesty said. “It is not a comfortable topic, and people don’t want to talk about this.”

Despite that, Hardesty said that history needs to be taught “whether bad, good or indifferent.”

Hardesty’s portrayal of Clay is part of the Kentucky Humanities Chautauqua program. The program brings 25 actors portraying historical figures from Kentucky’s past to schools and civic groups. Hardesty has portrayed Daniel Boone and Jefferson Davis in the past.

The museum offers the Second Thursday program once a month. It is free of charge for all to attend.

The South’s Best Breweries 2022

By Marissa WuJanuary 10, 2022

We all know the pleasure of five o’clock. Whether it’s after work or on the weekend, it’s always a good time to gather a group of friends and head to a brewery for a pint, some nibbles, and games. This year, in the South’s Best roundup of best breweries, the contenders produce the finest their craft has to offer—and more. While they represent everywhere from South Carolina to Louisiana, Mississippi to Virginia, the one thing that unites them all? Community. For some, that simply means providing a place for you to walk in, grab a drink, and feel like family. For others, this extends to the ways they get involved beyond the taproom. Sustainability commitments, investments in the arts and education, and wildlife conservation are just a few of the initiatives they impact—all in addition to being award-winning producers of some of the best beers in the country.

20. Abettor Brewing Company

Winchester, Kentucky 

Nano-brewery and community taproom Abettor Brewing Company made its mark on the town of Winchester, just outside Lexington, with owner Tyler Montgomery’s unique beers. Pop in for a Raspberry Wheat (a Belgian wheat hopped with Cascade) or a Sunset Heights (American pale ale with a secret ingredient). There are cocktails, too, with bourbon of course making its way onto the menu. You won’t want to leave without tasting the signature Pale8, which has become a favorite of Winchester locals and Central Kentuckians.

128 North Highland Street, Winchester, KY 40391, abettorbeer.com

Read the entire article here!

10 tasty food and cocktail recipes for your at-home 2022 Kentucky Derby party

Kirby Adams Louisville Courier Journal

The 148th Kentucky Derby is Saturday, May 7 and that means it’s time to saddle up and start planning your party. If you’re not quite sure where to start, Louisville entertaining mavens Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler have written a book filled with entertaining ideas and recipes called “Which Fork Do I Use With My Bourbon?” 

It includes traditional Southern cocktails and appetizers that will take your 2022 Kentucky Derby party up a notch, from nontraditional mint juleps to everything from Kentucky classic Benedictine to cheese grits and corn pudding. (Plus, try the bonus recipe below from Kentucky’s own Ale-8-One.)

Entertaining experts Tim Laid and David Danielson, the former executive chef at Churchill Downs, have also co-authored a Southern-inspired cookbook “The Bourbon Country Cookbook.” The beautifully photographed book is filled with recipes from the historic racetrack and more that are just right for Kentucky Derby week festivities.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t get left behind at the starting gate. You can never start planning a great Kentucky Derby party too early. Here are 10 food and cocktails recipes to try that are guaranteed winners.    

Ale-8-One has brought back its traditional horse racing-themed Kentucky Derby packaging this month. For your themed at-home party, enjoy the Kentucky-born beverage on its own or as a mixer. 

  • 2 teaspoons Ale-8 infused simple syrup
  • 6-8 mint leaves
  • Crushed ice
  • 1.5 ounces bourbon
  • 1 bottle Ale-8

Gently muddle simple syrup and mint leaves in a silver julep cup. Fill the cup with crushed ice. Add bourbon and fill the cup with Ale-8. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Read the entire article here!

Meals in the Mitten: Beer Cheese Soup

March 4, 2022  By 9and10news Site Staff

Beer cheese is a great dip, but what about a soup?

Food & Travel blogger and author of “Meals from the Mitten” Gina Ferwerda  embraces Irish heritage and shares her recipe.

BEER CHEESE SOUP

11⁄2 cups chicken broth
11⁄2 cups heavy cream
1⁄2 tablespoon House Seasoning (salt, pepper, granulated garlic, onion and smoked paprika) 1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1⁄2 cup diced carrots
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
12 ounces craft beer
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
8 ounces shredded Gouda cheese
2 tablespoons diced jalapeños
1 cup cooked and chopped corned beef or pastrami

Garnish
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
House-seasoned Croutons
Chives

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together chicken broth, heavy cream and House Seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Add onion and carrots to saucepan and cook over medium heat until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add butter and melt, then add flour and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Whisk in beer and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm broth-and-cream mixture. Continue to cook and whisk until soup is thickened. Reduce heat to low, then add cheeses and stir to thoroughly combine. Fold in jalapeños and chopped meat, and keep warm until ready to serve.

Garnish with bacon, croutons and chives.

Fairytales come to life with ‘Into the Woods Junior’

By: Jennifer PalumboPosted at 7:00 PM, Feb 26, 2022 and last updated 7:00 PM, Feb 26, 2022

Talented teenagers put their own twist on a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. “Into the Woods Junior” brings to life Brothers Grimm fairytales, from Little Red Riding Hood to Jack and the Beanstalk. Director Ellie Miller and Erin Cain, a Bourbon County High School student who plays Rapunzel, join Jennifer Palumbo to take you behind the scenes of the production. It runs through Sunday, March 6 at the Leeds Center for the Arts at 37 North Main Street in Winchester. For tickets, showtimes, and COVID-19 policies, call (859) 744-6437 or visit Into the Woods JR. – Leeds Center for the Arts.

Reed the article here!

The 13 best things to do in and around Lexington this weekend

BY MATT WICKSTROM CONTRIBUTING WRITERFEBRUARY 25, 2022 6:00 AM

MUSICAL: ‘INTO THE WOODS JR.’ AT THE LEEDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Leeds Center for the Arts will present a new take on Stephen Sondheim’s and James Lapine’s Tony Award-winning musical “Into the Woods Jr.” six times between Feb. 25-March 6. This weekend’s show times are on Feb. 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 27 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-18. 37 N Main St, Winchester. Eventbrite.com.

Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article258657168.html#storylink=cpy

The Food Trails Guide: Tasty Itineraries Across America

by Bailey Berg

Whiskey fans likely know about the Bourbon Trail, but have you heard of the Beer Cheese Trail? Or the Donut Trail? Or the Buffalo Wing Trail? For travelers who are perpetually hungry and perhaps a bit competitive, a growing number of communities are offering food trails that highlight local restaurants and dishes. These trails are an ideal way to really get to know the local food scene—or at least one hyper-focused aspect of it. There are food trails sprinkled around the country devoted to all kinds of foods, from local delicacies (like beer cheese) to farm-fresh products like cranberries.

Some have passports, where you get stamps as you make the rounds (which can be traded in for swag, like T-shirts or gift cards), whereas others are purely for bragging rights. Read on for our guide to some of the most mouth-watering, off-the-beaten-path food trails in the United States.

The Best Under-the-Radar Food Trails in the United States

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3. Beer Cheese Trail

Where: Winchester, KY

According to local lore, Winchester’s love of hot, bubbling cheese started at the historic Driftwood Inn with a dish called “Snappy Cheese.” Today the dish is known as beer cheese, and variations of it are served at 14 restaurants in town. Aficionados can download a copy of the “Cheese LogPDF downloadPDF download,” which not only lists the suppliers, but leaves room to rate the liquified cheese based on color, consistency, smell, and taste. 

Read the entire article here!

Flavor of the Week: Dippable Beer Cheese

Datassential. | Feb 15, 2022

Kentucky has claimed beer cheese as its own creation, dating back to the 1940s, but bars, pubs and restaurants today use it as a dip, soup or incorporated into premium mac ’n’ cheese dishes, using all variations of cheese and beer.

Beer cheese has grown on menus as diners gravitated to comfort foods during the pandemic, and on the heels of the craft beer boom in recent years.

The endlessly customizable dip feels like a splurge, but also can travel relatively well, which makes it ripe to expand on menus as more choose to order restaurant foods from the comfort of the couch.

Market research firm Datassential reports that 42% of the population knows it, while 24% have tried it.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using beer cheese on its menu.

Watch the slideshow here!

The 11 best things to do in and around Lexington this sweet Valentine’s weekend

BY MATT WICKSTROM CONTRIBUTING WRITERUPDATED FEBRUARY 11, 2022 7:15 AM

Here is a Lexington list and guide of the best weekend events around Central Kentucky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday if you are bored and need things to do from live music concerts, Valentine’s Day weekend plans or Galentine’s events and dinners and the Broadway Live Series returning to the Lexington Opera House with a theatre play.

Here is a Lexington list and guide of the best weekend events around Central Kentucky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday if you are bored and need things to do from live music concerts, Valentine’s Day weekend plans or Galentine’s events and dinners and the Broadway Live Series returning to the Lexington Opera House with a theatre play.

GALENTINE’S CHARCUTERIE AND WINE CLASS AT HARKNESS-EDWARDS VINEYARDS Learn the ins and outs of charcuterie during Sweet And Sassy Ashley’s Galentine’s charcuterie and wine class at Harkness-Edwards Vineyards on Feb. 12 at noon and 3 p.m. Each participant will get one glass of wine to drink while crafting their own galentine’s themed charcuterie board. Tickets are $56. 5199 Combs Ferry Rd, Winchester. Sweet-And-Sassy-Ashleys-Llc.Square.Site/.

Read the entire article here!

Super Bowl 2022: The best foods to serve for the big game

Here’s a list of the best food and snacks you can prepare to watch the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is a great motive to gather with friends and family.

If you are planning to host a Super Bowl party, we’ll give you some ideas of how you could feed your guests.

If you are invited to a Super Bowl party, don’t attend with empty hands, and prepare one of our snacks or drinks to share with everybody.

Let’s be original.

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup

A tasty soup is always welcome to social gatherings.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

5 celery ribs, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

4 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed

1 bottle (12 ounces) beer or nonalcoholic beer

How to prepare it

– In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots and onion; saute until crisp-tender. Add broccoli and red pepper; stir in broth and pepper. Combine flour and water until smooth; gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until soup is thickened and vegetables are tender, 25-30 minutes.

– Stir in cheeses and beer until cheeses are melted (do not boil). Top with additional shredded cheese, bacon, green onions, sour cream and croutons or pretzel bites as desired.

You can also add shredded cheddar cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon strips, chopped green onions, sour cream and salad croutons or soft pretzel bites.

Read the full article here!

Kentucky’s Palate Pleasers: Hot Brown, Derby Pie, Burgoo and more

There’s a reason these Kentucky foods have become all-time favoritesFebruary 11, 2022515 Views

By Katherine Tandy Brown

From the famous hot brown to tangy beer cheese, visitors to the Bluegrass State are frequently blown away by Kentucky’s traditional foods and dishes. You’d think residents would have tried them all and perhaps serve them often at their own tables, but the old saying about missing things in your own backyard applies—I was born and raised in Hopkinsville, yet had never tasted a hot brown until way after I’d graduated from UK.

Made famous in the 1920s by Chef Fred Schmidt at Louisville’s Brown Hotel for hungry hoofers at the hotel’s nightly dinner dances, the hot brown is hearty enough for a famished farmhand. Now the state’s signature sandwich, the original featured a stack of turkey and bacon topped with Mornay sauce on bread, all run under the broiler. Variations today include ham, pimiento, parmesan cheese and sliced tomatoes.

If you’ve yet to experience one, the Brown still serves ‘em at both the English Grill and J. Graham’s Café. Your taste buds will thank you.

Following are several more famous Kentucky specialties. See if you’ve tasted each one, or—heaven forbid!—if you might have missed any. If so, get busy. February is a great time to treat your palate to a few new delights along with some that are already familiar.

Tuck in your napkin and let’s go.

A Winchester creation that’s become wildly popular, beer cheese was created in the 1930s at the historic Driftwood Inn, where Johnny Allman served his cousin Joe’s Snappy Cheese Dip. Today, you can indulge in this luscious appetizer to your heart’s delight on the Beer Cheese Trail. Among its 14 restaurants is Hall’s on the River, an area icon set to reopen soon after being closed for flood repairs last year. Soon you’ll be able to dip crackers and veggies in Hall’s Snappy Beer Cheese and dive into their specialty, fried catfish. Be sure to call before making the trip to the river. Check out the trail here.

Originally, burgoo was a stew made in an old black cauldron over an open outdoor fire with “whatever didn’t make it across the road.” That included squirrel, possum or raccoon. These days chefs prefer to use chicken, pork or mutton, combined with vegetables such as corn, lima beans, cabbage, potatoes, okra and tomatoes. Ideally, you can stand a spoon in the end product.

You can sample this soupy treat at almost any Kentucky barbecue joint or at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington. Burgoo has been served at livestock sales since the 1800s. It’s just the thing for warming your belly during the track’s spring or fall race meets or any of its annual Thoroughbred sales. (Click here for Keeneland’s recipe.)

Spoonbread is believed to have originated as a traditional Native American dish. The first written recipe surfaced in 1847. Berea, Kentucky’s Folk Arts and Crafts Capital, is also the Spoonbread Capital. Opinions vary on whose is the best but in my book, you can’t beat the version served up by the historic, award-winning Boone Tavern, located on the town’s College Square. The idea to build the inn was birthed in 1909, when the wife of Berea College’s president provided lodging and meals at her house for some 300 visitors to the college. Afterwards, she insisted that the time had come to build a guest lodging.

Boone Tavern is now a LEED Gold-Certified Green Hotel and its restaurant serves spoonbread at lunch and dinner. Berea even hosts an annual late summer Spoonbread Festival. For the real deal spoonbread, head to Berea…and be sure to slather on the butter.

Truly a classic Kentucky sweet, the bourbon ball was created in 1919 by two schoolteachers in their mid-twenties, Ruth Hanly (Booe) and Rebecca Gooch. The two decided to form a candy business, which became an instant success. At the suggestion of Frankfort suffragette and Democratic dignitary Eleanor Hume Offutt, Booe worked for two years to perfect the still-secret process of blending bourbon and candy to create the original bourbon ball. The confection features a creamy bourbon center with the kick of real bourbon, covered in dark chocolate and topped with a Southern pecan.

Even today, the candy remains Rebecca-Ruth Candies’ most popular. Order online or visit Rebecca-Ruth’s Second Street location in Frankfort for a tour and a peek into the museum that reveals the history of this pure-Kentucky company.

In areas known for barbecue, everyone thinks where they’re from has the best. Every summer of my childhood, the Hopkinsville Golf and Country Club held a barbecue on its lawn with huge trays piled high with barbecued pork, chicken and mutton. The latter was always my fave.

In Daviess County, Welsh settlers brought sheep with them and when a ewe aged out of lambing, she morphed into mutton, a tough meat until it’s cooked low and slow. (Many barbecue aficionados who are not from around here think eating mutton is beneath them. I believe that the same people who won’t eat catfish because it’s a bottom-feeder turn their noses up at barbecued mutton. It’s lamb, for heaven’s sake, and once it’s cooked and sauced, it’s pure heaven. By the way, Catfish Kitchen in Benton has the best fried catfish. But I digress.)

If you’re looking for some mighty fine mutton, you can’t beat Owensboro’s Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn and their famous all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet. Begun in 1963, Moonlite is family-run and cooks all their barbecue in custom built, hickory-fired pits. This destination restaurant is worth a trip to Owensboro, no matter how far you have to drive.

Derby-PieTM, created by George Kern at the Melrose Inn in Prospect in 1950, is a chocolate-walnut pie with a pastry dough crust to die for. Kern’s Kitchen—yes, production is still in the family—owns the trademark on this slice of goodness. You can order it online from Kern’s at derbypie.com. Or, if you’re afraid you might eat an entire pie by yourself, it’s on the menu at such fine eateries as Bristol Bar & Grille in Louisville and any of Kentucky’s State Resort Parks’ restaurants.