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Barren River Presents Caveman Chorus ‘Blast From the Past’ Nov. 19

November 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Barren River Lake State Resort Park

Barren River State Resort Park Lodge

Barren River State Resort Park is feeling musical and they’d love for you to join in the fun.  Trust me, whenever you get a chance to eat at Barren River State Resort Park’s Restaurant, it’s an opportunity you should jump at. With both feet!

Listen to sweet sounds of tenor, lead, baritone and bass in barbershop harmony, as several quartets from The Caveman Chorus perform at Barren River Lake State Resort Park on Nov. 19.

For the grand finale, it’s a “Blast From the Past” as The Caveman Chorus unites with singers from years gone by and with youths from surrounding schools to sing in perfect harmony.

Barren River State Resort Park is offering dinner from 5-7:45 p.m. and the 8 p.m. show for $35 per couple (plus tax and tip), or $20 per person (plus tax and tip). Tickets for the show only are $8 per person. Receive a $2 discount for pre-purchase of a package. Contact Jamie Avery at 1-800-325-0057 or jamie.avery@ky.gov for more information.

Barren River State Resort Park is surrounded by rolling, tree-covered hills, on the edge of a beautiful 10,000-acre lake. The park has 51 lodge rooms, 22 cottages and 99 campsites. Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of an upscale fish camp in the Driftwood Restaurant. If you are looking for something to do during your visit, you can play on the 18-hole golf course, hike along a nature trail, visit the marina to rent a boat, check out a fishing pole or sports equipment, browse the gift shop, or just enjoy a peaceful seat overlooking the lake.

The resort is 44 miles southeast of Bowling Green. Take Interstate 65 to the Cumberland Parkway east, to US 31E south.

Filed Under: Autumn Fun, Barren River Lake SRP, Food Tagged With:

Henry’s Boogalou BBQ Sauce: Highly Addictive, Indeed!

October 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Henry's Boogalou BBQ Sauce

You know me, I’m ALL about promoting Kentucky restaurants, stores, State Parks, and products. Does a week go by when I’m NOT in your face imploring you to throw your support, love, and money to Kentuckians?! The great thing is, Kentuckians make it so easy for me because they seem to excel at almost everything they do. It makes my job easy when almost everything I set out to review makes me do a happy dance.

My husband (Michael), our youngest daughter (Stephany), her boyfriend (Rusty), and I LOVE BBQ. Call it fate, a smile from God, or incredible luck (or all three) but we live in Owensboro, Kentucky – the BBQ Capital of the world and home to the wonderful Old Hickory Bar-B-Q. What better place for us to live?! Michael came home one day last week with something far better than a dozen roses in his hand. He had a bottle of Henry’s Boogalou BBQ Sauce.

Who says romance is dead?

I’d never seen, or even heard of this BBQ Sauce, so I was beyond excited and anxious to try it out. My excitement only grew when I looked on the label and saw the magical words, “Kentucky Proud.” I had Saucy Swiss Steak in the Crock pot, so we couldn’t use Boogalou that night. I did, however, break into it the very next day! I had a ham to cook and decided, why not make it a BBQ ham a la Old Hickory. When I opened the bottle, I have to confess, I did the finger test. I poured a dab onto my finger and gave it a taste.

The first words to spring into my mind? “Now that’s what I’m talking about!!!”

Stephany and I are as obsessed with BBQ Sauces as we are BBQ. Honestly, we have literally bought, tried, and critiqued every brand found in Kroger and Wal-Mart. We both look for that special something, a certain hard-to-describe but harder to miss “kick.”

With his Boogalou BBQ Sauce, Henry kicks it so hard he needs new shoes.

This is absolutely exceptional BBQ Sauce.  It has set a whole new standard for all of us and will be the sauce we measure all other BBQ sauce to in the future.  I could spend countless hours and words raving about how delicious and extra special this BBQ Sauce is, but the only way for you to find out for yourself is to try it.

You can (and should!) buy Henry’s Boogalou Sauce at all Owensboro area IGA Stores:

  • Owensboro
  • Lewisport
  • Hartford
  • Sebree
  • Calhoun
  • Whitesville

My one and only problem with Henry’s Boogalou BBQ Sauce is this: He tells a big fat fib on the back label (see below).  It says, Warning: May Be Highly Addictive. Balderdash!  You can take the May Be out of there – this BBQ Sauce is the most addictive thing since coffee.

Henry's Boogalou BBQ Sauce

Filed Under: Food, Owensboro, Reviews Tagged With: ,

Dunkin’ Donuts Coming to Owensboro, Kentucky

October 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dunkin Donuts Coffee

YES!!! As an Owensboro resident, I’m over the moon… and this moon’s shaped like a chocolate covered doughnut. Have mercy.

Construction will likely begin Monday (October 17, 2011) on Owensboro’s first Dunkin’ Donuts at 3011 Frederica Street, across from Kentucky Wesleyan College.  Even better, the store could be open by the end of December! I can SO see me coming out of our Dunkin’ Donuts on a cold winter morning, coffee in one gloved hand and a box of delicacies in the other.

Can you tell that I’m beyond excited?

The location (previously home to one of Owensboro’s PizzAroma) is as perfect as it gets – right across from a college, and on a very busy street.   The only way it could be better is if they’d chosen my back yard as the location.

According to yesterday’s Messener-Inquirer, the Owensboro Dunkin’ Donuts will be an upscale store. The building will be transformed to replicate the newer Dunkin’ Donuts stores.  The store will be decorated with the traditional Dunkin’ Donuts colors – orange, pink, and brown – and will have dine-in and drive-through service.  The menu will include coffees, doughnuts, bagels, muffins, breakfast sandwiches, lunch/dinner sandwiches, iced coffees, lattes, Coolattas, hot chocolate and teas.

The store will be open seven days a week from “early a.m. until about 10.”

The best-selling doughnut is the traditional glazed doughnut (my mouth’s watering as I type the words), but the store will offer many different varieties.   I know what I’ll probably order the first time I go into the Owensboro location (in addition to the largest cup of coffee): The Express Dozen, which is a delicious mi of these six kinds of doughnuts:

  • Chocolate glazed (cake)
  • Chocolate filled
  • Glazed
  • Boston Creme
  • Jelly Doughnuts
  • Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts

There are plans to open 3 Dunkin’ Donuts in the area.  My day just keeps getting better!

Dunkin' Donuts comes to Owensboro, Kentucky!

Filed Under: Food, Owensboro Tagged With: , ,

Kentucky Bed & Breakfast Recipes, You’ll Love This Cookbook!

August 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sunset to Sunrise in Kentucky

I just posted a recipe on my food blog for Pig Poke Buttermilk Pie (now, how Kentucky does that sound?). You HAVE to try this amazing recipe, it really is something special. It would be a nice addition this autumn to the traditional Sweet Potato, Pecan, and Pumpkin Pies.

The recipe is from Sunrise To Sunset In Kentucky, a cookbook filled with recipes from Kentucky Bed & Breakfast kitchens. This particular pie recipe is courtesy of the Coffee Tree Cabin in Bardstown, Kentucky.

If you live in, or near, Kentucky, look for this great cookbook in your local library. If not (or if, like me, you simply want your own copy!), you can buy it on Amazon at a crazy low price: Click HERE.

Filed Under: Bardstown, Food, Shop Tagged With:

Colonel Sanders: The Man Behind the Legend

July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Colonel Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken

The legendary man, Harlan Sanders, and his legendary Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I remember my mom telling me once about meeting Colonel Harlan Sanders. She was a nurse and he was one of her patients. She said he was incredibly warm, gracious, and friendly. She also said he lit up the room when he smiled.

As a huge fan of his insanely popular restaurants and delicious food, I wish I’d met him and gotten the opportunity to shake his hand!  I’m an even bigger fan of his personal story. His is a true American success story and it completely boggles the mind.

I’m really excited about a new website that has been launched to introduce this great American icon to a whole new generation. Kids, today, are often surprised to learn that the friendly man dressed in white was a REAL LIFE man.  What’s more, he was a resilient, determined, and self-made man.  The sort that any generation should get to know better.

The website is Colonel Sanders.com and I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out.  I’ve spent about 30 minutes enjoying the site, myself, and am now officially DYING for KFC. I have visions of chicken legs, biscuits, mashed potatoes & gravy, coleslaw (seriously, the best coleslaw on earth), and baked beans dancing around my head.   Kentucky Fried Chicken has been comfort food for me my entire life.  I guess it goes all the way back to sitting beneath the giant bucket in Madisonville, Kentucky’s Kentucky Fried Chicken with my parents so often.

When I became an adult, my husband and daughters and I ate KFC every Sunday night – it was a wonderful family tradition that we all looked forward to.  We’d all go to the video store where we’d rent a few movies, then we’d grab a huge meal to go from Kentucky Fried Chicken (again in Madisonville, Kentucky).  After dinner, bathtime, doing dishes, and reading my daughters bedtime stories, my husband and I would enjoy leftovers while watching the movies we’d rented.  We lived, at the time, in a big house in Hanson, Kentucky and I’ve always associated that house with the birth of our youngest daughter (Stephany) and Kentucky Fried Chicken!

Even today, I can’t get enough of Kentucky Fried Chicken.  Not only is the food exceptional, Kentucky Fried Chicken (the tastes, smells, logo…) brings about a comfortable, warm, and wonderful feeling.  I suspect that it’s true for most Kentuckians. Kentucky Fried Chicken just tastes like home.  Memories of wonderful and cherished times come flooding back with each bite.

Great memories and great food – where can you beat it?

Filed Under: Food, Madisonville, News, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Step Back in Time at The Hitching Post & Old Country Store

June 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!

My husband, Michael, and I frequently make trips to Kentucky Lake.  You can’t help but fall in love with the area. The beautiful lake, Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park, friendly people, fun shopping, antiques, a gazillion and one photo opportunities, and wonderful food.

What’s not to love?!

A favorite spot, and one we joyfully hit each time, is The Hitching Post and Old Country Store in Aurora.  It has been a favorite destination for years – even before the new owners.  However, with the re-opening of the wonderful old country store, this is a not-to-be-missed step back in time.  An extra treat is the hot dot vendor in the front parking lot. These fresh and unique Chicago-style hot dogs make you think you’re in Heaven while you’re eating them – then you spend all day thinking about them… wanting to go back!  They’re THAT good.

  • High quality hot dogs (too good to even be called hot dogs actually)
  • High quality buns (too good to be called buns)
  • Extremely friendly owners (artisans of the American classic!)

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!
The Hitching Post has been a favorite with tourists, frequent quests, and Kentucky locals since 1941. It’s a beautiful Kentucky Lake tradition, you simply can’t have one without the other. Many years have passed and millions of feet have walked through the front doors but it’s still THE best place for Kentucky souvenirs, novelties, Kentucky food specialties, toys, T-Shirts, jewelry, crafts, fudge, honey, jams, jellies, bar-b-que sauces, soap, cookbooks, hats, home decor, garden decor, old fashioned candy, and on and on and on.  The past few Christmases I’ve gotten a few wonderful, completely unexpected and original gifts for family members at The Hitching Post.  Of course, I also buy just-because treats for my daughters frequently – something they absolutely love.

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!

My favorite section of The Hitching Post (besides the front counter where I could stay and visit with the owner and workers for days) is the Kentucky food specialties wall.  I think we’ve tried just about all of the sauces, jams, and jellies and have loved each greatly.  The unique flavors positively cannot be found in stores and they take homemade buttermilk biscuits and cornbread to a whole new level.

A favorite appetizer in our home is simple and involves one of these jellies.  I place a block of cream cheese on a platter and smother it with Red Pepper Jelly (the kind from The Hitching Post tastes just like the Red Pepper Jelly my mom used to make up and give as gifts every Christmas).  I serve it with Ritz crackers and watch as it magically disappears.

On this particular trip, we got the excellent Yoder’s Homestyle  Blueberry Jam – from Crab Orchard, Kentucky.  It has an appointment with buttermilk biscuits.

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!

You can find some of their food items on The Hitching Post’s website, including Pappy’s outstanding Bar-b-que sauce.  Pappy can dish it out, as hot as you want it!  Click HERE to browse the selection of Pappy’s BBQ sauces as well as an EXCELLENT Hot & Spicy Mustard that was made to be served with pretzel sticks.  It makes an ideal game-day snack.  

After eating our amazing hot dogs and drinking our cans of soda (normally my husband drinks ice cold sarsaparilla from inside The Hitching Post but he branched out today), we sat on the front porch and played a classic “boxing” game my husband remembered from his childhood.  The boxers looked like crosses between Howie Long and Transformers.  My Howie Transformer cleaned my husband’s clock!

You can also play checkers on the big,  shady, beautiful front porch, or just sit, relax and take in the ambiance – which is golden by the way.

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!

You’ll want to stroll around the property – which is such a delicious step-back-in-time.  It’s also a photographer’s dream come true!  There’s an authentic moonshine still, antique buggies, old blacksmith and wagon shop, antiques, and a life-size paper mache horse that has long been a favorite site for photographs.  He’s incredibly life-like and has, literally, stood the test of time.

The Country Store

A new favorite spot is the renovated, overhauled Country Store.  It blows my mind straight out of my head.  It’s a store, make no mistake about it, and antique lovers will get weak in the knees.  However, it’s like an adorable, charming, amazing museum – again, a step back in time, to a simpler time.

  • Before grocery carts
  • Before intercoms
  • Before dvds
  • Before technology took over the world

You walk in and you’re instantly transported back to “the good old days.”  The beauty is, you can take some of the good old days home with you.  My husband and I collect old books.  I specialize in old cookbooks (many of you know I have a food blog and cooking and recipes are an obsession with me).  I also LOVE old antique kitchen gadgets, dishes, and cooking tools.  I’m just in Paradise in the Country Store!

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!

Another obsession of mine is coffee.  How I keep from smelling like coffee is beyond me (I guess my Avon perfumes cover it up).  My eyes popped out of my head and my pulse began to race when I saw their coffee beans near the front.  They even have a Hitching Post Blend.  I love it!

Su (the wonderfully friendly owner) has put an unbelievable amount of time, money and effort (and even more love) into renovating The Old Country Store. Honestly, it’s mind-boggling. If you could see BEFORE and AFTER pictures, you’d wonder where this woman hides her Wonder Woman cape. I stopped looking for it after a few visits, I figure if she wants her cape to be found, it’ll be found.

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store Aurora, Kentucky. Another Kentucky Lake attraction!

You know me well enough to know that I get around my beloved Kentucky. My daughter and I were looking through Kentucky brochures a few days ago, because she and her boyfriend were wanting to see something new, and I was amazed at the number of places she and I had already seen. She kept saying, “We’ve been there, but he hasn’t..” Something else struck me – why would anyone ever leave Kentucky for a vacation?!?!

Before I climb up on my stump and begin preaching about Kentucky, let me just say, I’ve seen a lot of Kentucky! I can honestly say that, not counting home (of course), there’s no place I’d rather be than in Aurora, Kentucky enjoying a step back in time at The Hitching Post & Old Country Store. There’s no place quite like it and I know you’ll feel it’s magic just as surely as we do.

The Hitching Post & Old Country Store
16474 US Hwy 68 East
Aurora, Kentucky 42028
www.hitchingpost.us


View Larger Map

Hours:
Summer hours (Memorial day – Labor day):
Closed Mondays
Tuesday – Saturday  9:00 – 6:00
Sunday 10:00 – 4:00

Find more pictures of The Hitching Post & Old Country Store in our Aurora, Kentucky Photo Album

Filed Under: Aurora, Food, Kentucky in Pictures, Kentucky Lake, Shop Tagged With: , , ,

Where Can you Find a Great Breakfast in Grand Rivers, Kentucky?

March 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dockers Bayside Grill Breakfast OmeletYum! Omelet at Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers, Kentucky

 

First of all, let me say this: I LOVE hearing from all of ya’ll in my e-mail!  They’re like little visits with friends and family, so keep them coming.  I get a lot of ideas for posts from these wonderful e-mails, including the one you’re reading now.

I got an e-mail recently from a very friendly lady who also happens to be a fellow fan of Grand Rivers, Kentucky and Grand Rivers Variety.  In fact, if I’m not mistaken she, too, saw the recent Johnny Cash show at the Badgett Playhouse.

She and her husband stay in the area when they visit and she raved about the friendly people in Grand Rivers.  They are, almost without exception, extremely friendly and warm.  Apparently Patty’s is a favorite place for the couple to dine when they’re in Grand Rivers, but she wanted to know if there was anyplace in the area where they could get a good breakfast.  My husband and I put our heads together and the following suggestions came to mind.  Not all are in the city limits of Grand Rivers but they’re very, very close and well worth the drive.

Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay: Home of the Famous Sink Your Boat Omelet!

When I started thinking of where I’d eat breakfast if I were in Grand Rivers in the early hours, the first place to spring to mind was Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay Resort & Marina.  You don’t have to be a registered guest at Green Turtle Bay to eat at Docker’s – you only have to be hungry!  We have never actually eaten at Docker’s in the morning, we’re normally in the area around lunchtime.  You see, I have a bit of an obsession with their onion rings.  I dream about them, I write poetry for them, I hold every other onion ring in the world up to them….

Although we haven’t yet (I know we will soon – once the hubby sees the omelet pictured at the top) had breakfast at Docker’s, we HAVE heard about and read about their outstanding breakfasts.

One thing in particular keeps the locals smiling: The Sink Your Boat Omelet.  Apparently it’s a monster… and I mean that in a good way.

If the lunch food is any indication, their breakfasts are extraordinary.  These people know what they’re doing.  What’s more, the view is breathtaking – just absolutely gorgeous.

Visit Green Turtle Bay’s website for directions and hours of operation.

Cracker Barrel in Calvert City, Kentucky

When I asked my husband for other restaurants in the area where a lovely couple could find a good breakfast (truth be told, once I started thinking about Docker’s onion rings, my brain was worthless), the first thing out of his mouth was Cracker Barrel in Calvert City.  Michael and our oldest daughter Emily are ALL about Cracker Barrel’s breakfast menu, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.  They even eat off the breakfast menu for supper half the time!

Calvert City’s Cracker Barrel is located at 314 Kennedy Avenue.  This Cracker Barrel is about 6 – 7 miles from Grand Rivers (a little less than 10 minutes driving time).  Click HERE for the map, courtesy of Cracker Barrel.com.

Waffle House in Calvert City, Kentucky

Calvert City (incidentally, home to an outstanding Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant) also has a Waffle House. It’s at 468 Kennedy Lane (about 6.8 miles from Grand Rivers).

There’s also a Waffle House in Benton, Kentucky at 397 Ash Street, which is about 12 – 13 miles from Grand Rivers.  If you visit Waffle House’s website and click on Restaurant Locator, you’ll have the opportunity to enter the city of your choice.  They’ll then give you a very detailed map to the Waffle House of your choice.

Lake Barkley Lodge’s Windows on the Water Restaurant

I saved this one for last simply because Kentucky State Parks have a special place in our hearts.  We always encourage anyone and everyone to visit Kentucky’s beautiful, very special state parks and state resort parks every chance they get.  We’re very lucky to have these parks and we should support them all year long. The state resort parks have wonderful restaurants with outstanding food and there’s always something to do, see, and enjoy.  I’d just love to see more Kentuckians (as well as our friends from out of state) supporting these special places and the special people who run them.

Okay, I’ll step down off the soap box now!

The Windows on the Water Restaurant in the gorgeous lodge (3500 State Park Road, Cadiz) at Lake Barkley State Resort Park serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What’s more, it’s a very, very short drive from Grand Rivers.

From Parks.ky.gov:

This glass walled 331 seat restaurant allows guests to have panoramic and scenic views from any seat in the house. With Chef Hattie Cheatham’s specialty of good old country cooking like meatloaf, fried chicken, catfish & hushpuppies, with real mashed potatoes, the restaurant has earned a long-time and well-deserved reputation for the best home cooking in western Kentucky. As a supporter of Kentucky Proud program we utilize locally grown meats and produce when available.

Restaurant Hours

Breakfast 7:00a.m. – 10:00a.m.

Lunch 11:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.

Dinner 4:00p.m. – 8:00p.m.

Please click HERE for more information.

You can also find more information about dining (and just about everything else!) at Grand Rivers.org.

If anyone has any other breakfast suggestions, please tell us about them in the comments!

Filed Under: Benton, Blog, Calvert City, Featured, Food, Grand Rivers Tagged With: , , , ,

Greenbo Lake To Host International Classic Cuisine Italian Night on Feb. 5

January 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Beautiful Kentucky scenery, outstanding food… just how can this be anything but paradise?!?!

Anglers’ Cove Restaurant at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park will feature its first International Classic Cuisine Italian Night on Feb. 5.

The menu will include baked spaghetti, Chicken Alfredo, chicken Parmesan, baked vegetarian lasagna, catfish, Italian green beans with almonds, asparagus with red peppers, Sicilian vegetable blend, rice pilaf, peas with pearl onions, smashed redskin potatoes and gravy, homemade pizza (for the kids), a salad bar, soup, garlic bread and cornbread, assorted Italian desserts, pudding and cobbler.

The Italian feast will be served from 5-8 p.m. The cost for adults is $14.99 and children can eat for $6.99. Drink, tax and tip not included. In March, the park will feature Irish Night at the Anglers’ Cove Restaurant.

Greenbo Lake State Resort Park is on KY 1, 18 miles north of I-64 from Grayson exit or 8 miles south of U.S. 23, the Country Music Highway on KY 1. Greenbo Lake features the Jesse Stuart Lodge with 36 rooms, a convention center the and Anglers’ Cove Restaurant. The park has a 225-acre lake for boating and fishing, tennis courts, and 25 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The campground is open April 1 through Oct. 31. Greenbo Amphitheatre features musical concerts and plays during the summer and fall.

For more information, call the park at 800-325-0083.

Be sure to check out other activities and events going on at the other beautiful Kentucky State Parks.

Filed Under: Events, Food, Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, Kentucky State Parks, Winter in Kentucky Tagged With: ,

Pangea Cafe in Owensboro: Extraordinary, Exceptional..

October 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Throw out the thesaurus, there simply aren’t enough words in it to describe Pangea Cafe in Owensboro, Kentucky.  I’m not sure what I love the most – the ridiculously friendly people who work at Pangea, the extraordinarily delicious food they serve, or how unexpected it is to find Pangea on Carter Road.  Carter Road is a very laid-back, quiet little stretch of Owensboro. Until Pangea came along, it’s main claims to fame were Lee’s Chicken and Little Caesar’s (a couple of my favorite stomping grounds).  Suffice to say, Pangea’s large green building with it’s elegant interior decorations and outstanding cuisine aren’t what you’d expect to find cozied up next to the Dollar General Store.

Unexpected, but deliciously so.

But seriously, who am I kidding, I know what I love the most… the food!

My oldest daughter, Emily, and I eat lunch at Pangea regularly. It’s just out of this world delicious.  I almost always get the Asian Vegetable Wrap (Napa cabbage, julienned carrots and peppers, chow mein noodles tossed in a soy-sprite vinaigrette served in a spinach wrap) with Homemade Potato Chips.  Seriously, you have to try each of these. The Asian Wrap isn’t just ideal for those of you who are vegetarians or those of us who are health-concious.  It’s ideal for anyone with taste buds that appreciate food so delicious you can’t get it off of your mind.  Honestly, I can have an Asian Vegetable Wrap from Pangea on Friday afternoon and still be mooning over it when Wednesday rolls around.

Emily usually gets the House Made Chicken Salad Sandwich (Seared chicken breast tossed with fresh herbs on sourdough bread) with house made pesto ranch pasta salad as her side.  Also outstanding!  She recently ventured out and had the Hummus Roasted Vegetable (House made hummus with roasted vegetables, Swiss cheese, basil pesto on sourdough bread) and raved endlessly about it.  She offered me a bite and, since my mom didn’t raise a fool, I took it.  Wow! It’s even better than you’d expect it to be. I guess we were both feeling our cheerios because, on the same trip, I ventured out and had Fish Tacos and a Black Bean Cake (it reminded me of a salmon patty but with black beans instead of salmon).  They were unbelievably delicious but, if pressed, my favorite is still the Asian Vegetable Wrap.  It’s simply unlike anything you can get anywhere else.

I guess that last sentence kind of sums up the Pangea experience.  The food, the decor, the whole beautiful ambiance… it’s highly special and quite original.  From the iced tea served in beautiful, slanted glasses to the homemade potato chips, everything is extra-special.  Eating lunch at Pangea is like treating yourself to something wonderful. You step into the cafe and allow them to pamper you.

It’s like a culinary spa.

As for the price, the lunch menu is very reasonable.  My girls and I eat lunch out fairly often and it’s very much “on par” with most restaurants (okay, maybe not Subway, but you know what I mean).  I’ve never eaten dinner at Pangea but I’ve heard that the dinner prices are quite a bit higher than the lunch prices are.  However, as someone who has eaten the food, I can only say, “Some things in life are worth the extra cost.”

If you want quality food, you have to pay for it.  Personally?  I want quality food.

About Pangea and Chef Justin Crandall, C.C.

Chef Justin Crandall, C.C., a graduate of the Florida Culinary Institute, started his culinary career as a private chef and completed a two year internship under Chef Auguste Carriero CEC CCE CC, a former Executive Chef at the PGA National Resort. Upon completion of his internship, Chef Crandall then went on to take a saucier position at the Biltmore Estates. After spending a year at the Biltmore, Justin then spent the next two years traveling and working, discovering unique tastes. Along the way, he worked in Florida at the Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club, as well as in New Hampshire at the Bald Peak Colony Club. While there, Chef Crandall was asked to open The Cafe in Ames, Iowa. A year and a half later, Justin was offered the executive chef position at The Teacup Cottage in Acworth, Georgia where he worked to perfect his food and philosophy.

The next time you’re wondering where to eat lunch in Owensboro, Kentucky – simply head to 1320 Carter Road.  When you see a large, avocado green building you’ll know you’ve reached your destination, also known as culinary Heaven.  Click HERE for more professional directions!

If you’re there for lunch, chances are you’ll see me and Emily. We’ll be the two brunettes talking about UK Basketball as one devours an Asian Wrap and the other tackles a Chicken Salad Sandwich or Hummus Roasted Vegetable Sandwich.  Be sure to say “Hi,” unless of course you’re wearing a Tennessee Vols  jersey… in which case we’ll snub you royally (kidding-ish).

Visit Pangea’s website to sign up for Weekly Specials AND grab a coupon to use for your next trip.

Filed Under: Blog, Featured, Food, Owensboro, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

New Fudge at The Hitching Post for Pumpkin Pie Lovers

October 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

My husband (Michael) and a buddy of his recently played golf in the Land Between the Lakes area.   Since I didn’t marry a fool, the wandering golfers ate dinner at The Willow Pond in Aurora and paid a visit to the Hitching Post Country Store.

Sigh. I love a man with a brain.

I also love great catfish, so I love all of the Willow Pond restaurants.  But the Willow Pond in Aurora is extra-special.  Their hush puppies, for one thing, are simply the best.  The staff is extra-friendly, the food exceptional and…

…. it’s just down the road from one of my favorite spots in the entire state:  The Hitching Post Country Store. While there, Michael sampled the fudge.  I would have been beside myself except for one thing – he brought me a piece back.

My favorite varieties of fudge are peanut butter, Tiger Butter, and chocolate. H-O-W-E-V-E-R, the piece of fudge he brought back has thrown itself firmly into my list of favorites.  Pumpkin!  When I opened the paper, my dessert ninja nose knew instantly that this piece of fudge had pumpkin pie on its mind.

It was outstanding – far better than mere words can describe.  So, you know what that means, right?  You must take yourself, and every sweet tooth in your head, to Aurora, Kentucky asap and let the exceptionally friendly and warm people at the Hitching Post hook you up with this autumn-ly, Heavenly fudge.

While there, you’ll also wax brilliant if you buy a jar or two or twenty of Red Pepper Jelly.  Then, when you get home, take said jelly and pour it over a block of cream cheese.  Served with Ritz crackers, it’s a snack you’ll never forget.

Filed Under: Aurora, Food, LBL, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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