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Two Sisters Jams, Jellies, and Preserves: Louisville Sisters Who’ll Rock Your World

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Two Sisters Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam Collage
In the last post, I guess we should call it a love letter instead of a post, about the Grand Rivers Fudge Factory, I told you I’d be telling you about a new Kentucky Food addiction and I’m here to do just that.

When we were paying for our fudge haul on our recent trip to the Fudge Factory, I noticed a basket of beautiful jar of Jams, Jellies, and Preserves by the register. I grabbed a particularly colorful one and red the label: Two Sisters Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam.  It sounded too good to be true, so I quickly asked for a jar to be added to our bill.

My only regret is that I didn’t ask for more jars. Heck, I wish I’d asked for the entire basket of various jams and jellies!

The Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam was beyond delicious. The subtle sweet flavor of cherry complemented the insanely wonderful pepper jam and it was, without a doubt, the best pepper jam I’ve ever had in my life – which is saying something because I’ve devoured enough to fill the Grand Canyon.

Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea. I. Love. Pepper. Jam. Given the fact that this is the best pepper jam in the world, it now stands to reason that I love the Two Sisters.

I’m crazy about Kentucky Food and will always grab some the minute I see it.  For one thing, if we don’t support our neighbors, who will?  For another.. Kentucky Food is almost always better than the rest.  Most of the time, the stuff you buy in stores can’t compare to locally made food.  That’s certainly the case with Two Sisters Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam.

You WILL NOT find anything this delicious in Kroger. Or Wal-Mart. Or IGA. Or any other grocery store.

I used our Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam in three different ways before we cleaned the jar: 

  1. I spooned some out on top of a block of cream cheese and served it with Gluten Free Crackers (for me) and Ritz Crackers (for everyone else).
  2. We ate it with cornbread (Holy cow… FANTASTIC!)
  3. I used it to make a glaze to drizzle over cream-cheese stuffed jalapenos (click the link to see the recipe on my food blog).

Review continued beneath the pictures.

 

Two Sisters are, literally, two sisters who (after retirement) fulfilled a dream of making and selling jams, jellies, spreads, and preserves.

This would be me doing a happy dance as a result of their decision.

I honestly don’t know where you may be able to find Two Sisters foods.  I’ve seen them at The Fudge Factory in Grand Rivers but haven’t seen them anywhere else, yet.

Trust me, I’ll be keeping my eyes out for them now.

I DO know that you can buy them online (click the link for their store).  You’ll find the AMAZING Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam, among A LOT of other delicious sounding and looking jams, jellies, preserves, pickles, salsa, sauces, and more.

Not only should you grab some jams and jellies for you and your family to enjoy, you might want to keep something else in mind: Christmas is just around the corner and these beautiful jars of goodness would make beautiful and delicious gifts.  Either given alone or added to a gift basket, these are gifts that’ll make you a superstar.

Trust me.

If you happen to know other places around Kentucky where Two Sisters foods can be found, please let us know in the comments.  A personal goal of mine is to try everything they have ever made.

Here are a few of their foods on my list to try next (along with links to each one’s individual page… you are welcome):

There are MANY other jams, jellies, butters, pickles, pie fillings,etc…. too many for me to list here.  You’ll want to click through and take a look for yourself.  You’ll notice that the prices vary and they even have some items on sale.

On a side note, I just have to say that these ladies aren’t only excellent cooks, they’re ridiculously creative when it comes to naming their products.  Cherry Bomb… Cowboy Candy… Monkey Butter… I love the names almost as much as the deliciousness.

Almost.

Two Sisters Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper Jam 3
Website: Two Sisters Jams, Jellies, and Preserves

Take a Walking Tour of 3 Kentucky Cities Without Ever Leaving Home

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I work full time (from home) in our family-owned web-publishing business. I publish over 20 websites/blogs and spend each of my days online surrounded by news stories, articles, technology, “plugins,” blog themes, and… most importantly… coffee and chocolate. Lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.  When it comes to websites, mobile devices, e-readers, and anything remotely “tech-y,” few things really surprise me any more.  In fact, after so many years doing this, it takes something pretty darn cool to impress me.

What I’m telling you about today actually made me pause and think, “Well, that’s just cool.”

Needless to say, it’s always best to see a city, state park, or other attraction in person. There’s nothing like walking around a town, taking pictures, and meeting its people to give you a real “feel” for what makes the town special, but the second best option is to see the city virtually.

That’s where A Walking Tour of Kentucky comes in.  If you can’t make it to one of the three cities highlighted (Louisville, Lexington, or Frankfort) in person, you can visit them and enjoy a “walking tour” thanks to the Look Up America! series.  These virtual walking tours serve several great purposes.

  1. They could be very useful to people who will be visiting (or even moving to) a particular town.
  2. They could be fun for someone who used to live in a city and would like to see how things have changed – as well as how they’ve stayed the same.
  3. If you (or someone you know) is studying Kentucky History, the information in this series could be A LOT of help.

When it comes to education and/or entertainment – these tours are pure gold.

 

Look Up America! Description:

There is no better way to see Kentucky towns than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a self-guided walking tour from the LOOK UP, AMERICA! series. All walking tours from walkthetown.com are available for your favorite tablet or mobile device. Look Up, Kentucky! includes walking tours of Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort.

The Look Up, Kentucky! walking tour ebook (Look Up, Kentucky! Walking Tours of 3 Towns In The Bluegrass State) sells for $2.99 but can be downloaded for free from Kindle between February 20 and February 24.

A walking tour can be many things. Interested in heritage tourism? Looking for an educational day trip for the kids? Need a fun exercise plan? Want to find subjects to take great photographs? These Kentucky walking tours are ready to explore when you are.

 

Doug Gelbert, who has authored over 400 such walking tours, describes a mix of historical, architectural, cultural and ecclesiastical Kentucky landmarks. Street addresses and step-by-step directions lead the way. A quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on Kentucky streets is included.

For more information about each of the Kentucky Cities, click on the following links:

A Walking Tour of Lexington, Kentucky (Look Up, America!)

A Walking Tour of Louisville, Kentucky (Look Up, America!)

A Walking Tour of Frankfort, Kentucky (Look Up, America!)

For more information about the Look Up, Kentucky! Walking Tours of 3 Towns In The Bluegrass State, click the link.

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

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The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

The original Waverly Hills Sanatorium was a two-story wooden structure which was opened in 1910.

The larger brick and concrete structure you see today was built in 1926.  The hospital has always been dedicated to the treatment of tuberculosis patients, a disease that was fairly common in the early 20th Century.

Reports estimate that as many as 63,000 people have died in this sanatorium. Furthermore, there have been many reports or patients being horribly mistreated.  Oh, it gets worse… there were (again reportedly) highly questionable experiments and procedures conducted.

If these occurrences don’t set the stage for a haunted location, nothing does!

Get this:  Ghost and paranormal experts and investigators who have ventured into Waverly have reported a host of strange paranormal phenomena, including voices of unknown origin, isolated cold spots and unexplained shadows. Screams have been heard echoing in its now abandoned hallways, and fleeting apparitions have been encountered.

Screams, isolated cold spots (indicating a paranormal being…. Holy Cats, I’m sleeping with the lights on tonight…), voices of unknown origin, shadows!?!?  I could not be more creeped out right now.

Click HERE for more information… if you dare.

Happy Birthday, Timmy!

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Timmy, The Louisville Zoo Gorilla

Happy Birthday, you living doll! The gorgeous western lowland gorilla pictured in this post is the oldest male gorilla in North America. His name is Timmy and I’m beyond mad about him. He’s the pride and joy of The Louisville Zoo and he’s having a birthday – He’ll turn 50 on January 17th. Is that a milestone or what?!

From The Louisville Zoo:
Timmy, a western lowland gorilla, will be celebrating his special milestone indoors at Louisville Zoo’s Gorilla Forest on Saturday, January 17.

The party begins at 11 a.m. when Timmy will be given a custom-made ice sculpture cake created and donated by Galt House Hotel and Suites Executive Chef Brian Riddle. Other gorillas will also be celebrating the momentous occasion with special treats, and gorilla keepers will be available throughout the day to interact and take questions from guests.

In celebration of Timmy’s milestone and the Zoo’s recent announcement as the No. 1 zoo in North America for cell phone recycling efforts in 2008, visitors and families who bring and donate an old cell phone to the Zoo during the month of January and February get a special discounted admission rate of $5 per person. Zoo members as well as children 2 and under enter free.

“We hope people will come out and celebrate with us,” Gorilla Forest Supervisor Roby Elsner said. “Timmy is definitely special, and this day is an important testament to the wonderful care our animals receive at the Zoo.”

Louisville Zoo’s award-winning Gorilla Forest is on the forefront of gorilla management and meets the demographic trends of current gorilla populations like geriatric gorillas.

“With the extraordinary care our animals receive, the Zoo has an important role to play in caring for an increasing number of aging gorillas” Elsner said. “Gorilla Forest is a great home for Timmy because this unique facility allows close keeper contact with him all day long and the freedom for him to make choices about his environment that can increase his comfort, like staying inside or going outside.”

Born in 1959, Timmy is a laid-back silverback adored by female gorillas in his group which currently includes Paki, Mia Moja and Kweli. Before arriving at Louisville Zoo in 2004, Timmy lived at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Bronx Zoo.

The Louisville Zoo has a total of 11 gorillas including Helen, 51, who is the third oldest gorilla in North America (there is a tie for first at age 53), and Timmy who ties for the fourth oldest gorilla overall in North America. There are a total of 355 gorillas currently housed in 52 Zoos in North America (168 males and 187 females).

Click the pictures below (as well as the one at the top) for larger versions. When cropped, they make gorgeous wallpapers for your computer’s desktop. I love having Timmy look over my work – but my cat Alexa isn’t too sure what to make of him.

The bottom picture might be my favorite – love that face!

Timmy, The Louisville Zoo Gorilla
Timmy, The Louisville Zoo Gorilla

Happy birthday, Timmy and congratulations to the Louisville Zoo for being such an exceptional zoo. We’re very fortunate to have the Louisville Zoo… as are the animals!

The Louisville Zoo Gets Top Honors

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Please click for the larger version.
Forgive the city of Louisville if it gets the big head, but things are totally going their way lately (including the amazingly close ballgame yesterday!).

The latest accomplishment? The Louisville Zoo was recently recognized as the No. 1 zoo in North America for cell phone recycling efforts in 2008 by ECO-CELL, North America’s premiere cell phone recycling program.

“This is a great mark of distinction,” Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak said. “More than 100 zoos in North America participate in ECO-CELL’s recycling program and to be No. 1 speaks to the Louisville Zoo’s leadership in areas of conservation and preservation, which are at the heart of our mission. It is also evidence of our community’s growing support for conservation efforts.”

In 2008, ECO-CELL diverted 4,000 pounds of toxic cell phone batteries, 35,000 cell phones and 6,000 pounds of cell phone accessories from landfills. The Louisville Zoo helped in that effort by collecting more than 4,400 old cell phones from visitors and businesses in 2008.

ECO-CELL recycles phones that are deemed end of life, and reuses other phones by either providing them to charities for emergency 911 uses or reselling them to refurbishers, who in turn sell them to emerging markets where the cost of a new cell phone is often prohibitive.

ECO-CELL gives the Zoo anywhere from 45 cents to $15 per phone donated, depending on the type. Since 2003 ECO-CELL has given the Louisville Zoo more than $15,000 which helps support the Zoo’s conservation programs.

For anyone who loves gorillas like I do, you’ll be interested to learn that recycling cell phones also helps save the world’s precious gorillas.

Cell phones contain a metallic ore called Coltan, a mineral that is refined into a heat-resistant powder that holds an electrical charge. The powder, which regulates voltage and stores energy, is essential for coating components of cell phones and other modern devices such as laptops, pagers and PDAs. Coltan is found in the Congo of central Africa, home to endangered lowland gorillas. Forest habitats are being cleared and gorillas, along with other rare animals, are being killed for bushmeat, a negative side industry of ore mining. The United Nations has reported that in the past five years, the eastern lowland gorilla population in the Congo has declined 90 percent because of these destructive activities. By reducing the demand for Coltan, gorillas and their habitats have a better chance for survival.

If you have an old cell phone lying around  – maybe you got a new one for a holiday gift – bring it to the Louisville Zoo and help protect gorillas and their habitat. Make sure your service is disconnected and your phone is cleared of all its data, then drop it off at the designated cell phone donation box at the Zoo’s entrance. Organizations and groups are also encouraged to collect old cell phones and bring them to the Zoo. Pick-ups can be arranged for large donations, and/or a free Louisville Zoo donation box can even be requested through ECO-CELL and placed at your business for collections. For more information on these options, call ECO-CELL at (888) 326-3357.

For more information on ECO-CELL, visit www.eco-cell.com. For more information on the best zoo in the country, visit www.louisvillezoo.org.

"When reading about a Kentucky event, please be sure you check the date. Old events are not always deleted from the website. If you have an event you'd like to see on Genuine Kentucky or a 'Made in Kentucky' food or product you'd like reviewed, please contact us! " ~ Joi ("Joy")

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