rajafacesbothways

Favas Food Fest

This week's food frenzy kicked off last night with Favas Open House.  Every year the owner, Jeannie, has a party with an abundance of free food for her customers--including her incredible dirty rice and gumbo, meats, veggies, breads, homemade deserts, etc.; an Elvis impersonator provides entertainment.

This year was no different--despite the fact she is battling lung cancer the party went on. "Of course," she said. " It's Christmas!"

Jeannie--Favas owner

 

 

Weisenberger Mill

--the ultimate answer to adult easy bake ovens for over 100 years.

Powdery Substances

Picked up 4 dozen packages of pizza and scone dry mixes  at Weisenberger Mill--to send along to Chicago. Hmm. They requested the same amount  just a couple of months ago. a

Question? Are they really baking that much or are they snorting the white powder?

Season's End

On my way to dance on Thursdays I stop at a farmer's stand from southern Shelby County. Since frost is in the air, the season is over and today was my last opportunity to load up on his incredible fresh veggies.

The good news:  I scored sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, tomatoes, radishes, red potatoes, onions, a squash, beets and romaine lettuce--all freshly gathered from his farm.

The bad news:  I'm going to have to eat with the enthusiasm of Peter Rabbit in order to make refrigerator room for a turkey before Thanksgiving.

Glorious Gluttony

Attended the Incredible Food Show at the center in Rupp Arena yesterday--a food lover's dream with over 100 exhibitors offering samples and tastings from some of the best food products Kentucky has to offer. Began with a cone of frozen yogurt, on to lots of beer cheese, chocolates, pastas, ribs, sauces, cheeses, ice cream, hummus, dips, breads, wines, etc. and ending with a fresh broccoli salad.

Blessed with the ability to eat anything at anytime, and lots of it, this annual event was made for people like me. My two friends and I departed sated, taking home products for future do-it-yourself cooking treats as we await next year's event.

Yum!

 

And They're Off

A very fun  visit ended after a few more delightful events that included food and drink--our main family focus wherever we are.

The Beer Trappe in Lexington has 8 taps of rare craft beers and hard to find bottled beers from all over the world. Kathryn had connected with a couple in Lexington on her blog and we met  there for some sipping. It was followed by a fabulous meal of Polish food at the home of my friend and her family who originally came from Poland.

After an airshow on the porch by show-off hummingbirds, Karen and Kathryn returned to Chicago. Hard to top exciting Georgetown, I bet?!

To Market, To Market

At the court house square on Fridays, local farmers set up stands with homegrown fresh produce, herbs, eggs and meats. Food doesn't get any fresher and better--to me it's "foodie heaven".

(above) I got beets and kale here.

Tomatoes and peppers,lettuce, corn and radishes.

Beans, cantaloupe, peaches, jalapenos and squash here. Also homemade brats. All that should get me through the weekend.

Rick's--One More Time

Casablanca's "Rick's place" and Frankfort's "Rick's place" bear no resemblance to each other.  And this Rick has no resemblance to Humphrey Bogart. Here is Rick from White Light Diner:

Actually his attitude and appearance reminds me of my brother "Catman". 

When he isn't cooking, he is expounding on food, politics--he's definitely a liberal--and interacting with his customers. One diner commented that he had experienced 19 breakdowns in his life. Rick came back with, "Do you have any big plans for your twentieth?"

The cost of a bottle of water is $2.00. A bottle of domestic beer is $2.50. Coffee refills are free if you ordered a meal but beer goes best with the menu choices.

Rick's White Light Diner

With the help of a friend who loves tools and is handy with a hammer, I now have 22 photos in Frankfort for two months on exhibition at Capital Cellars.  However my priorities remain in order. First stop--good food! And nothing in KY beats Rick's White Light Diner.

My object was the oyster po'boy on the home baked roll. However when I saw and sniffed the smokin' smoker out front, I switched to the barbe-que pork with the grilled potatoes; a generous sandwich with flavorful sauce and chunks of tender pork. (Rick uses only organic, mostly local, natural foods--he says the rest is just "crap"). It was followed by a slice of the Kentucky Bourbon pie, rich in chocolate and walnuts saturated with bourbon. Incredible.

The ambiance of this tiny diner is not subtle.

(view from the counter)

I learned about Rick's from a TV visit by Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

More about Rick later. When he isn't yakking with his customers, he is behind the grill to the left filling your order.

 

Winter Break

Showers have replaced the ice and snow, clearing the roads and washing off my car, but this is just a brief break before the approaching cold weekend. Such is winter.

Yesterday I scoped out the wine cellar/gallery space at Capital Cellars in Frankfort, where I'll be exhibiting my work for two months. Photos will be hung in a wine sipping room; the bar and booths composed of pews from old churches. Actually most of the building's interior was artfully created with wood and materials recycled from an old church in Ohio.

With sparkling displays of wine and bourbon bottles, church relics, and art I can think of no better place to get religion.