May 2022 | Kentucky Monthly Magazine

M AY 2 0 2 2

with Kentucky Explorer

RESTAURANTS WITH A SOCIAL MISSION

T H E F O O D ISSUE

and more: ANDY'S ARTISAN BREAD BOUNTIFUL BRUNCHES PAYING IT FORWARD KENTUCKYMADE BEEF JERKY

y

2022-2023 DRINK LOCAL

Display until 06/14/2022

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11 Consecutive Appearances on Jay Mathews’ List of Top Performing Schools with Elite Students 249 National Merit Semi-Finalists

We come from all across Kentucky to The Gatton Academy on the campus of Western Kentucky University. As juniors and seniors in high school, we enroll in WKU courses, conduct research with WKU professors, and study abroad. While we are challenged academically, we thrive in a supportive environment designed just for us and make lifelong friends. Best yet, our tuition, meals, housing, and fees are all paid for by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You, too, can have a future filled with infinite possibilities.

WEBSITE: wku.edu/academy / EMAIL: academy@wku.edu / PHONE: 270-745-6565

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@gattonacademy

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Class of 2025 Admissions Deadline:

February 1, 2023

O N T H E C OV E R Cinnamon roll from Lexington’s DV8 Kitchen; below, DV8’s chicken salad sandwich

in this issue

34

M AY D E PA R T M E N T S 2 Kentucky Kwiz 3 Readers Write 4 Mag on the Move 9 Across Kentucky 10 Cooking 45 Kentucky Explorer 56 Off the Shelf 58 Past Tense/ Present Tense 60 Gardening 62 Field Notes 63 Calendar

14 New Beginnings Andy’s Artisan Bread in Frankfort brings back the village bakery concept 26 Culture of Kindness Our Daily Bread’s “eclectic” menu and Pay It Forward board enabled the Eddyville restaurant to build a loyal following—and survive the last two years 30 Brunch O’Clock Too late for breakfast? Too

10

early for lunch?

No worries. These Kentucky eateries have got you covered 34 Feeding Body and Soul Several Kentucky restaurants aim to give their employees a fair shot at success 40 Kentucky Jerky An ancient method of meat preservation evolved into the production of a popular snack

64 Vested Interest

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 1

kentucky kwiz Test your knowledge of our beloved Commonwealth. To find out how you fared, see the bottom of Vested Interest.

KENTUCKY EATS 1. What is the “original soft drink” of Kentucky?

A. Fanta Orange B. Diet Coke C. Ale-8-One 2. Known for its “tenderness” and “sweet flavor,” name this Kentucky lettuce.

A. Romaine B. Bibb C. Iceberg 3. What kind of dish is Kentucky burgoo?

A. Roast B. Barbecue C. Stew 4. What are bourbon balls?

A. Candy B. Rolls C. Dumplings

Celebrating the best of our Commonwealth

8. What are the base ingredients for the Kentucky Benedictine tea sandwich spread?

A. Cucumber and butter

Stephen M. Vest Publisher + Editor-in-Chief

B. Cucumber and mayo

Editorial

C. Cucumber and cream cheese

A. Western Kentucky

Patricia Ranft Associate Editor Rebecca Redding Creative Director Deborah Kohl Kremer Assistant Editor

9. Which Kentucky locale hosts the International Bar-B-Q Festival?

A. Pikeville B. Henderson C. Owensboro

Ted Sloan Contributing Editor Cait A. Smith Copy Editor

Senior Kentributors Jackie Hollenkamp Bentley, Jack Brammer, Bill Ellis, Steve Flairty, Gary Garth, Janine Washle, Kim Kobersmith, Walt Reichert, Joel Sams, Tracey Teo and Gary P. West

10. Where in Kentucky is the annual Beer Cheese Festival?

Barbara Kay Vest Business Manager

A. Winchester

Jocelyn Roper Circulation Specialist

B. Paducah C. Harrodsburg 11. When was the legendary secret recipe for Derby-Pie created?

A. 1944

5. The Kentucky Apple Stack Cake is especially popular in what region?

© 2022, Vested Interest Publications Volume Twenty-Five, Issue 4, May 2022

B. 1924 C. 1954

Business and Circulation

Advertising Lindsey Collins Senior Account Executive and Coordinator Kelley Burchell Account Executive Teresa Revlett Account Executive For advertising information, call 888.329.0053 or 502.227.0053

KENTUCKY MONTHLY (ISSN 1542-0507) is published 10 times per year (monthly with combined December/ January and June/July issues) for $20 per year by Vested Interest Publications, Inc., 100 Consumer Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. Periodicals Postage Paid at Frankfort, KY and at additional mailing offices.

B. Eastern Kentucky

12. Where in Kentucky can people attend Ham Days?

C. Northern Kentucky

A. Versailles

Vested Interest Publications: Stephen M. Vest,

B. Lebanon

Barbara Kay Vest, secretary/treasurer. Board of

6. What are the two primary ingredients in Modjeskas?

A. Marshmallow and caramel B. Chocolate and nuts C. Raisins and caramel 7. Where is the Hot Brown openface sandwich said to have originated?

A. Louisville B. Paducah C. Henderson 2 KE NT U C K Y M O NT H LY MAY 2 0 2 2

C. Stanton

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to KENTUCKY MONTHLY, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602-0559. president; Patricia Ranft, vice president; directors: James W. Adams Jr., Dr. Gene Burch, Gregory N. Carnes, Barbara and Pete Chiericozzi, Kellee Dicks, Maj. Jack E. Dixon, Bruce and Peggy Dungan, Mary and Michael Embry, Thomas L. Hall, Judy M. Harris, Greg and

“Kentucky Kwiz” courtesy of Karen M. Leet, author of Sarah’s Courage, a Kentucky historical novel, and co-author of Civil War, Lexington, Kentucky, historical nonfiction, both from The History Press.

Carrie Hawkins, Jan and John Higginbotham, Frank Martin, Bill Noel, Michelle Jenson McDonnell, Walter B. Norris, Kasia Pater, Dr. Mary Jo Ratliff, Barry A. Royalty, Randy and Rebecca Sandell, Kendall Carr Shelton and Ted M. Sloan.

Kentucky Monthly invites queries but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material; submissions will not be returned.

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Counties mentioned in this issue...

2022-2023

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local

Readers Write Man’s Best Friend

A Vote for Vest

First off, I really enjoy picking up a copy of Kentucky Monthly and reading it cover to cover. In the March 2022 issue, Steve Vest had a column on page 64 regarding his “planned” run for state senate. I then learned who coined the term, “Man’s best friend is his dog.” Interesting.

I enjoy reading Steve Vest’s monthly editorials. Kentucky Monthly is a special publication that is an asset to our state. We in McLean County are indeed proud that Mr. Vest was able to spend time with us several years ago. He is one of us.

In this morning’s Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer newspaper, Keith Lawrence wrote an article about a certain historical marker on our courthouse lawn. It is a tribute to George Graham Vest about his speech in the courtroom in a Missouri town that gave us his famous cliché about dogs.

Just thought I would pass it along to you.

To be honest, I have lived here all my 67 years, but I have never looked for or knew about the historical marker until today. How interesting. Thanks again.

Keep up the good work.

Stew Kelley, Owensboro

Our family got a charge out of his March editorial with a mention of another of our esteemed citizens, Mike Heflin. Mike was unaware of his mention in the article until our daughter, Lindsey, contacted him.

We would have supported him in his run for senator as well. “Forget the rest; vote for Vest!”

a guide to Kentucky Spirits

nice to have a magazine that showcases it. Keep up the good work.

Leah Vandiver, Livermore

Kentucky-born Fan I was born in Floyd County, left when I was 16 to join the Army, and saw the world during World War II and the Korean War. I took the Kentucky Explorer for many years and really enjoyed the letters everyone wrote, but I have learned more about the state since taking Kentucky Monthly.

Mike was a teacher and principal to our three girls.

I’ve been extremely proud of the educators of our girls in their McLean County education. I’m also proud that two of our daughters have become dedicated teachers as well.

I am 96 now, and most of my cousins and other relatives are gone. What was left of my family moved to Michigan, where they now live. I served in Alaska, and when my two years were up, I wanted some warm wather, so we went to Florida. I moved to Texas in 1960 and had two little girls. I bought a house before I reported to my new unit and am still here.

Our county and state are loaded with talent, and it’s

Winfred Ward, San Antonio, Texas

We Love to Hear from You! Kentucky Monthly welcomes letters from all readers.

Email us your comments at editor@kentuckymonthly.com, send a letter through our website at kentuckymonthly.com, or message us on Facebook. Letters may be edited for clarification and brevity.

INCLUDED WITH YOUR MAY ISSUE.

This handy guide to sipping in the Bluegrass State spotlights local breweries, wineries and, of course, distilleries. Discover unique ways to drink in Kentucky, creative cocktail recipes and more.

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C O N N E C T.

UNITING KENTUCKIANS EVERYWHERE. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 3

travel

MAG ON THE MOVE

Even when you’re far away, you can take the spirit of your Kentucky home with you. And when you do, we want to see it!

Take a copy of the magazine with you and get snapping! Send your high-resolution photos (usually 1 MB or higher) to editor@kentuckymonthly.com or visit kentuckymonthly.com to submit your photo.

Lynn and Steve Holt BOSTON (left) While visiting children and grandkids in Boston, the Bowling Green couple took in a Red Sox game at historic Fenway Park.

The Johnsons MOUNT WHITNEY (right) Eagle Scouts Dr. Douglas and Carson Johnson of Bowling Green traveled to California and hiked to the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States.

4 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2 0 2 2

Join the Kentucky Monthly team for an extraordinary Mag on the Move photo as we travel to Italy Sept. 1-9.

For details, call 502.227.0053.

Jim and Kathy Paris FLORIDA The couple, who reside in Lexington, enjoyed a kayaking adventure through the mangrove tunnels at Siesta Key, Florida.

Iconic Goose HAZARD Sandy Mitchell Stigers of Frankfort celebrated the 70th birthday of her mom, Marilyn Mitchell (pictured, also of Frankfort), with a weekend getaway in late February 2021, staying at the famed Mother Goose Inn in Hazard. “We were the last guests to stay in the house before she was damaged,” Sandy wrote. “We really enjoyed our time there and felt like we had taken a step back in time.” The Goose has since been repaired.

Island Time ISLE OF PALMS Louisville residents Cindy Droste and her husband, Rodney Laswell, spent some time relaxing on the scenic island off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 5

travel Traveling Cousins OREGON Cathy Epperson of Somerset and her cousins have ventured on annual trips together for years, and in 2021, they visited locales along the Oregon Coast.

Pictured at Latourell Falls near Portland are, from left, Teresa Meyer, Brittany Huff, Dinah Burton, Lisa Kerr, Patsy Wheat, Phyllis Broughton and Cathy. Teresa, Lisa and Patsy live in Russell Springs; Brittany and Dinah reside in Windsor; and Phyllis lives in Mount Washington.

Melanie and Cheddy Smith MONTANA (right) The Letcher County couple visited Big Sky Country on a vacation to Montana.

Larry and Sandra McWhorter GREAT AMERICAN WEST (left) The Glasgow couple took their bucket list trip to The Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore.

6 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2 0 2 2

Daniel Boone Country is Waiting for YOU! PICK UP YOUR ATTRACTIONS GUIDE AND MAP AT THESE TOURISM OFFICES: Barbourville Tourism Commission 606-545-9674 barbourvilletourism.com Clay County/ Manchester Visitors Center 606-598-0169 Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission 606-528-8860 corbinkytourism.com Cumberland Tourism Commission 606-589-5812 harlancountytourism.com Beattyville-Lee County Tourism 606-464-5038 visitleecountyky.com Harlan Tourist Commission 606-573-4156 harlancountytourism.com

Hazard-Perry County Tourism 606-487-1580 hazardperrycountytourism.com Irvine-Estill County Tourism Commission 606-723-2450 ExploreEstill.com Jackson County Tourism 606-287-8562 visitjacksoncountyky.com Letcher County Tourism & Convention Commission 606-634-1814 discoverletcher.com London-Laurel County Tourist Commission 606-878-6900, 800-348-0095 visitlondonky.com Middlesboro-Bell County Tourism 606-248-2482 bellcountytourism.com

Mt. Vernon-Rockcastle County Tourism 606-256-9814 rockcastletourism.com Owsley County Action Team (O.C.A.R.E. Inc.) 606-593-7296 www.exploreowsley.com Powell County Tourism Commission Slade Welcome Center 606-663-1161 gopoco.org Williamsburg Tourist Commission 606-549-0530 williamsburgky.com Wolfe County Tourism Commission 606.668.3040 visitwolfecounty.com

www.kentuckytourism.com/explore-kentucky/daniel-boone-country k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 7

travel Adam and Tessa Smith SNUG HOLLOW FARM The Smiths, who live in Hebron, enjoyed a stay at Snug Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast near Irvine after winning a Kentucky Monthly drawing.

Stewart and Judy Perry DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (right) The Lexington couple enjoyed the beach and warm weather in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The Olsen Family ST. LOUIS (left) All of these Kentucky ladies now live near St. Louis but delight in celebrating Kentucky Derby Day yearly with a Derby Party. Pictured are Anna Olsen; her daughters, Abby, Jamie and Andrea; and grandmother Trudie Olsen.

8 KEN T U C K Y M O NT H LY MAY 2 0 2 2

across kentucky

MAY BIRTHDAYS 1 Bobbie Ann Mason (1940), Mayfield-born writer best known for her 1985 novel In Country 1 Steve Cauthen (1960), the youngest jockey to win the Triple Crown, in 1978 aboard Affirmed 1 Chris Coy (1986), Louisvilleborn film and television actor 4 Butch Beard (1947), retired pro basketball all-star and coach from Hardinsburg 6 George Clooney (1961), Academy Award-winning actor/director/producer from Augusta 6 Lee Todd Jr. (1946), retired president of the University of Kentucky 6 Athena Cage (1970), rhythm and blues singer/songwriter from Russellville 8 Chris Frantz (1951), musician, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer for The Talking Heads, from Fort Campbell 9 Brandon Tyler Webb (1979), 2006 National League Cy Young Award from Ashland 14 Robbie Moriarty (1957), noted jewelry artist based in Louisville 24 Don Brumfield (1938), Hall of Fame jockey from Nicholasville with more than 4,500 wins, including the 1966 Kentucky Derby 25 Bill Gatton (1932), entrepreneur and philanthropist born in Muhlenberg County and raised in Owensboro 26 Paul Patton (1937), chancellor, University of Pikeville; 59th governor of Kentucky from 1995 to 2003 30 Wynonna Judd (1964), Ashland-born country music star with 14 No. 1 hits

Enlightening and Entertaining Central Kentucky star chef Ouita Michel has created a video series to complement her lifestyle brand, Holly Hill. The first episode in the series, titled Up Home with Ouita Michel, premiered on April 5.

The short videos highlight Kentucky food and culture, focusing on how shared meals contribute to community and enhance relationships.

“We believe that food culture should reflect the diverse experiences, preferences and identities of all individuals,” said Michel, who owns seven popular eateries in the Lexington area. “We fiercely embrace different tastes, flavors, recipes and people, and invite the world to do the same.”

Michel, an eight-time James Beard Foundation Award nominee, partnered with acclaimed filmmaker Harrison Witt to create the series that includes history, traditions and interviews with local farmers. The episodes are sprinkled with humor and are designed to Michel’s enthusiasm for entertain as well as enlighten. the video project was To view the videos, visit hollyhillandco.com/ evident in her intro to videoseries. the series premiere.

Kentucky Couple Reaches Out to Ukraine Ukrainian missionaries Gennady and Mina Podgaisky said goodbye to the people they had grown to love at Thanksgiving, hoping to soon return to the work they had started 20 years ago.

Instead, they’ve watched Russia’s invasion of Ukraine claim thousands of lives, sending millions fleeing the conflict.

In 2003, Mina, a 1997 Campbellsville University graduate, and Gennady established The Village of Hope, a foster family ministry center, from seven dilapidated buildings on a 17-plus acre former communist pioneer youth camp in Bucha, Ukraine. “Russian tanks shelled this building,” said Gennady, pointing to a picture of the village they created. “Much of what we helped build is now gone.”

In Kentucky, the couple spends their time calling and supporting people in cellars and bunkers.

“It’s just surreal.

You think it’s a dream. How can this be?” said Mina, who told the story of a mother of three who has 23 people sheltering from shelling in her Gennady, left, and Mina Podgaisky. (Campbellsville University unfinished basement. photo by Alexandria D. Dalton) “She will call me in the middle of the night and say, ‘Mina, I’m having a panic attack; can you talk to me?’ So, we talk.” Then, they pray and sometimes laugh.

Mina said laughing is essential because “if we focus on only the bad, we lose all hope. In the midst of all this horror, we must see the hand of God. There is suffering and death, but I’d rather tell the stories that bring us hope.

God is working, and the prayers of many are working.”

By Gerard Flanagan k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 9

cooking

Kitchen Bouquets

Mother’s Day presents us with an opportunity to honor our strong, amazing moms for all they do. We often show our love with flowers, food and relaxation.

Flowers are a mainstay of many celebrations.

Bouquets or plants for flower beds make excellent gifts, but what if Mom isn’t into gardening? Surprise her with a little flower power in the kitchen!

B Y JA N I N E WA S H L E

We actually eat flowers when we consume broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes. These vegetables are buds of their respective plants. Pungent onions and garlic, common in many recipes, are members of the lily family. Even tea comes from camellias, a fragrant floral plant family.

Celebrate Mom with the power of flowers this Mother’s Day. Let her sleep in while you prepare an easy-yet-flavorful brunch that will start her day with flavor and smiles.

Recipes provided, prepared and photographed by Janine Washle of Cloverfields Farm & Kitchen and K’s Café & Catering in Clarkson.

10 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY M AY 2 0 2 2

Chicken Creole

London Fog Cooler— SERVES: 4 4 skinless chicken breasts Seasoned salt Pepper Olive oil 1 cup water

Creole Sauce: 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil 2 cups chopped celery 1 cup chopped green pepper 1 cup chopped onion 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon herbes de provence 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained 1 small bay leaf ½ teaspoon seasoned salt

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season chicken breasts with seasoned salt and pepper. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle oil over top of breasts. Pour water into pan, then cover with foil. Place in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. While chicken bakes, prepare the sauce.

Kentucky-Style

2. For sauce, heat oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, then sauté celery, pepper and onion. Once onions are translucent, add garlic. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

3. Add mustard, herbes de provence, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and seasoned salt. Stir to combine. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until sauce is thick and excess liquid is cooked off.

1-2 teaspoons Kentucky bourbon, optional

4. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice each breast into thick rounds. Spoon sauce over top. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.

S E R V E S : 1 ( E A S I LY D O U B L E D )

1 cup triple-strength Earl Grey tea, cooled

1/

8

teaspoon pure vanilla

1 teaspoon elderflower liqueur, optional

Crushed ice

1. Stir together tea, milk and vanilla in a tall crystal 16-ounce glass. Add crushed ice almost to top; stir again.

2. Stir in liqueur and bourbon, if using.

Top with ice, add a straw, and serve.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 11

cooking

ArtichokeTomato Frittata SERVES: 8-10 8 slices hickory-smoked bacon 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup artichoke hearts 1 cup diced tomatoes 10 large eggs 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1½ cups half-and-half ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Add chopped onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add artichoke hearts, and diced tomatoes. Cook until excess juices have evaporated, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cheese, half-and-half, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add cooked vegetables and stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the center is puffed and edges are lightly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to set up for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm. Store leftovers in covered container in refrigerator.

Seasonal Fresh Fruit Muesli MAKES: 6-8 SERVINGS This eat-right-away muesli doesn’t require an overnight stay in the refrigerator to soften the ingredients.

Strawberries add the floral touch since they’re distant cousins of the rose family.

2 cups old-fashioned oats 1½ cups puffed rice 1 cup toasted cornflakes 1 cup whole almonds ½ cup pepitas ½ cup sunflower kernels Assorted fruits such as strawberries, apples, blueberries and bananas Nondairy milk, juice or water

12 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY M AY 2 0 2 2

1. In a large bowl, stir together oats, puffed rice, cornflakes, almonds, pepitas and sunflower kernels. Store in an airtight container.

2. To prepare a serving, measure out ½ cup of muesli and top with an assortment of fresh fruit. Stir in 2-4 tablespoons of milk, juice or water.

Stir together and enjoy.

Tip: Use warm water for a creamier muesli.

Proud to call Kentucky home.

Make a Difference as a Family Nurse Practitioner

Hibiscus-Lemon Mini Muffins MAKES: 3 DOZEN

1 large egg ¾ cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest 2 tablespoons hibiscus tea, pulsed in coffee grinder until powdered ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup melted unsalted butter 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1/

3

cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt

Orange Glaze: 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray mini muffin pan with baking spray, set aside. Whisk together egg, buttermilk, lemon zest, hibiscus tea, lemon juice and melted butter.

2. In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk dry mixture into liquid ingredients, whisking just until dry mixture is moistened. Batter will be lumpy; do not overmix.

3. Fill muffin cups with batter, about 2/3 full. Bake 15-18 minutes in preheated oven until muffin tops are firm but not taking on color. Remove from oven.

4. While muffins bake, prepare glaze by combining sugar and lemon juice in a small pan over high heat. Stir to moisten sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar is melted. Adjust heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes until syrupy. Stir in zest.

5. Brush hot glaze over tops of warm mini muffins. Brush multiple times until tops are shiny and won’t accept any additional glaze. Discard any leftover glaze.

6. Transfer mini muffins to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in a covered container.

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Frontier.edu/KyMonthly k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 13

BY JOEL SAMS

PHOTOS BY REBECCA SAMS

New Beginnings Andy’s Artisan Bread in Frankfort brings back the village bakery concept

ANDY’S ARTISAN BREAD 127 East Todd Street Frankfort, 859.202.0076 andysartisanbread.com Wednesday-Friday 8AM – 2PM Saturday 8AM – 1PM

14 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 15

T

he paint at 127 East Todd Street was peeling, the walls bowed, and the gutters dangled when Andy and Tara Bissell moved to Frankfort in 2020.

The building’s former dereliction is hard to imagine—especially now, on a quiet Monday, when the bake shop is swept and gleaming in preparation for a midweek rush of hungry customers.

Wednesday, when the bakery opens for the week, will come soon enough. For now, a preparatory mood prevails. Andy pulls espresso shots before a morning of business paperwork. Tara has dropped by the bakery to do a few chores before going to work at the Light Clinic, where she practices acupuncture one day each week. Emma Mason, an 16 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

assistant baker, mixes croissant dough on the maple baker’s bench.

The bakery is only a few months old, and the Bissells say caring for it is like bringing a newborn into the world. It requires late nights, early mornings and constant attention. But when customers pack the tiny storefront on Wednesday, chatting up their neighbors and coworkers, jockeying for an almond croissant or a steaming espresso, it will all be worth it.

Serving European-style pastries, whole-grain sourdough loaves, desserts and a full menu of coffee drinks and teas, Andy’s Artisan Bread is a tale of new beginnings.

It’s a rebirth for the little building perched on the corner of Todd and Logan streets, which has served the South Frankfort community since the early 1900s. It’s a new expression of

the village bakery concept, which has nourished communities through the centuries. And for Andy, the daily work of baking is a kind of renewal, too.

“Getting better at croissants is a lifelong journey,” he said, turning reflective during a rare pause from work. “That mirrors a lot of things in my personal and spiritual life. It’s like the blacksmith making the sword— it’s like baking is sort of chiseling me into a better person, a more spiritual person. I have to rest on my discipline. I have to rest on my faith.”

Before the building was restored, looking beyond the peeling paint and leaning walls of 127 East Todd Street might have required an act of faith, too.

• • •

The building appears on historic Sanborn fire insurance maps in 1907, and it served the community, usually as a grocery store, through the 1980s. By the time Natalie and Layne Wilkerson bought it in 2018, it had been vacant for several years and had been condemned by the city. For Natalie, who grew up in Frankfort, it was important not just to preserve a piece of local history but also to fit it out for commercial use. She and Layne, who was elected mayor of Frankfort in 2020, made significant structural repairs while carefully preserving the building’s historical character.

“We wanted to do the right thing for the long term, because not only am I emotionally attached to that building, but it’s just the anchor for the neighborhood, and Andy has proven that by putting a great

business in there,” Natalie said. “You see people walking to that building from all directions on Saturday mornings.”

It’s not just the building that has been reborn. Along with it came business activity that locals haven’t seen in decades.

South Frankfort resident Joanna Hay, a regular customer at Andy’s, said there’s a line every time she visits. Even before the bakery lobby was open, customers stood “30 deep” in freezing weather to score a croissant or baguette from the bakery’s walk-up window on Logan Street.

“It’s a neighborhood gem, and we have not had shops in South Frankfort for quite a while,” she said.

“We’ve got four people behind the counter working and making lattes.

It’s a hive of activity, and it’s employing more people. It’s making

more people happy and joyful with each day they’re open.”

Steve Pace, another regular, said he sees so many of his neighbors on Saturdays that the bakery should become the new meeting location for the South Frankfort Neighborhood Association. He isn’t sure what the magic ingredient is, but he wonders if it’s in the yeast.

In mid-February, before the bakery lobby was open, Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear joined a crowd to wait in line at the walk-up window, which is just blocks from the Governor’s Mansion. Gov. Beshear said he’s tried four of the Bissells’ products, but his favorite so far is the ham-and-cheese croissant.

“The service and care that Andy’s puts into its baked goods is the type of care you see from small businesses,” Gov. Beshear said. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 17

“These are people who live in the communities they serve, and they want to do their very best. They are also committed to the people around them, and even in tough times, they work very hard to keep their folks employed.”

• • •

When the Bissells moved to Frankfort in 2020 with their son, Gideon (now 7 years old), Tara planned to work in acupuncture full time, but COVID-19 limited her work opportunities. Meanwhile, Andy had just graduated from the University of Kentucky Gatton School of Business and was looking for a job. “That vacuum created opportunity,” Tara said.

Andy had been exploring food business ideas for several years and had already bought website domains for various concepts such as a woodfired pizza trailer. When the Bissells learned the Franklin County Farmers Market had an opening for a baker on Tuesdays, they quickly applied and were accepted.

For months, Andy and Tara sold bread during Tuesday morning markets. Andy baked dozens of loaves each week in their studio apartment’s electric oven, burning through several heating elements. By the fall, they were able to sell during the Saturday market, too. Slowly, Andy upgraded his equipment—a work table, a mixer, a deck oven—and a full-

then

fledged business began to form.

“Andy has been bold lots of times when I have not been,” Tara said, reflecting on his acquisitions. “It was: ‘I’m putting this worktable in the studio apartment; I’m getting this giant mixer; I’m getting this thing that will take it to the next level.’ ” Tara took her knowledge to the next level, too, beginning an online pastry school program during the summer of 2020. She learned tools she now uses daily, from baker’s math to pastry techniques to principles for building a menu. Tara prefers to be behind the scenes, but her imprint on the bakery is unmistakable.

“My inspiration is to take things that I’ve loved from everywhere I’ve lived,” she said. “What have I loved in all these places? What are little foods and drinks and special memories that I’ve collected and all these recipes?

And then I have a chance to put them here in front of people.”

By 2021, it was clear that the growing bakery business needed a physical home. The Bissells had outgrown two residential spaces. Long lines at the farmers market, as well as customer feedback, confirmed that the community would support them. As they planned and dreamed, Andy and Tara envisioned a gathering place.

“We really clicked on this concept of the village bakery that we stumbled upon in one of my cookbooks,” Tara said. “This bakery out in California had said, ‘We want to bring back the idea of a traditional

village bakery, this gathering point that would nourish people on a daily basis.’ We immediately felt like that clicked for this small, village type of community, where you really feel like you get to know people.”

For Andy, the customers are a crucial reminder of why his work matters. “They make all the difference,” he said.

• • •

Andy is a fourth-generation foodservice business owner. He grew up working at the Skyway Restaurant in Custer, South Dakota, which his great-grandfather started. Andy’s mom took over the business from his grandfather, and from the age of 11, Andy advanced through the ranks— busboy, dishwasher, prep cook. By his senior year of high school, he managed the kitchen.

After high school, Andy continued working in restaurants and coffee shops in South Dakota and Colorado.

In 2013, he moved to Asheville, North Carolina, to enjoy the music and dance scene. He and Tara met at the Old Farmer’s Ball, a weekly folk dance, and they connected over a shared love of music, dance and homemade food. They married in 2014, and after Gideon was born, Andy decided to go back to school.

“I’m not afraid to work hard to do whatever it takes to succeed. I knew those things,” he said. “But at the end of the day … I now had a family and

now

The building at 127 East Todd Street was the home of the Little Market in 1987, left (photo courtesy of Capital City Museum).

Today, the welcoming facade of Andy’s Artisan Bread greets patrons, many of whom walk there, approaching from all directions on Saturday mornings.

18 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 19

@andyartisanbread

found on facebook Located a few blocks from the Governor’s Mansion, the bakery has become a destination for Gov. Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear, and their daughter, Lila; right, before the bakery lobby opened, customers stood “30 deep” in freezing weather to score a croissant or pastry from its walk-up window.

hadn’t really gathered any good credentials or skills that I could get a career with. So, I figured I better go back to school.”

When Tara’s work took them to Lexington, Andy enrolled at the University of Kentucky. He made the dean’s list each semester and graduated with a double major in marketing and management.

“The discipline of business school taught me a lot just about reinforcing my work ethic—reinforcing that money has to be earned,” he said.

“Sometimes, it’s just working harder than the other guy … Offer something that’s rare, hard to imitate, that

makes people better off, and they’ll give you money for it.”

Baking is more than a job, though.

Andy sees it as a calling. His first inkling of this came when he worked in the kitchen at Shoshoni Yoga Retreat, a spiritual retreat center near Nederland, Colorado, in return for lodging and meditation classes. The guru at the retreat center also was a baker, and one of Andy’s tasks in the kitchen was baking bread.

“One day, one of the other students came by, and he said, ‘I think you’re a baker,’ ” Andy remembered. “I was kneading the bread, and I was really in tune with the bread, and I could

Bread and pastry lovers also can purchase Andy’s Artisan Bread items at the Franklin County Farmers Market in the Market Pavilion at River View Park in Frankfort, franklincountyfarmersmarket.org.

20 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

feel it in my hands.”

Andy stayed at the retreat center for just three months, but the practice of meditation, along with his Christian faith, continue to deeply influence his approach to work.

“There’s a lot that keeps me going,” he said. “Community, the craft itself, pushes me along, and then my faith that this is my call. This is my true calling, to do this here.”

At 3:45 a.m. on Wednesday, the windows of South Frankfort will be dark. Only 127 East Todd Street will glow like a candle—a village bakery reborn. Q

kentuckytourism.com • 1-800-225-TRIP

Culture of

Kindness Our Daily Bread’s “eclectic” menu and Pay It Forward board enabled the Eddyville restaurant to build a loyal following—and survive the last two years B Y T E D S LOA N

Our Daily Bread 101 Newman Drive, Eddyville facebook.com/ourdailybreadllc 270.388.4328

26 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

Rose’s Banana Pecan Pancakes

P

eople who dine out sometimes “pay it forward,” footing the bill for another customer across the aisle or in the car behind them in the drive-through.

When customers pay it forward at Our Daily Bread restaurant in Eddyville, they also post a note on the Pay It Forward board to let the recipients know that someone cares.

“The Pay It Forward board is close to my heart,” said Rose Pate, who owns and operates Our Daily Bread with her son, Randy Fraliex. “There are a lot of people in need, and there are a lot of people who do things for other people. It can be for a single parent, firefighters, law enforcement.

“If you’re down on your luck, here’s something to pick you up. If you can afford it, pay it forward. If you can’t, that’s OK, too.”

One customer sends the restaurant $100 a month for first responders. Someone else might offer a cup of coffee and one of Our Daily Bread’s legendary big-as-a-dinnerplate cinnamon rolls for someone who is in a 12-step program. People from other communities or even out of state pay it forward for people they have never met.

The Pay It Forward board so impressed radio host and author Matt Jones that he gave it, and the restaurant, a shout-out in his 2020 book Mitch, Please!

• • •

That community spirit of people helping people enabled Our Daily Bread to survive the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020.

“We were worried when COVID hit and we had to go to window takeout only,” Randy said. “It was very humbling to see the response.”

Customers from as far away as Evansville, Indiana—about an hour and a half away—lined up at the drive-through to pick up a meal.

Many left generous tips for restaurant staff. “It’s crazy to have that kind of following,” Randy said.

“The outreach of people who wanted to help people was awesome,” Rose said.

“Throughout COVID, our community really banded together and made sure they were eating out and getting food at mom-and-pop places,” Randy said.

Randy said that, since COVID

4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/ 3 cup sugar 4 teaspoons baking soda 4 teaspoons baking powder 4 eggs 3 tablespoons vanilla 1 tablespoon butter 3 cups buttermilk 1½ cups milk Butter for pan or griddle 1 banana, sliced 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, plus more to sprinkle on top 1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, butter, buttermilk and milk. Add to dry mixture and combine well.

3. Butter the pan or griddle. (I cook with butter … Let’s face it: Everything is better with butter!)

Pour about ½ cup of batter into the pan or griddle and spread it around.

4. Add half the banana slices and 2 tablespoons pecans. Cook until pancake is golden brown, then remove from heat.

5. Spread the remaining slices of banana and sprinkle a few more pecans on top. Enjoy!

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 27

Owners Rose Pate and Randy Fraliex

restrictions eased, the restaurant hasn’t seen a down period when school starts, as it would in the past.

“We’re holding on by the seat of our pants trying to keep up,” Randy said.

When tornadoes devastated western Kentucky in December 2021, Our Daily Bread was spared, but many homes and businesses in the region were not. Following the disaster, emergency workers and military personnel flooded the area, and customers posted offers on the Pay It Forward board to pay for their meals.

“It was really cool to see our community come together like that,” Rose said.

• • •

Rose got the idea to open a restaurant when her youngest son was diagnosed with cancer and she was looking for a way to support him and work on a more flexible 28 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

schedule. The owner of the space leased it to Rose with the first three months rent-free, and she got it ready with the help of family and friends. Randy had worked in a pizza place in Murray years before and wanted to have a restaurant of his own, so he left his position at a summer camp in upstate New York to come to Eddyville and help his mother. They opened Our Daily Bread in September 2015.

The name of the restaurant is a nod to Rose’s repertoire of 28 varieties of breads. The homemade breads, sandwiches and meals are inspired by Rose’s cooking background, and some of the dishes are made from family recipes that go back as far as Rose’s grandmother.

The pizzas are Randy’s specialty.

Randy and Rose describe their fare as “eclectic,” and while they have some regular features—meat loaf on Wednesday, lasagna and chicken

carbonara on Friday—their specials on other days of the week could be just about anything. Over a few days in late March, they posted on their Facebook page daily specials of lemon chicken, shrimp Alfredo, apple butter pinwheels and enchilada casserole.

They celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with loaded Irish potatoes.

“We’re all over the place,” Randy said. “We specialize in desserts and breads, but we don’t like to be just one thing. If we want to make barbecue one day, we’ll make barbecue. And we’ll kill it. It’s awesome. Eclectic is what we cook.

That’s really what draws people in.

That’s what keeps people interested.”

Our Daily Bread has seating for 98 plus outdoor seating. It’s open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, including a menu and daily specials, check out its Facebook page. Q

TOGETHER

Fighting Cancer in Eastern Kentucky Leonard Lawson Cancer Center

Learn about our advanced capabilities.

Visit pikevillehospital.org or call (606) 430-2212.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 29

30 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

BY D E B O R A H KO H L K R E M E R

Brunch

O’Clock

Too late for breakfast? Too early for lunch? No worries. These Kentucky eateries have got you covered

I

t’s brunch o’clock—those glorious hours when you get to combine the best bits of breakfast along with a luxurious, lazy lunch.

Restaurants across Kentucky offer brunch, with menus full of mouth-watering options, some of which are available only during brunch time. Go ahead and order a cocktail because brunch is a laidback, special meal.

Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar Lexington’s Elwood Hotel & Suites—named after the 1904 Kentucky Derby winner—is a new swanky, boutique-style inn off Harrodsburg Road. The cool vibe from the lobby continues into the Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar, where you will find a brunch menu that will be the highlight of your weekend. Fiddletree offers diners

several shareable starters—such as cast-iron cornbread served with poblano pimento cheese and honey butter and delicious deviled eggs— before diving into the main menu.

Entrées include avocado toast, breakfast sandwiches and huevos rancheros.

“Of course, we have people from the hotel eat here each day, but it is really hopping on the weekends,” said Barbara Jean Josey, director of

let’s do brunch Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar

The Miller House

Libby’s Southern Comfort

Big Bad Breakfast

444 Parkway Drive Lexington 859.423.1001 fiddletreekitchen.com

301 East 5th Street Owensboro 270.685.5878 themillerhouserestaurant.com

35 West 8th Street Covington 859.261.3106 libbyssoutherncomfort.com

984 Barret Avenue Louisville 502.289.8227 BigBadBreakfast.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 31

Among Big Bad Breakfast’s enticing brunch offerings are, from left, the Big Bad Biscuit Sandwich, Keke’s Breakfast Wrap and the Huevos Rancheros Grit Bowl.

business development and hospitality services. “Lexington is a brunch town.”

Sit in the casual, artsy dining room or, weather permitting, on the beautiful patio outside. Comfy chairs and firepits create a pleasant ambiance. Or maybe that’s the bottomless mimosas or the Elwood Breeze cocktails at work. Either way, save room because Fiddletree’s brunch menu has a dessert section.

The Miller House The Miller House, once a glorious Owensboro mansion, is now a wellknown restaurant. It had been neglected for many years when Larry and Jeanne Kirk purchased the home in 2006, about 100 years after it was built. They returned it to its rightful place as a city landmark and an elegant dining destination.

Along with fine dining, The Miller House offers a collection of more than 600 bourbons served in the downstairs bar. But Sundays are for brunch, and the day gets a menu of its own.

The Kirks’ daughter, Kasey Kirk Dillow, is the head chef. She designed the brunch menu around 32 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

popular foods with a Southern twist.

Instead of Eggs Benedict prepared the traditional way with an English muffin, Canadian bacon, and a poached egg, at The Miller House, it is made with freshly baked biscuits, country ham and a fried egg.

She said the omelets are popular, as are Southern staples such as steak and eggs, fried catfish, and crab cake hollandaise.

Kasey said diners appreciate the brunch menu. “Everything is made from scratch and served up quickly,” she said. “Plus, we have a huge variety, so there really is a little something for everyone.”

Libby’s Southern Comfort The owners of Libby’s Southern Comfort in the heart of downtown Covington encourage diners to “put a little South in your mouth.” It’s a clever reminder that, while the eatery might physically be close to the Ohio border, the proprietors and chef know how to serve up a menu full of traditional favorites from the Bluegrass State.

Libby’s is known for its fried chicken. On the Sunday brunch

menu, the chicken is paired with a Belgian waffle, bourbon-candied pecan butter, maple syrup, vinegar and pepper barbecue sauce, creating a delectable hurricane of flavors all on one plate. The restaurant’s take on the traditional Hot Brown—the Kentucky Breakfast Brown— incorporates goetta, eggs, bacon, tomato and cheddar cheese, covered in sausage gravy.

Michelle Wainscott, co-owner of Libby’s along with her husband, Brad, said of brunch, “It is so popular, we can’t seat enough people.

So, I highly recommend reservations.”

Wainscott said she thinks people love the brunch because some of the menu items are not offered any other day of the week.

The Sunday brunch cocktail menu features oyster shooters, a mimosa float with sherbet, and a bloody Mary served with house-made pimento cheese-stuffed olives. The restaurant also features a memorable bourbon slush that starts with Cheerwine soda, a wild cherry soft drink made in North Carolina for more than 100 years.

“People come for the food, but on Sundays, they tend to linger,”

A Libby’s Favorite

Brunch libations at Fiddletree include the Fall for You, consisting of Dominican rum, harvest carrot shrub, maple syrup, lemon, coconut, half & half, and black walnut bitters.

Wainscott said. “I think they like the come-as-you-are, upscale-casual ambiance.”

Big Bad Breakfast Louisville’s new kid on the block is Big Bad Breakfast, with a menu featuring funky twists on old favorites. Although good old bacon is on the menu, don’t miss the housecured Tabasco brown sugar bacon.

Big Bad Breakfast founder John Currence, a James Beard awardwinning chef and author, started with his favorite meal of the day, threw in some reminders of his New Orleans upbringing, and created a breakfast-lunch spot. One of his ties to the Big Easy is a connection to the McIlhenny family, the makers of Tabasco brand hot pepper sauce.

Tabasco shares its mash from the peppers with Big Bad Breakfast.

“It is a proprietary recipe for us,” said Melissa Ritchie, who owns the restaurant with husband Steve Ritchie. “If you like Tabasco and you like spicy, this is your bacon.”

Other twists to old favorites are the brandy-spiked, deep-fried French toast and the eatery’s breakfast

margarita, made with fresh-squeezed orange juice. For a fun riff on a healthy breakfast choice, try the brûléed grapefruit. The chef covers a sliced grapefruit in turbinado sugar and then takes a blow torch to it, which creates a crunchy outer shell, along the lines of crème brûlée.

BBB, as the restaurant’s often called, is located in the building formerly occupied by Lynn’s Paradise Café, which was a popular Louisville eatery for many years. Lynn’s was known for delicious food, quirky décor, and, of course, the annual Ugly Lamp Contest. Outside the café along Barret Avenue was a 6-foot-tall red teapot, slightly tipped to appear to be pouring something into an equally large yellow teacup that was topped off with fake white suds.

The Ritchies, who are Louisville natives and have great memories of visiting Lynn’s, had a mural painted on the side of their new restaurant.

The giant artwork is big and bold and proudly features the iconic teapot.

“We know where we are,” Melissa said. “We are proud to follow Lynn’s and will always respect the neighborhood.” Q

Whip up a taste of Libby’s Southern Comfort in your own home with this recipe for Bourbon Onion Jam. Served at the restaurant with the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer and on the Fried Bologna BLT, this sweet and savory specialty is great on burgers, sandwiches, crackers or toast.

BOURBON ONION JAM 1½ cups bourbon ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons brown pepper 2 pounds onions, diced or julienned 1. Bring bourbon, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper to a boil in a large saucepan. Add onions and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. With an immersion blender, purée mixture and return to heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and bring to a low simmer. Reduce by half.

Let cool and serve.

3. Transfer remainder to a glass or plastic container and store in the refrigerator.

Recipe courtesy of Libby’s Southern Comfort.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 33

B Y K I M KO B E R S M I T H

Feeding Body Soul

&

34 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

These Kentucky restaurants aim to give their employees a fair shot at success

Jackhorn

Black Sheep Brick Oven Bakery & Catering

H

ave a hankering for authentic brick-oven pizza and a scenic drive? Head to Letcher County, where the Hemphill Community Center plays host to Black Sheep Brick Oven Bakery and Catering. On Thursday and Friday evenings and all day on Saturdays, the 700-degree brick oven puts the perfect crunchy-chewy crust on pizzas, calzones and artisan-style bread. A fan favorite is the Pig ’n Pepper Sticks—bacon and banana pepper-topped cheese sticks with marinara on the side. Then there are the cinnamon rolls: While manager and lifelong resident Gwen Johnson won’t reveal the house-secret recipe, she guarantees feathery light pastry, a generous shmear of cinnamon and brown sugar, and sweet icing with a citrusy zing.

This small-town operation has social enterprise baked in. Part of the motivation for opening Black Sheep in 2018 was to support the work of the Hemphill Community Center, which was struggling from the loss of funding from coal severance taxes. Each purchase supports the center’s decades-long work as a gathering place for friends and neighbors and a home for nurturing cultural traditions such as music, dance, crafts and cooking.

“There is nothing cheaper than flour, salt and water, so we decided to try our hand at having a bakery,” Johnson said. “Traditional breadmaking knowledge was lost when the coal companies came.”

The decline of coal work has caused an out-migration of laid-off miners who couldn’t find local

employment. At the same time, Johnson had a nephew soon to be released from jail who, because of his record, had little hope of getting a job. The founders of Black Sheep decided to intentionally hire folks who needed a fresh start. “This addiction thing is a disease, and it’s a monster. We have had a real brain drain into jails,” Johnson said.

“Opioids robbed a lot of people of their good standing in the community and their human potential.”

For some, employment at Black Sheep is just the boost they need to get their lives back on track. Several of the part-time employees have taken the skills and positive work reference they have gained at the bakery and gone on to full-time employment elsewhere. “This is sometimes a transitional job, and we don’t hinder them when they get ready to fly,” Johnson said.

Every Saturday night, the Black Sheep Bakery stage thrums with local live music. It is open on holiday mornings, so local folks can pick up pre-ordered fresh bread and desserts for family celebrations. Those sweet treats include triple-berry scones, cream horns and Mamaw Mable’s signature dessert pizza, with butterscotch, sliced apples, and walnuts drizzled with icing.

Black sheep are known for being different—for standing out—and Black Sheep Bakery lives up to its name. In February, it hosted the first LGBTQ+ art collaborative in the area.

“It was pretty joyful,” Johnson said.

“We’ve worked really hard to make a free space where everyone can fit in.”

Black Sheep Brick Oven Bakery 2514 Ky. 317, Suite 2, Jackhorn 971.867.4337 blacksheepbrickoven.org/ hemphill-community-center

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 35

Lexington

Dv8 Kitchen

D

iners in Lexington desiring a made-fromscratch breakfast or lunch should head to one of DV8 Kitchen’s two locations, both open seven days a week. Co-owner Rob Perez said DV8 makes 95 percent of everything it serves, including light and flaky Southern biscuits, an assortment of jams and jellies, and sauces and dressings.

Its Breakfast Reuben is an interesting spin on the usual sandwich. Corned beef, potatoes, bell peppers, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut hash are topped with Russian dressing and a poached egg. The Southern Eggs Benedict consists of a poached egg, ham, fried green tomatoes, and hollandaise on a biscuit.

The menu pairs DV8’s freshly baked brioche sandwich buns with the humbly named Best Burger in Town, topped with an egg, cheddar

36 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, and Dijonnaise sauce. The Orange Marmalade Chicken Sandwich—with fried chicken tenders and honey butter—satisfies those with a nottoo-sweet tooth.

“It is a chef’s approach to really simple food,” Perez said. “Once you have ham and apple butter on a fresh Southern biscuit, it is kind of lifechanging.”

The eatery’s offerings led to it quickly becoming a favorite among diners. In 2021, DV8 was the only Kentucky restaurant to appear on Yelp’s Top 100 Brunch Spots in the U.S., coming in at No. 40.

The food is not the only aspect of DV8 Kitchen that is life changing.

Since its founding in 2017, the enterprise has offered second-chance employment to those in the early stages of addiction recovery. DV8 leverages a job to keep people sober

as they learn to deviate from their past lives.

The restaurant was the brainchild of Perez’s wife, Diane Perez.

Together, the couple owned three restaurants and had 35 years of experience in the industry. But it was Diane’s experience helping Rob through recovery when he was 25 that made them uniquely qualified to launch a business offering secondchance employment. Rob’s first reaction? “I thought it was the dumbest idea I ever heard,” he said.

He came around.

“We want to change the minds of customers so they think about hiring someone in a second-chance position,” Rob said. “The restaurant is emblematic of successful recovery and full of life and hope.”

At the time DV8 opened, secondchance employment was a relatively new idea. The establishment has

DV8 Kitchen 867 South Broadway, Suite 140, Lexington 859.955.0388 594 East Third Street, Suite 100, Lexington 859.832.0388 dv8kitchen.com

since shared the lessons it has learned with other businesses through Soulfull Enterprises, a training and mentorship opportunity designed to make this kind of employment approachable for other business owners. “Twenty percent of people are in need of a secondchance position,” Perez said. “We talk about the virtues of second-

chance hiring, mitigating risk, and how to manage less transactionally and more relationally.”

The community has rallied around this mission and in ways beyond dining. Medical professionals volunteer to host weekly wellness workshops for the staff. Donors have given seven cars to staff in need of transportation. Thanks to community

donations, DV8 opened its second location in September 2021 with a full-size commercial bakery to grow its wholesale business.

“People see others working hard at deviating from their pasts and feel led to assist,” Perez said. “It is pretty beautiful.”

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 37

Louisville

Lee Initiative

Chef Edward Lee

I

n the height of the Me Too movement five years ago, Chef Edward Lee looked with a critical eye at the restaurant industry to which he had devoted his life. Unjust and discriminatory practices were coming to light. Lee was inspired to do something beyond lip service or tokenism.

“We wanted to make a longlasting commitment to a program 38 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

that would show the way forward,” Lee said. “It was important to start in Louisville, where there is a need for more women in leadership in the restaurant industry.”

That birthed the nonprofit Lee Initiative and its six-month leadership development program for female chefs and bartenders. With superstar mentors like Kentucky chef Ouita Michel, the initiative has

impacted 25 Kentuckians who have moved into their dream careers at places like the Food Network and Maker’s Mark Distillery.

“They already had the talent and skills,” Lee said. “The program is about instilling culture and sparking a confidence that shows a pathway to leadership. Their careers have soared.”

The ultimate goal of the initiative is to make the restaurant industry more

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equitable, diverse and kind. What he preaches at the nonprofit, Lee implements at his flagship restaurant, 610 Magnolia. Women are in leadership roles in both the back and front of house, and they are creating equitable policies for all staff.

Conventional wisdom states that staff need to leave their problems at the front door when they arrive at work. Lee noted that mode of thinking doesn’t work anymore, especially during COVID. “I am proud of the fact that, when we reopened, we did not have a single staff member not return to work,” he said. “We are a close unit, and people feel valued as part of our team.”

The fledgling nonprofit is a bit of an anomaly, as all of the staff have a restaurant, not a nonprofit, background. It is nimble and adjusts its outreach every six months based on what is happening in the world.

In the last couple of years, the nonprofit has fed those in Kentucky impacted by the pandemic and other tragedies.

The initiative is still on the ground in western Kentucky serving people whose lives were torn asunder by the December 2021 tornadoes. Initiative representatives arrived three days after the storms and have made at least a six-month commitment to the region. “It is not our main focus, but when it hits close to home, we can mobilize pretty quickly,” Lee said.

The website at leeinitiative.org details the nonprofit’s current projects and includes ways for interested people to donate and volunteer. Lee hopes readers will help spread the word about the need for more compassion and fairness in the restaurant culture.

“For me personally, I want to make sure when I retire that I leave the industry in a better place than when I found it,” he said. “If we can inspire hundreds of people to do their part, that can start a movement.” Q

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k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 39

BY JACKIE HOLLENKAMP BENTLEY

Kentucky Jerky An ancient method of meat preservation evolved into a popular snack

W

e humans sure are a resourceful lot. More than 40,000 years ago—the time of the Cro-Magnon people of the Upper Paleolithic Period, to be precise—we realized we could use the sun and wind to dry meat and create a longer-lasting food source.

It’s believed that, roughly 500 years ago, the Quechua, a tribal people who are direct descendants of the Incas, were among the first to hang strips of buffalo meat over campfires. They called it “cha’arki,” according to foodpreserving.org.

Some 200 years ago, European traders, explorers and settlers learned jerky-making skills from Native 40 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

Americans. Today, everyone from outdoors folks to mid-afternoon snackers around the world enjoys the seasoned, chewy goodness of jerky.

In Kentucky, Mingua Beef Jerky and Pap’s Genuine Beef Jerky have inserted their own jerky products into the hallowed, ancient timeline.

Mingua Beef Jerky While the making of jerky goes back millennia, it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that Bourbon County farmer Ronnie Mingua entered the game. “My dad saw a Ron Popeil commercial for a dehydrator one day, and he decided to order that and

then decided to make beef jerky,” said Ronnie’s daughter, Holly Mackley, who, along with husband Curtis, now helps run the family business. “So, he perfected the recipe … and they just started selling it from there.

“They went around to different horse farms and car lots and just sold it out of the vehicle at first and then sold it at stores.”

Sales took off—so much so that the United States Department of Agriculture noticed and began inspecting the product. That led Mingua to move into a 1,000-squarefoot facility to satisfy the USDA’s regulations.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 41

By 2004, Mingua was producing 5 to 10 pounds of jerky a day in a 10,000-square-foot building using more than two dozen dehydrators.

Curtis said that one day, “out of the blue,” USDA inspectors informed them they weren’t cooking the jerky properly. “We weren’t going to shut down, obviously,” he said. “That was the time we invested in industrialsize [dehydrators]. The real challenge from there was having the jerky … taste the same way.”

The recipe for that taste is the same as when Mingua first conceived of making beef jerky, using only the round cuts from a cow and sodium as a preserving agent versus artificial 42 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

preservatives.

Their concerns about preserving the flavor proved to be unfounded as sales continued to grow. Now, the family is operating from a 20,000square-foot facility in Paris.

The product line has expanded to include multiple jerky flavors. Along with the original are Hot, Cajun, BBQ, Garlic & Onion, Sweet and Hot, and Bourbon. Mingua Jerky also produces treats for dogs.

Most of the product line can be found in any gas station or convenience store east of the Mississippi River.

“We’re pretty much saturated in Kentucky and every state that touches Kentucky, as well as Florida, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, the Virginias, Pennsylvania and Illinois,” Holly said.

“We don’t really have any salesmen

beating down doors—it’s just word of mouth. Our quality speaks for itself.”

The Mackleys said they are already looking to expand their facilities yet again, ensuring that the family business will be around for the long haul.

“We’re still having a good time making jerky,” Curtis said. “We’re making jerky every day and having a good time, and our kids will be making jerky 10, 15 years down the line.”

Pap’s Genuine Beef Jerky Jim Richardson wasn’t happy with the quality of jerky that was on the 21st century market. So, in 2013, he took matters into his own hands and made his own jerky. He joined forces with Rick Waldon, and together they founded Pap’s Genuine Beef Jerky.

(Waldon sold his share of the company a few years later.)

John Good, who joined the company in 2016, said its goal was to

make a “better, fresher” product. “He [Richardson] spent a lot of time in product development and came up with the Pap’s Jerky that we know today,” Good said. “He put together the methodology of making it to get that perfect texture and then developed flavors around it.”

The initial offerings included mild and hot versions as well as Pitmasters barbecue flavor.

“He was pretty exacting in what he wanted, but he was finally able to put his finger on it, and it’s phenomenal tasting jerky,” Good said.

Sales grew each year in the Louisville area. Thorntons gas stations and FiveStar convenience stores began adding Pap’s jerky to their shelves.

Initially, the owners had to rely on a Tennessee company to manufacture the jerky according to Richardson’s recipe and methodology. But in 2018, they teamed up with Cincinnatibased Grippo’s and began to include the company’s “legendary” barbecue seasoning to Pap’s jerky product line.

“Once we onboarded the Grippo’s product, we had the capacity and the confidence to strike out, buy our own facility and develop it, and move forward,” Good said. “That opportunity allowed us to reinvest in some marketing and continue to develop the product. In 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, we opened our own plant here in Louisville.”

The company’s growth allows it to give back to the community. A portion of sales is donated to Friends of Metro Animal Services (FOMA), the sole fundraising entity for Louisville Metro Animal Services.

Richardson is a member of FOMA’s board of directors.

“That’s been a great partnership,” Good said. “We’re big animal lovers around here … We try to give back where possible.” Q

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KENTUCKY GATEWAY MUSEUM CENTER 215 Sutton Street Maysville, Kentucky 41056 606-564-5865 www.kygmc.org Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm The Old Pogue Experience located in the limestone building on the corner of sutton & west 2nd Streets kygmc campus

The Maysville and Mason County Library, Historical and Scientific Association cordially invites you to a Dedication Reception for the

Browning Building Saturday, June 11th at 4pm

In honor and memory of the Browning family members that have served on the Association’s Board of Trustees over the years.

Window to the Past. Bridge to the Future.

Best of the Best The 65 Roses Gala will honor a select group of Louisville’s best and brightest young professionals. These leaders are not only making a positive local impact, but they’re also committed to supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s mission: Finding a cure for all people with cystic fibrosis.

Join us

Friday, June 10, 6:30 pm Churchill Downs Cocktail Party · Dinner & Full Bar Live & Silent Auctions · Music

For more information

Please contact Whitney Hobbs, 502-242-7974 or whobbs@cff.org

This QR Code will take you to (65 Roses Gala) to register for the event or to make a donation.

You may also type (finest.cff.org/65rosesgala) into your browser to visit the site directly, if you prefer.

44 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

A section for Kentuckians everywhere … inside Kentucky Monthly.

The 1901 Kentucky Derby was the 27th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on April 29, 1901.

K ENTUCKY XPLORER E All About Kentucky

Volume 37, Number 4 – May 2022

Three young men in Bowling Green in the early 1900s. Notice the poster promoting “Edison’s Talking Motion Pictures” in the background. Photo courtesy of the Earl D. Rabold Collection.

Your Letters -- page 46 The Kentucky Orphan Train -- page 50 The Aftermath of the Floyd Collins Tragedy -- page 52

“I Remember” By Our Readers

and More!

Featuring Things Old & New About Kentucky

46

THE KENTUCKY EXPLORER

Kentucky Explorer a magazine published for Kentuckians everywhere Charles Hayes Jr. • Founder Stephen M. Vest • Publisher Deborah Kohl Kremer • Editor Rebecca Redding • Typographist One-Year Subscription to Kentucky Monthly: $20

FOUNDED 1986, ISSUE 335, VOLUME 37, NO. 4

Letters to Kentucky Explorer Letters may be edited for clarification and brevity.

Looking for Genealogy Help It is May, and I’ll be celebrating my favorite holiday of the year, otherwise known as Derby Day. Whether watching on TV or in person, the day fills me with pride. I love the hats, the parties, the food and, of course, the beautiful horses and their stories.

The first Derby I attended was in the 1980s, while I was in college. I spent the day in the infield, and although I didn’t see a horse all day, the entertainment was never-ending. With nearly 150 years of Kentucky Derbys having been run, I’ll bet you readers have your share of stories about the race. Please drop me a note or email telling about your memories from Churchill Downs or how you celebrated the day. Your stories can fill the pages of “I Remember,” and they are my favorite kinds of tales to share.

This month, we have a story and amazing photos from the aftereffects of poor Floyd Collins getting trapped in Sand Cave in 1925. We also have a story of how Charles Morris tracked down records from what was called the Kentucky Orphan Train and compiled them into a book. The stories inside are tragic and heartbreaking, but his work undoubtedly helped families track down some of these children.

Finally, I’m super excited to share the photos of Earl D. Rabold. Thanks to his grandson, Bobby, for sharing some of his collection with us. We plan to run one of Earl’s photos on the cover of Kentucky Explorer every few months. Be sure to read about Earl and his collection on page 47.

You can reach me at deb@kentuckymonthly.com or mail items to Kentucky Monthly, Attn: Deb Kremer, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602-0559.

Happy Derby!

— DEBORAH KOHL KREMER

We are looking for Elisha Williams and Mary Florence Williams (Gibson), my grandparents/great-grandparents.

We also are looking for information on my mother and grandmother, the Audrey Williams Saltzman line. Elisha Williams was born on Aug. 12, 1888, and died in 1965.

He was married to Mary Florence, who was born in 1890. They lived in Grayson County—I’m fairly certain in Leitchfield. Any information will be helpful for my dad, Wayne Saltzman, who is 80. He’s already finished with our Saltzman genealogy except for a few loose ends. He’s been trying to gather information on the Williamses but is finding it difficult.

Please contact either: Wayne Saltzman 935 North Center Street Braidwood, IL 60408 Wsaltz@att.net (Please put Williams in the subject line.)

Rita Saltzman Blackwell 182 Goldeneye Lane Bloomingdale, IL 60108 Skyhighpoet@att.net (Please put Williams in the subject line.)

In Search of a Back Issue I am interested in a past issue of Kentucky Explorer. I am looking for an article on my husband’s family. I am pretty sure it was the June 2016 issue, and it highlighted the Floyd County Stumbo family. The title of the article was “Strictly Kentucky Genealogy: Various Materials to Aid in Family History Research.”

There is a picture sent by Johnny Stumbo of his grandparents, Greenville and Hannah Stewart Stumbo. I would be happy with a photocopy of the article if someone has it and would email it to me at jcstumbo@gmail.com.

Jan Stumbo, Hindman

Kentucky Explorer appears inside each issue of Kentucky Monthly magazine.

Subscriptions can be purchased online at shopkentuckymonthly. com or by calling 1.888.329.0053.

The 1942 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Photo from the Library of Congress.

“All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother.” Abraham Lincoln

May 2022 47

The Talented Mr. Rabold Kentucky Explorer is excited to share the photos of the Earl D. Rabold collection on our cover, starting this month and appearing occasionally throughout the year. In 2005, Rabold’s grandson found more than 3,500 of the photographer’s perfectly preserved negatives.

Earl D. Rabold was born in Bowling Green on Nov. 7, 1896. He was raised in the tradition of the various family businesses, and he was taught from a young age the importance of community involvement. As a businessman, Rabold was most associated with Dave Rabold & Son Menswear, which he helped operate until his death on Dec. 14, 1976.

Rabold served in the United States Navy during World War I, and he was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church on State Street. He was a philanthropist and member of the Bowling Green Chapter of the Kiwanis Club for more than 52 years. Rabold’s obituary was printed on the front page of the Bowling Green Daily News, which recognized him as one of city’s most prominent “civic and business leader[s].”

Rabold, however, was much more than a public servant.

As a child, he owned one of the earliest cameras in Bowling Green. His childhood toy grew into a significant hobby as he grew older. Rabold is credited with opening one of the earliest photo-developing businesses in the city—Kodak.

During his teenage years, Rabold took and developed thousands of images, many of them in downtown Bowling Green, memorializing the town’s people, buildings, and events at the turn of the last century. His catalog of images is recognized as the most complete, integrated photographic record of “old Bowling Green” in existence today.

Remarkably, Rabold rarely discussed his hobby as a young man or the photographic catalog he created. As a result—for nearly a century—those photos were lost to memory.

The Rabold Family, the Princess Theatre and the Discovery of the Historic Negatives The Rabold family have been prominent business and property owners in Bowling Green and Warren County since the early 19th century. One of the family’s most successful and enduring ventures was bringing the silver screen to Bowling Green—and keeping it there during the Golden Age of Cinema.

In 1913, the family purchased the land at 430/432 East Main Street, contracting with Crescent Amusement Company to build the Princess Theater in 1914. The theater paired an elaborate Art Deco design with state-of-the-art technology to become the landmark it remains today. At the time of its construction, the Princess Theater was hailed not only for its beauty but also its comfort, being the region’s first theater to provide plush seating. It is

reported to be both the first theater in Kentucky built specifically for films and the first theater in the Commonwealth to employ sound—making it among the first theaters in the nation to bridge the gap between Top, Earl Rabold taking a selfie. Notice silent and synchronized audio the string from his left hand attached to films. The Princess his camera; above, Earl (center) and Building is the only friends in front of Dave Rabold & Son Menswear store in Bowling Green. historic building on Fountain Square that remains in the hands of the family who built it.

In 2005, Rabold’s grandson, Robert “Bobby” Rabold, located a box containing thousands of negatives in 414 envelopes, all of which had been stored in a dark, cold room in the back of the Princess Building, presumably since the 1920s. Each envelope had a handwritten description of the contents, helping to identify the people and locations depicted. In addition to negatives, the box contained a variety of rubber stamps, postcards and personal items—along with dozens of photographic glass plates that had been used to advertise Dave Rabold & Son Menswear on the Princess Theater movie screen.

Over the following years, Bobby Rabold had more than 3,500 of the negatives restored by local preservationist Benjamin “Ben” Runner, ensuring their existence for historians.

Thanks to the Rabold family and the efforts of the Warren County Public Library, Bowling Green Daily News, and Kentucky Monthly magazine, these digitized black-and-white images of the “Earl D. Rabold Collection” can be enjoyed by the public today.

“The best thing about the Kentucky Derby is that it is only two minutes long.” Hunter S. Thompson

4 THE 48 THEKENTUCKY KENTUCKYEXPLORER EXPLORER Send memories to Deborah Kohl Kremer at deb@kentuckymonthly.com or mail to Kentucky Monthly, Attn: Deb Kremer, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602.

“I Remember” Send your memory in today!

Gathering Nuts in the Fall Lois Johnson Wilcox, Piqua, Ohio My parents owned 100 acres on Big White Oak Road in Greenup County from 1920-1943. This is where I was born and lived until I turned 10. The land surrounded the Roberts Cemetery.

The land provided us with all kinds of food items, and all we needed to do was go gather them.

Springtime brought all kinds of greens for Hickory nuts making salads and main dishes. In the summer, there were many kinds of berries to make into pies, juices and jelly, all free of charge.

In the fall, a small cluster of hazelnuts grew behind the smokehouse. These were round marble-sized nuts. They were easy to break open for the nutmeat and were dry but tasty. In other locations were the black walnuts, which are more moist but would stain your clothes and hands. After cracking black walnuts, we children went around with

By Our Readers

stained hands until it wore off. There was a long-shaped nut called a butternut. We loved these moist nuts.

There were many kinds of hickory nuts, too—some round and some oblong. The best hickory nuts grew on the east edge of the field that Dad called bottomland.

These nuts were large, like the English walnut. These were soft-shelled nuts and so easy to crack open. You would think you could crush them with your bare hands. We liked these best, and so did the neighbors. If we were lucky, we gathered many hickory nuts and stored them in huge cans in Dad’s saddle room in the barn. In the winter, we children would bring the bucket full of nuts into the house to open, eat and pick out the nutmeat for Mom to bake in pies or cakes. She loved them in the fruitcakes she would bake near Christmas. She would pour coffee into the cake mixture to make it a darker color.

The nut meat was a great healthy snack to enjoy on winter evenings sitting beside the warm fireplace. We used a horseshoe nail to pick out the meat, and that sure made it easier. We were careful so as not to misplace our nail. I don’t know the price of a horseshoe nail, but we had to take care of everything we had. Money came from the sale of tobacco, and it had to last until the sale of the next crop at auction.

Our farm provided us with many extra food items. All that was needed was for us to go collect these things. I hope that the people who live near there today will love and protect the land that I love so much still.

Notes from Newspapers

Above, from the May 29, 1828, issue of The Kentuckian (Frankfort); right, from The Bardstown Saturday Gazette, June 30, 1855

Contrary to popular belief, Clay County was not named for Henry Clay but rather …

May 2022 49

Rally ’Round the Maypole!

Although historians tend to have differing opinions on the origin of May Day, what they do agree is that the festive, colorful celebration welcomes the spring season with food, dancing and merriment.

The Maypole itself started as a tree, then evolved into a tree trunk, and, eventually, a pole.

Colorful ribbons were attached to the top of the pole, and children stood around the base holding the other end of each ribbon. Then, with boys going one direction and girls the other, the children would weave in and out, creating a colorful ritual to watch as well as a finely decorated pole as it became wrapped from top to bottom.

May Day 1965 at Hindman Settlement School

Hear That Train a-Comin’

This 1959 photo (above, left) shows the Railway Post Office (RPO) car at River in Johnson County on the Chesapeake & Ohio’s Big Sandy Division, which ran from Catlettsburg to Elkhorn City.

The RPO cars belonged to the railroads, which supplied the cars as part of their contracts to carry the mail. The cars were built to United States Post Office specifications.

The RPOs picked up and dropped off mail along their routes. Postal clerks sorted the mail in the cars and had it ready for the next step of its journey.

If the passenger train was not scheduled to stop at a station, the local post office hung a mailbag on what was called a mail crane. As the train passed, a special hook on

the RPO snagged the bag and held it until a clerk brought it inside.

In the photo on the left, the hook has just snagged the bag from the mail crane.

Since the RPOs carried stocks, bonds, cash, gold and other valuable mail, the clerks all were armed.

Each RPO was assigned to a specific route and had its own postmark. The postmark indicated the endpoints of the route and train number for the train it was assigned to. On the right is a postcard postmarked by the RPO that ran in the Chesapeake & Ohio’s George Washington train between Ashland and Louisville.

Photos and information courtesy of David Morse.

… for his cousin, Green Clay, who was the father of Cassius M. Clay.

6 THE 50 THEKENTUCKY KENTUCKYEXPLORER EXPLORER

The Kentucky Orphan Train

By Suzanne Morris Ledford, Cadiz

and ended up in Trigg County. Dad also recalled his grandfather talking about going to Cadiz one morning y father, Charles Morris, was and seeing children from the train a well-known historian and lined up in front of the courthouse. genealogist in Kentucky. Born My great-grandfather brought three in Owensboro, he moved to Cadiz in brothers home to stay with their 1963 to be near family. After retiring family for the winter. from AT&T, he spent time talking to Dad decided that there had to be people, hearing their stories, and using that information to research and more of those children in Trigg County and began asking friends if record local history. Dad was well they knew of any Orphan Train known for his genealogical research children. He began to research and for friends and people across the United States. He also was involved in gather information on the names he was given. His online research about gathering information for books being the KCH led him to the Kentucky published about Trigg County, wrote Department for Libraries and Archives several books about his family’s (KDLA) in Frankfort. Fortunately, a history, and, most recently, wrote the few years ago, several old ledgers and Kentucky Orphan Train books. most of the files of the KCH children His interest in Kentucky Orphan were located in an old whiskey Train children began many years ago warehouse in Louisville. These were when my sister, Paula Anderson, saved from destruction and asked him to research her husband’s transferred to the KDLA for family. Her father-in-law had been preservation. sent from eastern Kentucky to the Dad discovered that among those Kentucky Children’s Home (KCH) in ledgers were 14 large handwritten Louisville. He was then put on a train books containing the names of 7,800 children sent to the KCH from when it opened in 1895 through 1936. After being granted access in 2015 to the ledgers and files, Dad, along with my mom, Jenny, made several trips to the KDLA to review the ledgers. They located more than 100 children from across the state who had been brought to Trigg County during those years, including 15 children who had been sent to the KCH from Trigg County. Many friends urged him to put this information in a book for family members and future generations.

Thus began the process of reviewing the children’s files, doing The Beair family poses in front of the Kentucky computer research, and

M

interviewing those who were still living or their family members. The compilation of this information led to the publication of his book, The Trigg County Connection to The Kentucky Children’s Home, in late 2016. The book contains the history of the Kentucky Children’s Home, along with copies of newspaper articles and examples of paperwork found in the files. The majority of the book contains individual stories about every child who left Trigg County or arrived here by train and were fostered or adopted by local families.

The KCH relied on charitable donations for funding. During cold winters, children were sent by train to stay with families across the state to reduce the operating cost of keeping them in Louisville. After staying in the foster homes, many of the children were adopted or kept by their foster families. The KCH attempted to make sure that children were sent to opposite ends of the state from where they were raised so that “family [would] not interfere with their placement.” This resulted in many of the children never knowing if they had siblings or other family members.

This book is full of interesting anecdotes, stories of happiness, and tales of unbelievable sadness. Some of the foster children were adopted, while others were sent back to the KCH for no other reason listed except “we no longer want this child.” There are stories of children put in jail because no family member would take them. There is a story of a stepfather who poisoned his stepchildren, resulting in the death of one child.

One of Dad’s favorite stories was of a teenager who liked living in Trigg County so much that each time he was sent back to the KCH, he would run away and walk back to Trigg County from Louisville. Each story is unique and historically significant.

Dad’s purpose in writing the book was to make sure the children and their stories were never forgotten.

Children’s Home.

The Pendennis Club in Louisville is the birthplace of the Old Fashioned cocktail.

May 2022 51

As Dad attended meetings and family reunions around western Kentucky talking about his book, people began to ask him how to find the names of the children who had come to their county on the Orphan Train. After inquiring at the KDLA about other ledger books, one was located that lists the name of all the children from every county in Kentucky and the date they were sent to the KCH. Dad compiled that information and in 2017 published a companion book, KCH Orphan Train Children by Home County.

This second book is useful for family members trying to find loved ones who had been sent to the KCH. In the years following the publication of his books, Dad saw the impact they had on families through letters, calls and personal visits.

One of his greatest joys was reuniting families.

His books have been sold in most states and around the world, including in England, Germany and Australia.

Dad passed away in June 2021.

If you have a family member who was sent to the KCH and you are interested in obtaining a copy of their file, please contact me and I can give you details on how to proceed. Also, if you would like to purchase one or both books, please email me at kychbook@gmail.com.

Charles Morris

Singer and actress Rosemary Clooney was born on May 23, 1928, in Maysville.

52

THE KENTUCKY EXPLORER

The Bizarre Aftermath of the Floyd Collins Tragedy

T

Tourists often posed for pictures with the 27-pound rock he tragic story of Kentucky cave explorer Floyd that had trapped Floyd Collins.

Collins being trapped in Sand Cave in the winter of Around 1928, the surviving Collins brothers, Andy and 1925 has been told in these pages before. The Marshall, and father went to a few of the private cave resulting worldwide media coverage put Kentucky and owners along the main highways outside the Mammoth Mammoth Cave on the map and helped usher the Cave Park area and tried to negotiate a deal to operate designation of Mammoth Cave as a national park in 1941. their caves using the Collins name. Collins’ Crystal Onyx The Collins story remains noteworthy today, thanks to Cave, Collins’ Onyx Cave, and Collins’ Cave were a few of books, film documentaries, and theater productions that the caves operated by the Collins have kept the story alive for 97 years. brothers.

The Sand Cave aftermath represented Collins’ Crystal Onyx Cave, located a period of time in rural Kentucky near Park City, was known at various during which local families depended on times over the years as Andy Collins’ tourism for survival. The Mammoth Crystal Onyx Cave, Fishback Cave, Little Cave area was noted for its caves, and Kentucky Beauty Cave, Old Onyx Cave many were developed and opened for and Higginbotham Cave. Andy operated the possibility of fame and fortune. the cave for a short period for the Adding the name of Floyd Collins to a owner, Mrs. O.H. Fishback, but it was cave for profit by others soon became never a success, and the cave closed in the norm after his body was recovered the 1930s. from Sand Cave in 1925.

Collins’ Onyx Cave was opened for Lee Collins, Floyd’s father, changed tours by Andy and Cleon Turner in 1928. the name of Great Crystal Cave, the cave It had been opened in 1925 as Dixie discovered by Floyd Collins in 1917, to Onyx Cave and was known before that Floyd Collins’ Crystal Cave. Crystal as Doyle’s Cave. Mastodon bones, found Cave was privately owned and operated in a nearby pit by Collins and Turner, by the Collins family from 1918-27. In were moved and displayed there. When 1927, Lee Collins sold the cave to Dr. the bones were put on display, new Harry Thomas, a dentist in Horse Cave. brochures were printed, signs changed, and the Thomas owned two other show caves show-cave took on the new name, Collins’ Onyx in the area—Mammoth Onyx and Cave. During the winter of 1949, the cave was Hidden River Cave. Part of the deal was opened as Show Case Cave. The cave never was a to have Floyd Collins’ remains exumed success. from his Collins homestead grave and The entrance to Collins’ Onyx Cave was just off displayed in Crystal Cave in a glassthe main highway between Cave City and Park topped coffin.

City. According to a brochure, the cave was For a tip, visitors were allowed to advertised as “the only cave operated by a brother peek under the lid of Floyd’s casket to of the original Floyd Collins.” The brochure states view his embalmed body during a cave that cave trips could “be arranged at any hour, day tour up until the 1950s. Collins had or night.” waxy white face, wore a black suit, and Collins’ Cave was another cave opened by had gloved hands. Floyd Collins’ Top, a rare 1923 photo of Marshall and Andy Collins near Horse Cave. This Crystal Cave was operated as a Floyd Collins in Great cave was also known over the years as Marshall commercial cave by Thomas and his Crystal Cave (courtesy of Kitchender); above, Collins Cave. The cave was open for only a short family until 1960, when the cave was the Floyd Collins time. sold and became a part of Mammoth Monument in Horse Cave Lee Collins worked for Dr. Harry Thomas in the Cave National Park. (courtesy of the National late 1920s, selling cave tickets and souvenirs at a Bee Doyle, the owner of Sand Cave, Cave Museum). store in Horse Cave. Using a “Sand Cave” sign, started charging 25 cents admission for Collins solicited tourists on the street. Nearby “country” people and 50 cents for Wonderland Cave was yet another “Collins” cave that had “foreigners.” Doyle built a one-room office with a circled music and dancing outside the cave entrance on weekends. veranda on the highway near Sand Cave. A large sign The cave entrance was developed by Lee. reading “Sand Cave, Where Floyd Collins Was Trapped” In 1933, a master plan, the “Crystal Cave Project,” was was built to lure tourists. Doyle sold postcards, pennants put together by cave owner Thomas to improve the land and even a few rocks at his ticket office/souvenir stand.

In May 1778, George Rogers Clark arrived at the Falls of the Ohio and established Corn Island Settlement.

52 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY NOV EMBER 2 0 2 0

May 2022 53

surrounding Floyd Collins’ Crystal Cave and build a resort to capitalize on Floyd’s name. Thomas had a plan to build a monument to the memory of Floyd on the surface directly above the Grand Canyon Avenue passageway in Crystal Cave. Also in the plan were a hotel, cabins, an amphitheater for lectures and entertainment, and a recreational area for picnicking. Cave tours were to be given in Floyd Collins’ Crystal Cave and two other caves on the property—Floyd’s Cave and Cathedral (Buzzard) Cave. The plan never materialized.

Even though the 1933 master plan at Crystal Cave never came to fruition, a memorial to honor Floyd Collins was built by Thomas in 1939 in the city of Horse Cave. The 30-foot-tall circular monument featured a lighted portrait of Collins on one side and an inscription on the other. The monument was hit by a truck in June 1965 and destroyed.

The only part of the monument that exists today is the walkway to its base.

The story of Floyd Collins is still entrenched in the history of the Mammoth Cave area. Collins’ presence is apparent for visitors traveling to Mammoth Cave National

Park. Just within Excerpted from the park boundary, the 2017 book, a short paved trail The Floyd Collins takes visitors to Tragedy at Sand Cave, where Sand Cave by Collins was John Benton, trapped for 17 Bill Napper and days. A gravel Bob Thompson. lane, usually gated, winds for more than a mile to the old Collins homestead, which includes his home, the old ticket office, and the gated entrance to his greatest discovery, Crystal Cave. Collins’ grave is now in the Mammoth Cave Baptist Church Cemetery.

The Floyd Collins name and the bizarre story behind the tragedy are still alive today for those who seek out the history of one man’s passion for exploring caves. The epitaph inscription written on his tombstone reads: “Greatest Cave Explorer Ever Known.”

He definitely was the most famous.

Clockwise from left: Sand Cave as a tourist attraction; Floyd Collins’ casket in Crystal Cave; the Collins Cave Souvenir Stand; Floyd Collins (second from the right) in Crystal Cave; and the Collins Cave office. and entrance. Photos courtesy of the Cave Research Foundation and the National Cave Museum.

“If Jack Nicklaus can win the Master’s at 46, I can win the Kentucky Derby at 54.” Jockey Bill Shoemaker. In 1986, he did.

54

THE KENTUCKY EXPLORER

If I Had a Nickel …

A Tribute to Mom

Happy

Mother’s

33

3

Day!

By Kitty Essex, Bloomfield

and a lot of mowing in the yard after we picked up sticks that had fallen from the locust trees. Everybody got “ excited as Mom planned and Daddy worked the whole f I had a nickel …” Mom’s sweet voice carried family—all boys and girls took part. We would be ready through the air through the screened windows of the when the Wednesday night prayer service came, and our chicken house. Spring has truly arrived when Mom house would be a place of worship. My dad spent weeks was singing. asking friends and neighbors to come and join the church “You know what I would do? I’d spend it all on candy prayer service. and give it all to you.”

The big night soon arrived, and it looked like there was She would smile at me, and I knew she loved me much an army convoy coming down the lane to our house. The more than a nickel’s worth of candy. No matter what, I yard was soon filled with church members, friends, family had my mom’s entire heart. I was her baby girl, her and neighbors. My brothers parked the cars, and the girls youngest daughter born in the middle of the two younger carried in the desserts to big tables set up in the dining boys. I was always “Mom’s Favorite Baby Girl.” room with pots of coffee and pitchers of tea and lemonade.

Mom always had time for me. She called me her baby When Mom decided to do something, girl daily. Each of her 10 children was she was unstoppable. My dad was her favorite something. close behind. Yes, he was the man of For a while, I didn’t know how the house and head of the household. important my mother’s love was to me.

My mom would smile and agree, and I took many of my mom’s gifts for this made them both happy. It took me granted. Her ability to sing, tell stories many years to see that Mom was the and write poetry came as naturally as one who ran the household. Dad doing laundry or making a pan of 24 smiled as they walked through the biscuits from scratch to complete a yard, arm in arm. The prayer meeting meal two to three times every day. was a success, and the revival was one I was amazed at her talent for of the biggest our church ever had. A making things for us kids. When it lot of souls were saved, and the came time for a new dress, shirt or community still can remember that curtains for the kitchen, she would prayer meeting. make them. When we brought home The most remarkable thing about projects to make for school, she would my mom always was her faith. Her sit with us and talk us through them unwavering faith-born ability to see until they were finished. She always beyond any circumstance and make said that it’s not if you win or lose, it The author’s parents, Charles and Nellie the best of it—even in the most is knowing you have done your best. difficult situations. At the age of 53, That’s what really matters. She beamed Metts Mattingly of Fairfield, in the 1960s. during a doctor’s visit, she was with pride when we came home as diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She loved God and winners. In her eyes, we were all winners being taught to knew him intimately. She knew the power of prayer, and do our best. she believed in God’s intervention for her family.

When life turns things inside out—and sometimes it Even though my siblings and I are all in our 70s and 80s will—you remember you did your best. Be ready for the now, God’s intervention has been carried on to the next challenge; never fear failure. This is how we learned family’s fourth and fifth generations. All through my to be winners. growing-up years, Mom instilled the same faith in me—her Mom loved taking care of her family. She planted the baby girl—my brothers and sisters, and many others who biggest garden she could. My dad often said, “You don’t had no home until they came to live in our home with need to plant all these rows of potatoes. You will have Mom and Dad. enough to feed an army.” She would smile up at him I can’t think of a single way Mom hasn’t influenced my dropping another potato into the plowed row as Daddy life. Many times, I’ve said, “Thank you.” I’m grateful for covered it with dirt, and the potatoes were soon planted. the opportunity to tell this story and say it again.

One year, the pastor asked for church members to have Thanks, Mom. Thanks for being simple, loving, prayer meetings in their home the week before the Spring Revival. When the church service was finished, I saw Mom remarkable, irreplaceable you. sign the sheet to have prayer service in our home. * “If I Had a Nickel” was a popular song in the 1950s.

Well, I knew what was coming next: a lot of cleaning

I

Kentucky’s internal rivers include the Kentucky River, the Green River, the Salt River and the Licking River.

May 2022 55

Thomas Lincoln Jr.: Abraham Lincoln’s Younger Brother Dr. Marshall Myers, Richmond Almost every biography of President Abraham Lincoln mentions his father, Thomas; his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln; and his sister, Sara (Sally) Lincoln Grigsby.

Yet Abraham Lincoln was the only member of his immediate family to see him as president. Thomas, Nancy and Sally had all died—Thomas from old age; Nancy from “milk sickness”; and Sally in childbirth.

The widow Sara Bush Johnston Lincoln married Abraham’s father, Thomas, after Nancy died. Abraham was close to his stepmother, whom he loved and respected without question. At their last meeting together, Lincoln’s stepmother predicted that Abe would not survive the office of president.

One more family member should be mentioned to complete the immediate family of the president. Thomas Lincoln Jr. was just three days old when he died, probably in 1812.

Thomas Jr., like his siblings, was born in a log cabin that his father and the neighbors had built on the rented Knob Creek farm near Hodgenville. We can speculate that Nancy was assisted in giving birth by local midwives, but she must have had some difficulties because a doctor was called shortly after Thomas Jr. was born.

The physician who attended young “Tommy,” as he was called, was Dr. Daniel Potter. He rode from Elizabethtown through the night to get to the Lincoln cabin, but he was unsuccessful in helping the infant. The cause of death was unknown, but many newborns at the time died after a rough birth. Dr. Potter was paid $1.46 for services rendered.

Young Tommy’s grave was discovered by a Works Progress Administration worker in 1933 on the next farm over in the Redmon Family Cemetery. A small flat stone marked with a chiseled “T.L.” was found. The markings on the gravestone were compared positively with some of Thomas Lincoln’s other handwriting samples.

In 1959, a Boy Scout troop—Post 15, from Des Moines, Iowa—furnished a proper gravestone for Thomas Lincoln Jr. near the Knob Creek farm.

President Lincoln mentioned the birth of a younger sibling only one time, in an autobiographical article for John Locke Scripps during the 1860 political campaign and published in the Chicago Press and Tribune.

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Original headstone of Thomas Lincoln, Jr. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, nps.gov.

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off the shelf

(P)-Paperback (C)-Clothbound (H)-Hardback

Masked Mystery

Discovering Dad

Analyzing a Classic

One might think it odd that popular Louisville radio personality Terry Meiners shows up as a suspect in a murder mystery, but that is what happens in Scarlett Dunn’s Masquerade and Murder at the Bourbon Ball, the second book in her Murders in Bourbon Country series. He is only one of many suspects for the killing of a politician at a gala fundraiser in Bardstown, the heart of bourbon distilling and distribution.

Protagonist Honey Howell, trying to keep her romance alive with lead investigator Sam Gentry, finds equilibrium with her pet bloodhound/crime solver, Elvis.

Might Sam and Elvis combine their talents to catch the murderer? It’s a difficult case, with a host of ball attendees who add to the mystery as they wear costumes of famous people in history.

Dunn deftly crafts a story of rising tension and twists with a setting familiar to those who know Bluegrass bourbon culture. A Simpsonville resident, she also authored The McBride Brothers trilogy and The Langtry Sisters series.

Who hasn’t looked into a box of old family photos or slides and thought, “What is this all about?”

Michael Tisserand did just that and discovered a side of his father he had known nothing about. Jerry Tisserand took a series of photos over a four-year period, 1955-59, beginning as a G.I. in post-World War II Europe; back in his hometown of Evansville, Indiana, for a spell; and then at Mardi Gras in New Orleans in 1959.

The images in My Father When Young are not those of a trained photographer but simply of someone interested in other people.

A young boy posing as a boxer in Barcelona, Spain; a snapshot of a couple standing on their heads on a dirt road near a cornfield outside of Henderson; and wedding scenes from an Evansville celebration in parts one and two of the book seem mostly conventional.

The photos in “Part Three: Go to the Mardi Gras” evoke a much different atmosphere of gaiety not to be found in Jerry’s hometown.

Then Jerry put away the Kodachrome slides and went on to become a “conventional” businessman in his hometown.

Perhaps there is a box of old pictures taken by a family member at the back of the closet in your house. It may show a side of a near relative you never thought possible.

Perhaps the most discussed work of iconic Kentucky writer Robert Penn Warren, All the King’s Men is the subject of a book written to add new ideas to the conversation.

One might put Black Jack in the category of “scholarly work,” most suitable for those looking for a highly nuanced perspective on Penn’s classic. One might also label it bold and unconventional.

Black Jack deals largely with the issue of Jack Burden, the narrator of All the King’s Men, and who his biological father might be. The authors accentuate what they call “close reading” and genetic science to approach it, and the book could well open the door to new interpretations of Penn’s novel.

Included in the 223-page Black Jack are three appendices regarding All the King’s Men that include a short story, a chronology of events, and the narrative perception of African Americans.

By Steve Flairty Masquerade and Murder at the Bourbon Ball, by Scarlett Dunn, Lone Dove Publishing, $12.99 (P)

By William E. Ellis My Father When Young, photos by Jerry Tisserand, introduction by Michael Tisserand, The Sagar Group, $25 (H) 56 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2 0 2 2

By Steve Flairty Black Jack Burden? Night Thoughts on the Genetics of Race in Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, by James A. Perkins, with Patrick C. McCarthy and Frank D. Allen Jr., Dawn Valley Press, $19.95 (P)

Coastal Sleuths

Kentucky Legislators

For Chris Landrum and his eccentric friend, Charles Fowler, not even a relaxing kayak ride in a marsh can bring a respite of peace and equilibrium to their lives on Folly Beach. This time, a big bird drops out of the sky and nearly lands on the two. That “big bird” happens to be a single-engine airplane with three passengers plus the pilot, and Chris and Charles work valiantly to rescue the individuals, succeeding with two of them.

The heroic duo soon discovers that the plane’s pilot was poisoned, and they decide to go all out to catch the killer—despite, as usual, the local police’s not-so-subtle resistance. And, as usual, a quorum of quirky characters and their notready-for-primetime players all participate in the pursuit. They won’t win any style points, but perhaps the bottom line is all that matters.

Prolific Louisville author Bill Noel’s 19th novel in the Folly Beach Mystery series, aptly titled Tipping Point, is another offering of drama with a lot of fun included.

For anyone who has followed politics in the Bluegrass State very long, the names of Mitch McConnell, Henry Clay and Alben Barkley are well known, even iconic. But what about Frederic Sackett, Thomas Underwood and Garrett Withers? Interestingly, all these names have something in common. All have been United States senators from the state of Kentucky. In fact, there have been a total of 66 of them, and likely, most of the names would not be familiar to the average Kentuckian.

Paul L. Whalen, a Fort Thomas lawyer, has provided help for Kentuckians with his book, Profiles of Kentucky’s United States Senators, 1792-Present: Biographical Essays of All Who Have Represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate. Along with the profiles in this resource, Whalen presents portrait photographs, sections on “first and onlys” for Kentucky senators, Senate salaries since 1789, and senators born in Kentucky who represented other states.

Whalen is past chair of the Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church Commission on Archives and History and has a diploma from the United States War College.

By Steve Flairty Tipping Point: A Folly Beach Mystery, by Bill Noel, Enigma House Press, $15.99 (P)

@Visit Maysville KY 606-563-2596 info@maysvilleky.net

Horticulture Meets Humor

By Steve Flairty Profiles of Kentucky’s United States Senators 1792-Present: Biographical Essays of All Who Have Represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate, by Paul L. Whalen, Acclaim Press, $29.95 (H)

shopkentuckymonthly.com 888-329-0053

WW_fullpg.indd 51

Get ready for gardening season with t down-home collection of practical advice and personal anecdotes from Kentucky Monthly’s gardening column Walt Reichert. Organized by the seaso each chapter offers color photograph and straightforward tips for everything from combating critters to pairing plan The Bluegrass State’s green thumbs ha proliferated, thanks to Walt’s encouraging and down-to-earth mors of gardening wisdom.

Horticulture meets humor in gardening columnist Walt Reichert’s collection. o o o o o

To order: kentuckymonthly.com 1-888-329-0053 k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 57

past tense/present tense

by Bill Ellis

Though I’ve Never Played a Violin, I’m Fit as a Fiddle

G

rowing up in the late 1940s and ’50s, we Shelby Countians living on Snow Hill had a special affinity for using idioms when we spoke. I don’t know if most knew at the time what “idiom” meant.

An idiom is identified as “a speech form that is peculiar to itself within the usage of a given language” or, more particularly, “a specialized vocabulary used by a group of people.”

We perfectly understood the meaning of each saying/ idiom and needed no clarification.

When I graduated from high school in 1958, I probably would be identified as somewhere between “smart as a whip” and “dumb as a snake.” Or, as my trig teacher explained in a note to my parents, “Billy is a bit slow,” meaning that I was not necessarily dumb but certainly not a whiz in math. I am sure that “not the sharpest knife in the drawer” would also have applied to me. At least I was a couple of steps above “dumb as an ox” or “dumb as a sack [or box] of rocks.”* Someone might be described as being “fat as a hog,” which was not totally disrespectful but understandable to local folk. “Skinny as a rail” was perhaps better for a healthy heart but could also mean the person was sickly or not well fed.

My girlfriend, Charlotte, soon to become my wife, would have been described as “pretty as a picture,” while I, alas, might have barely escaped being called “ugly as a mud fence” or even worse: “ugly as sin.”

When someone was ill, friends and family would say he or she was “sick as a dog,” “weak as a kitten,” or perhaps “flat as a flitter.” If that person proceeded to recover, he or she could progress to being “strong as an ox” or “sound as a dollar.”

We were not as concerned about our income as folks are today. We did not worry about going from “rags to riches,” because there was always plentiful work. It was enough to say that you could “bring home the bacon” and “keep the wolf from the door.”

There were always a few folks—even a great welder who worked for my father one time—who, when inebriated, became “drunk as a skunk” or “drunk as a fish.”

Readers may contact Bill Ellis at editor@kentuckymonthly.com 58 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY MAY 2022

If you were “busy as a bee,” “busy as a beaver,” or “eager as a beaver,” you were indeed industrious. On the other hand, to be called “slow as Christmas” or “slow as molasses” meant that you were not diligent and perhaps a bit lazy.

“Slow on the uptake” meant you were “thick as two short planks” (a New Zealand expression) and did not easily learn new information.** “Quick on the uptake” would be the opposite of that, being someone who is bright and easily catches onto a new task.

If someone called a neighbor “a little off kilter,” this meant there was imbalance somewhere in that person’s life. If someone referred to a neighbor as “silly as a goose,” it only meant being foolish or frivolous with no hint of insanity. However, being described as “mad as a hatter” or as having “bats in the belfry” related to our folk knowledge of mental illness.

Someone who was criminally minded would be described as “crooked as a dog’s hind leg,” “crooked as a barrel of fishhooks,” “crooked as a three-dollar bill,” or worst of all, “crooked as a barrel of snakes.”

If you were called a “tightwad” or “miserly,” this meant that you were a penny-pincher enough to “make a penny scream.” The worst thing was to be called a “skinflint.”

Somewhat of a nervous sort, I was never “cool as a cucumber” nor “slick as a ribbon.”

I have been “rode hard and put up wet” many a time in my life but have always survived. Rarely have I been “mad as a wet hen.”

At the time of publication of this nonsensical exercise, I hope to be “happy as a lark” or “happy as a clam”*** and not “dead as a mackerel.”

I invite Kentucky Monthly’s readers to email me their favorite idioms. * Explained to me by my fishing buddy, Jim Bearden. ** Explained to me by James Watson, my New Zealand colleague at Massey University. *** Explained to me by my golfing buddy, Trent Thompson.

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k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 59

gardening

by Walt Reichert

Grow Basil, the King of Herbs

H

erb gardens, like rose gardens, always seem like a good idea.

But they both have a way of morphing into full-time jobs if you’re not careful.

For that reason, I’ve decided I no longer need to grow 57 different kinds of herbs (or roses, for that matter) and have settled on just a few. I’ve got a lavender and a rosemary in a pot that sits on the deck. They thrive on neglect and overwinter in the pot. I have some mint that just won’t die, and it does come in handy the first Saturday in May. Then there’s basil. That’s the one herb I actively work at growing. It is one of the most ornamental of herbs; it looks good growing in the vegetable garden, the flower garden, or in a pot or container. It’s easy to grow. And it has a multitude of uses in the kitchen and cupboard.

TYPES OF BASILS All basils are culinary, but the most popular for cooking are the sweet basils because of their mild flavor. There are many varieties available, including ‘Genovese,’ popular for making pesto and topping pizzas. ‘Thai Sweet’ is another “sweet” basil with a flavor just a little more intense than ‘Genovese.’ ‘Holy’ basil is another step up in intensity of flavor; this is one you must be careful not to use too much of.

Some basils have distinct flavors, including lemon and cinnamon, that blend well with some dishes, or they just smell good.

Other basils are just pretty.

‘Purple Ruffles’ is an attractive one, especially when planted among yellow flowers—marigolds, for example. Other purple varieties include ‘Purple Ball’ and ‘Opal.’

Most of the purple basils have a mild flavor and pretty flowers (when

you’re finished using the leaves).

The sweet basils usually are easy to find as plants at local garden centers. Some of the purple basils, Thai basil and Holy basil may be available only as seed from catalogs.

PROPAGATION Basil truly is easy to grow, but it does have one requirement that you can’t neglect: heat. Native to the tropics of Africa and Asia, basils like it hot or at least pleasantly warm.

Temperatures below 50 degrees will cause browning of the leaves.

Temperatures below 45 will outright kill the plant. Do not set out plants until at least two weeks after the last frost date, which is May 10 in central Kentucky, May 20 in eastern Kentucky, and May 1 in far southwestern Kentucky. Basil seeds can be planted directly in the ground, but wait until near the end of May to do so. The soil must be well warmed for them to germinate.

The soil should be well-drained and have a pH of 6 to 7.5. Plenty of

Readers may contact Walt Reichert at editor@kentuckymonthly.com 60 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2 0 2 2

magnesium in the soil is good for basil, too. Most Kentucky soils have those requirements, but if you’re in doubt, you can have your soil tested at your county Extension office.

Plant basil 12-18 inches apart in the garden; you can squeeze plants a little tighter in containers. Keep an eye on soil moisture, especially in containers, as basil doesn’t like soil to dry out. If you do water, avoid pouring water over the plant’s leaves because that causes spotting. Water at soil level. Like most herbs, basil does not need much fertilizer. I use a light side-dressing of compost once the plants start putting on new leaves. If you don’t have compost, you can use a commercial fertilizer such as 5-10-5 at the rate of about 3 ounces for every 10 feet of row. If you use a liquid fertilizer, apply at half of the recommended rate.

You can start harvesting basil leaves any time after the plant gets growing well. It’s best to snip the leaves with scissors. Some basils have delicate stems. Pick leaves from

the top of the plant as much as possible; that causes the plant to stay short and leafy. If you do harvest an entire stem, cut above a pair of leaves, which forces the plant to branch out and produce more leaves.

By mid-summer, your basil is going to work hard trying to set flowers; don’t let it if you want to keep the plant producing leaves all summer. Pinch off the flower spikes before they have a chance to bloom; you may have to do this a couple of times a week. (The purple varieties do produce pretty spikes of flowers that you may want to use in bouquets. In that case, let the plant do its thing.)

The books say that basil can be attacked by several insect pests and is subject to a few diseases. I think that may be true if growing in a greenhouse, but I’ve never had any problems from insects or disease.

Sweet basil is great in nearly any Italian dish, and, if used fresh, can be added in quantity without compromising other flavors. One of the neatest ways to use the purple basils is to make colorful vinegars.

My friend and fellow garden writer Becky Kirts puts the leaves of purple basils in decorative bottles filled with vinegar, lets them sit a few months so that the vinegar turns a deep purplish red, and uses the vinegars for cooking or for gifts. In2022 fact, Becky is so enamored of basils she uses “Basil Becky” as her moniker on her website.

I like basils, too. But “Basil Walt” just doesn’t have the same ring.

73

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k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 61

field notes

by Gary Garth

Bluegill on the Fly

I

enjoy fly fishing because it’s a fun way to fish. While trout are the darlings of the fly-fishing fraternity, bluegill are great fun and tremendous sport for fly casting. Bluegill fishing is the best way to introduce someone to the sport.

Bluegill is not the state fish of Kentucky (that honor falls to the spotted bass), but it probably should be.

Wherever you live in the Commonwealth—Pikeville to Possum Trot, Louisville to Lexington, Owensboro to Omaha—bluegill are swimming nearby. They are easy to find and relatively easy to catch, especially in late spring and early summer, which is when the fish generally spawn, although spawning can and does happen throughout the summer.

The weeks preceding and following the May full moon (May 15 this year) are by tradition and experience one of the best times to be on the water for spawning bluegill.

But don’t fish solely by the calendar. Water temperature is a key factor in driving fish behavior. For active bluegill, look for 65- to 75-degree water, with 70 and warmer being the optimal range.

Bluegill are often described as “scrappy.” Well, yes, they can be. Ounce for ounce, they are one of the hardest fighting fish in freshwater. If bluegill grew to doubledigit size, it would take saltwater gear to land them. A 2-pounder is a trophy by any measure. The International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record is 4 pounds, 12 ounces, a mark that has stood since 1950. The Kentucky state record, set in 1980 by Phil Conyers, is 4 pounds, 3 ounces. That fish came from a strip mine pit in Hopkins County. A 4-pound bluegill is nearly the size of a dinner plate.

Try fly fishing for them. It’s easy and fun.

Fly fishing has a reputation as being difficult, expensive and a bit snobbish. This is somewhat unfair, although you can spend as much as you like on fly tackle, including four figures for a high-end rod and more than half that for a reel. And you can easily overload on gear. Fishing gadgets are the fly fisherman’s bane. But if snobbishness is seeping into your fishing, the problem is not the fishing.

For bluegill on the fly, here’s what you need: rod, reel, line, leader, a spool of tippet material, a tool to trim the line (nail clippers are perfectly suitable), a handful of flies, and a little box to hold the flies. Shop judiciously and $100 should cover it. Keep things light with a 1-, 2-, or 3-weight rod, with line and reel to match.

String up your gear and make a few practice casts in the backyard before heading to the water. There is plenty of online/how-to help available. I’d recommend starting with Tom Rosenbauer and the Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing on YouTube. Rosenbauer, who also hosts a fly-fishing podcast, offers easy-to-follow practical advice and probably knows

as much about the sport as anyone alive today.

My fly-fishing abilities are adequate but no more than that. I was self-taught, and the mistakes I learned early have stayed with me. The bluegill don’t mind. If I can do it, you can.

Go if you can. The world is on fire. If proof is needed, just look to Ukraine or, closer to home, to the current state of U.S. politics. Investing an hour or two waving a long rod over a bluegill pond won’t solve any of these problems, but that’s not why you’re there. Go. There’s no better time than now.

• • •

Kentucky does not enjoy a wealth of public lands, so here’s some good news: The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources recently added a new public wildlife management area in Hopkins County and expanded an existing management area in Lewis County.

The Hopkins County property, which opened April 1, is the Harris-Dickerson Wildlife Management Area. The property is split into two sections totaling about 1,800 acres and is located roughly 7 miles east of Madisonville off Ky. 70. The WMA includes two small lakes and nine ponds, plus several miles of frontage on the Pond River.

The Harris-Dickerson northern tract includes hardwood trees planted as part of a wetland restoration project. The southern tract is primarily reclaimed surface-mined land.

The area is open under statewide fishing and hunting regulations. Right now, you’ll have to walk (or paddle) to access much of the property, but habitat work and property access improvements are being planned, said Eric Williams, a local public lands biologist for the state game agency.

“Staff are working on plans for a multitude of habitat improvement projects to benefit the grasslands, forests and wetland habitat found on the area,” he said. “The wetland restoration work in the northern portion of the property has been a tremendous success and will provide excellent bottomland hardwood habitat as the forest continues to grow. Wildlife viewing will also be good due to the variety of habitats found here.”

For more information about the Harris-Dickerson WMA, call 270.476.1889.

Wildlife officials have added 550 acres to the Old Trace Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lewis County, more than doubling the size of the property. The new Staggs Branch is located off Ky. 59. It is primarily hardwoods providing good habitat for deer, turkey, squirrel and some grouse.

A map of the Old Trace Creek WMA is available at fw.ky.gov.

Readers may contact Gary Garth at editor@kentuckymonthly.com 62 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY MAY 2 0 2 2

calendar

MAY 2022 SUNDAY

MONDAY

2

1

Paddington Gets Into a Jam, Carson

TUESDAY

3

Beartooth Tour Live, Old Forester's Paristown Hall, Louisville, 502.584.7777

Center, Paducah, 270.908.2037

18

<<<

23

The Amp at Dant Crossing, Gethsemane, 502.917.0710

5

12

A Comedy of Errors: Shakespeare Under the Stars, Cambellsville University, 270.789.5266

19

24

NouLou Chamber Players, Glema

FRIDAY

25

Cinema Systers Film Festival, Maiden Alley Cinema, Paducah, through May 29, 1.800.723.8224

26

Bright Star, Market House Theatre, Paducah, through June 12, 270.444.6828

< < < Ongoing Wild Lights, Louisville Zoo, through June 5, 502.459.2181

SATURDAY

6

7

Churchill Downs, Louisville, 502.636.4506

Downs, Louisville, 502.636.4506

13

14

Kentucky Oaks,

Sounds of the Screen, Barn Lot Theater, Edmonton, through May 15, 270.432.2276

20

Spunk, Falcon Theatre, Newport, through June 4, 513.479.6783

15 Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, 270.824.8650

Lee Brice in Concert,

THURSDAY

Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, 606.324.0007

EKU Center for the Arts, Richmond, 859.622.7469

Native Plants: Sunday Seminar,

29

Black Violin in Concert,

College Dance Collective,

Mother’s Day

22

4

11

8

Mahr Park Arboretum, Madisonville, 270.584.9017

WEDNESDAY

Kentucky Derby, Churchill

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn in Concert, Preston Arts Center, Henderson, 270.826.3128

21

Rodgers & Hammerstein, presented by Orchestra Kentucky, SKyPAC, Bowling Green, 270.904.1880

27

28

Waterfront Park, Louisville, through May 29, 865.523.2665

Beaver Dam Amphitheater, Beaver Dam, 270.298.0036

Forecastle Festival,

38 Special in Concert,

Ongoing Welcome to Derbyville Exhibit, Kentucky

Ongoing Beautiful Horses of Kentucky Exhibit, Lexington

Derby Museum, Louisville, through May 31, 502.637.1111

Public Library, through May 31, 859.231.5500

a guide to Kentucky’s most interesting events For a more extensive listing of events, visit kentuckymonthly.com. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 63

vested interest

Pat Answers Are Not Enough

D

espite an outpouring of unexpected support, my first foray into politics ended before it began.

Thanks to all who signed my petition to run, but the April 1 deadline came and went without me filing the necessary papers to run to serve District 20 in the Kentucky State Senate. In the March issue, I asked if a nonpartisan candidate could succeed based on a desire to help Kentucky—nothing more, nothing less—instead of being indebted to political party or outside agenda. What I should have also asked was: Can someone who has spent nearly a quarter of a century publishing a magazine mostly free of politics and religion run for office?

As I explained then, I’ve never been overtly political. Most of my liberal STEPHEN M. VEST friends think I’m conservative, and my Publisher + Editor-in-Chief conservative friends think I’m liberal.

When I started asking for people to sign my petition, while I thought this was my strength, it was a weakness. “I don’t know what you stand for,” the first person—a Democrat—responded. “Before I sign this, I need to know your thoughts on Issue No. 1.” The second person—a Republican—wanted to know my views on Issues No. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

“I believe in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and an independent Supreme Court,” I said. “I’m running to represent the people in my district, and my personal views should be of no importance.”

No! No! No! Neither person wanted to hear this. They wanted to know, in no uncertain terms, that I agreed with their views and would support their beliefs. “But,” I pleaded, “I’m running as a Kentuckian interested in common sense and finding common ground.”

Both eventually signed my petition, but neither promised to vote for me.

“How do I know you’re what you purport yourself to be?”

“You’ve known me most of my life.”

“Have I?” Fair enough. Those who know me through the magazine have a pretty good idea of who I am. I’ve shared

extra vested Chaired by Nate Morris, the CEO of Lexington-based Rubicon, the 2022 Concordia Lexington Summit featured influential speakers, including Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Jonathan Martin of The New York Times, University of Kentucky President Dr. Eli Capilouto and University of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops.

The Summit highlighted the notion that great ideas can come from anywhere—not just the coasts—and that the Heartland is poised to be the center of industry and innovation. Additionally, UK student leaders shared perspectives on civic engagement, democracy, economic potential and their future.

Why Kentucky? “Kentucky is literally in the country’s center,” Morris said. “Today’s issues affect all Americans. The solutions should come from all Americans. I agreed to chair Concordia Lexington because of its partnership with UK, which plays a vital role in promoting economic development and wellbeing across the Commonwealth.

“Kentuckians are among the strongest, most determined people, and the Heartland is where we see the most potential.

The Heartland has traditionally been the source of our greatest strengths. Our manufacturing might, our agricultural awareness, and our moral center have come from deep in the heart of America. So, too, will the solutions to our modern Nate Morris, left, with Mark Stoops challenges.” at the Summit.

personal details without a hidden agenda. Within our pages, Kentucky Monthly presents the wonderful things about Kentucky of which we can all be proud. That has incredible value.

• • •

If you want to “get to know me,” join us Sept. 1-9 as we travel together to Italy. We’ll fly into Venice and home from Rome with stops in Florence, Bologna and Siena in between. For more information, call me at 502.227.0053.

Kwiz Answers: 1. C. Ale-8-One, described as a blend of ginger and citrus with a “caffeine kick,” is produced at the company’s Winchester base; 2.

B. John Bibb, a War of 1812 veteran, developed this loose-leafed lettuce in Frankfort in the mid-1800s; 3. C. Originally prepared with game meat such as venison, burgoo now generally is made with chicken, beef, pork and/or mutton and often is slow cooked in large vats to feed a crowd; 4. A. This confection—usually consisting of sugar, pecans and bourbon—is formed into balls and dipped in chocolate; 5. B. Looking like a stack of pancakes, this treat is layered with a spicy apple filling and appears at southern Appalachian events; 6. A. Thought to have been created in the 1880s by Anton Basath, the rich candy is named for Polish actress Helena Modjeska. 7. A. Created by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926 for Louisville’s Brown Hotel, this open-faced sandwich of turkey, bacon, cheese and Mornay sauce is baked or broiled; 8. C. Credited to Jennie Benedict, the cucumber and cream cheese spread can be served on bread, with veggies, or with crackers; 9. C. With its star attraction cooked low and slow—usually with mutton over hickory wood—the Bar-B-Q Festival is a big event every May; 10. A. Thought to have been developed in Clark County, beer cheese is a Kentucky staple. The often-spicy spread is rumored to be a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II; 11. C. According to Kern’s Kitchen, which holds the DerbyPie trademark, the dessert was created by Leaudra and Walter Kern and their son, George; 12. B. Country ham, which is dry cured and smoked, has been around for 100 years or so and is showcased at the southern Kentucky event as well as the Kentucky State Fair.

64 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY MAY 2022

Kentucky Home “Rubicon set out more than a decade ago to use software and technology to reimagine the waste and recycling industry and, at long last, bring real solutions to global environmental challenges.

It is a mission that we approach with the same grit and determination that marks our home state of Kentucky. We are proud to be referred to as ‘America’s Technology Company,’ and proud that Kentucky will play a key role in our mission for decades to come.”

Nate Morris Chairman and CEO of Rubicon

Rubicon’s Lexington Headquarters are now open at The Offices at City Center.

Find out more at Rubicon.com