Abbey Road on the River: Louisville KY: May 26-30, 2011

BEETLE FEST

article by Gary Jacob

When it comes to The Beatles, we are always marking one milestone or another. When you are the most popular artists in the history of the world, people tend to study every day you lived and analyze every word you said. Historians and fans spend years rediscovering your photographs, videos, letters,and postcards.

Yet, there are certain milestones when the entire planet pauses to reflect. Saturday, Oct. 09 marks John Lennon's 70th Birthday, and Dec. 08 marks the 30th time we have to stop and miss him more. This young man, with so many ideas to share, so many faces to photograph, so many songs to sing was left to the ages by a bullet. Frustrating and senseless; we all share an inner pain that never quite goes away. Just Give Me Some Truth.

What is it about these lads that transcends time, crosses generations, and ignites so much universal Love? History simply does not have an art form that parallels this phenomenon. Almost 50 years after the media inserted them in every newspaper and on every radio & tv in every home, they are still on every radio & tv station and in every newspaper, plus now also, on your game device, computer, phone, ipod........and still in every home.

Another milestone, though hardly as significant, is that, Abbey Road On The River is marking its 10th year as the biggest Beatles Music Festival in the world. In 2010 over 40,000 Beatles fans came to Louisville, over Memorial Day weekend and to Washington D.C. over Labor Day weekend to help us celebrate the four lads we all love so much. They arrive with strollers and baby slings and some use walkers or canes, but one way or another, everyone is dancing. They attend from 40 states and 10 countries. When thirteen year old boys dance with their mothers, and dads & daughters and fathers & sons take to the stage to sing and play this amazing music together, you know you are experiencing something very good, very healthy, and very uplifting.

Fans who first attended our event in Cleveland in 2002 alone, now come every year to meet and dance with new best friends they made at AROTR. We have created a family out of our deep love, respect, and affection for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. We love and honor Yoko, Linda, Olivia, and Barbara. We treat as our family Pete, Julian, Sean, Dhani, Heather, James, Stella, Mary, Beatrice, Zak, Jason, and Lee. And always open our hearts and doors to Cynthia, Patti, and HM too. Equally, we love these amazing bands who travel from all over the world to entertain us and amaze us with their talent and inspiring friendships.

We love them all, the boys and girls from Liverpool; without who, these last 10 years would not be possible.

We invite you to join us as we start our 2nd decade of peace, love, and rock and roll and experience the two summer weekends Beatles fans mark their year by.

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Key Lime pie with Pecan Gingersnap crust

Recipe and remarks by: Becky at VintageMixer

I have a key lime pie connoisseur who is a dear friend of mine. Tiffany has her favorites around town and isn't shy about ones she doesn't feel match up to her fine palette. She is the least bit arrogant and one of the sweetest gals I know but she is a key lime pie snob.

She recently created her own key lime pie recipe, that is by far my favorite. I made a slight alteration and decided to make in with a gingersnap and nut crust that I found at Gourmet.com. There are three parts to this pie, the lime curd, the whipped pie filling, and the pie crust. You may make the lime curd and the crust a day in advance. Also, you can use a store bought pie crust if you're in a rush (graham cracker or regular crust). Recipe can be found at: VintageMixer



*Note: The filling is to die for, but I changed the crust to chocolate pecan (Nancy/Alekhouse)

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Delicious Cinnamon biscuits

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 15 to 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup milk, optional

Directions

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in vegetable oil. Add buttermilk and stir just until blended.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll dough into a 15x8-inch rectangle. Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan lightly.

Spread butter over the dough. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over butter. Roll up rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting from one long side. Pinch seam to seal. Cut the roll into 1 1/2-inch slices. Arrange the slices, cut side up, in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour milk over the top, if desired. Serve hot.

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What to do with left over Easter eggs

 Deviled eggs are a great appetizer to serve at almost any type of party. They also complement hot dogs and hamburgers that have been prepared on a grill. Deviled eggs can be made a variety of ways, but if you are looking for the perfect deviled egg to make for a barbecue, you should consider using bacon.
  
Things you'll need

• Eggs
• Bacon
• Mustard
• Mayo
• Paprika
• Serving dish
• Knife
• Bowl
• Pot
• Water    

Instructions

 

 

1. Fill a pot with water and insert a dozen eggs. This will make 24 deviled eggs.
2 Turn your stove to high heat and place your pot of eggs on the burner. Wait until the water begins to boil before timing your eggs. Once the water boils, cook for 12 to 15 minutes.

3 Rinse the eggs under cold water and remove the shells.

4 Cut your eggs in half with a sharp knife. Make sure you cut them lengthwise.

5 Remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. Place the whites on a serving dish.

6 Add 1/2 cup of mayo and 2 tsp. of mustard to the egg yolks.

7 Crush five slices of bacon into bits, and add them to the mixture.

8 Mix the ingredients in the bowl until they are smooth.

9 Spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites.

10 Sprinkle with paprika and serve. Only sprinkle enough paprika to add color to your egg.

 
 

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The Kentucky Derby is coming up soon

Louisville has a lot to offer visitors. We have exceptional restaurants, wonderful museums, and beautiful scenery. Within an hour away from the city. are charming little towns, B&Bs and lots of history. There are events going on all year round, but some of the best are in the spring and summer. We have lots of outdoor festivals, garden walks, and Victorian house tours; Shakepeare, blues, jazz and country music festivals. The list goes on and on, but I think that most would agree that the highlight of the year is the Kentucky Derby.

The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race currently covers one and one-quarter miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs; colts and geldingsfillies 121 pounds (55 kg) who can  carry 126 pounds (57 kg),  The race, known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It typically draws around 155,000 fans.

Are you good enough to pick the Derby or Oaks winner now? Place a Kentucky Derby Future Wager or Kentucky Oaks Future Wager and get early odds that could be much more attractive than race day odds. Bet on your favorite now, cash in when the race is run!

The Kentucky Derby is one of the crown jewels of the elusive Triple Crown which includes the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes.For over 125 years the Kentucky Derby has been everyone's race - from the dapper men and beautiful women, all in hats and sipping on frosty mint juleps, to the laid-back infield crowd who picnic on fried chicken and toss around Frisbees. They're all there to witness the world's premier horse-racing event. "Riders up" booms the paddock judge. The trainers give a leg up to the riders and send them out through the tunnel and onto the world's most famous track as the University of Louisville band strikes up Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home". 
 
In addition to the race itself, a number of traditions have played a large role in the Derby atmosphere. The Mint Julep, an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint and sugar, is the traditional beverage of the race. Burgoo, typically a thick stew of lamb and vegetables is served from iron pots sometimes 10 feet in diameter. Legal gambling on the race is done through parimutuel betting at the track. The Infield, a spectator area inside the track, offers low general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race. Instead, revelers show up in the infield to party. 

By contrast, "Millionaire's Row" refers to the expensive box seats that attract the rich and famous. Elegant women appear in long dresses, big hats, and carrying fancy umbrellas. As the horses are paraded before the grandstands, "My Old Kentucky Home" is played by the University of Louisville marching band while the crowd stands and sings along.
The Derby is frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses," because a garland of red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year. The tradition is as a result of New York socialite E. Berry Wall presenting roses to ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883 that was attended by Churchill Downs president, Col. M. Lewis Clark. This gesture is believed to have eventually led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to roses being draped on the Derby winner. The governor of Kentucky awards the garland and the trophy.
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Make your own granola bars: quick and easy

Lauren Braun Costello -- chef, author and food stylist -- shows busy moms how to make meals using ingredients they already have in their pantries, solving their unique cooking challenges. In this episode, Lauren shows Jennifer C., a mother of two and a PR professional, how to make an easy and healthy snack for her son using currants. Her recipe? Chewy granola bars.

To begin, Lauren mixes together her dry ingredients in a bowl: quick oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, salt, currants and chopped apricots. Feel free to be creative with this part -- you can also add coconut, nuts or other dried fruit.

Next, Lauren moves on to the wet ingredients. (These are mixed in a seperate bowl to ensure they're well-mixed before being combined with the dry ingredients.) The combination of honey and maple syrup makes things sticky and sweet, while vegetable oil contributes necessary fat. Vanilla extract lends a heady perfume to the bars.

She pours the wet ingredients into the dry, then mixes until all of the oats are saturated. When the granola is ready, Lauren lines a baking pan with parchment paper (this will keep the bars from sticking) and presses the granola into the pan. After baking, cut into bars and you're ready to eat.


Ingredients
(yield:16 bars)

2 cups quick rolled oats

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup currants

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Gather these tools: cutting board, chef's knife, dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, large mixing bowl, fork, grill or grill pan, small saucepan, wooden spoon, sauté pan, offset spatula

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9" x 13" pan with wax or parchment paper. Stir together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, currants, apricots, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl, being sure to break up any clumps of sugar or dried fruit. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, mix the honey, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.

Remove from the oven and lift the wax or parchment paper from the pan. Let the granola slab cool for 5 minutes before removing the paper and cutting into bars. Cool completely before eating or wrapping.

Granola bars are so popular that they pack the isles in every grocery store. They are actually very easy to make homemade. The proper mix of oats, seasoning, sweetness, and dried fruit is all you need. Currants are even better than raisins for granola bars because they are half the size with just as much flavor. The result is a pleasing texture in every bite for a deliciously chewy granola bar.

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Timothy's: The best White Chili this side of heaven

"Timothy’s is long gone now, even the building it occupied demolished, but in its day, the East Broadway restaurant had panache and a loyal following for its back room upscale menu as well as its bar menu. The latter featured meatloaf sandwiches and what became the restaurant’s signature dish, white chili. We have many variations from other restaurants in the archives, but this is the one people most often request" (Courier-Journal recipes, Louisville, Kentucky, November 11, 2009).

When I first moved to Louisville, I found this little restaurant named Timothy's. I was looking for a place close by where I could go with a friend or by myself and have a great salad or steaming bowl of comforting soup. Louisville is a big restaurant town with wonderful local places serving interesting and delicious local food. We have a culinary arts school here that's third in the nation and tums out chefs and future restauranteurs who become very competitive. Many remain in Louisville and work as chefs or go into business for themselves. The city really benefits by all the competition as they try to make their restaurants the best in town.

Timothy's is no longer there...sitting by itself on the corner of Broadway and Court St. Painted grey with black and white awnings. it was a wonderfully eccentric eatery, opened by Tim Barnes in the early 1980s. They served continental style food and frequently displayed a "now sauteing" neon sign in the front window. Most Louisvillians will remember it and, although I wasn't introduced to it until I moved here almost 16 years ago, I still remember going there with friends to savor some of their awesome "White Chili".

The original Timothy's had a front room with booth seating and a bar, and a more formal if idiosyncratically decorated back room. The menu in the front room focused on comfort foods, such as meatloaf sandwiches, with a more upscale menu in the back. ..."The white chili was devised by Timothy's original chef as a trendy variation on a familiar, comforting dish. Its trendiness may have intrigued diners to try it, but its satisfying richness, with just a hint of spicy heat, has kept it popular through the years" (Bon Appetit, 1991).

In March of 1991, Bon Appetit did an article on Timothy's and published the White Chili recipe. I was ecstatic when I found it and have been making it ever since. When Tim died in the late 1990s, the restaurant closed and reopened in Indiana in 2003. They still have his chili.

Last year, I spent the Christmas holidays in the southwest visiting my daughter and her live-in love. They have a great house with 4 cats in Austin Texas. I had a wonderful week of Christmas, zoning out on food, wine, and card playing. We all three love to cook, so instead of going out to eat, we spent every night cooking for each other. I cooked two nights and guess what I made for them...and their friends? Yep! White Chile. And they all loved it! So I've decided to share the recipe with you ..........just go easy of the hot stuff. My mouth is still smarting!

Timothy's White Chili
(Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients

2-3 8 oz. cans Great Northern Beans

2 LB chicken breasts

1 ½ tsp. oregano

1TBL Olive oil

¼tsp grnd cloves

2 med Onions, chopped

¼ tsp Cayenne

4 Garlic cloves, minced

6 C. Chicken stock or broth

8 oz. Chopped mild green chilies

2tsp. Grnd cumin

3 C. Monterey Jack; grated

1/2 C. Sherry

Garnishes: Salsa, Chopped fresh cilantro, Sour Cream

Instructions

Saute chicken in heavy large saucepan. until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, remove skin, & cut into cubes. Heat oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, then chilies, cumin, oregano, cloves, and cayenne pepper and saute 2 minutes. Add beans and stock and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1/2 hour. Add chicken and 1 cup cheese to chili and stir until cheese melts. Continue to simmer for another 1/2 hour. Add sherry 5 minutes before finished cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro. (recipe edited by Aleksander House Bed and Breakfast)

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