Well I hope everyone else out there has been enjoying good weather this autumn. I know we certainly have in my neck of the woods, although I am definitely ready for some colder temperatures. All the stores are starting to market their Christmas items, and around here it’s a little tough to start thinking about that when it’s still 74° outside. But that’s not what this post is about. I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground and a few food-related items have piqued my interest. So here goes…
Although I have been doing this blog for a couple of years now, I realized that among all my Top 5s, I had never covered an area appreciated by both young and old: Halloween candy. And with this big night on the horizon, I wanted to do a quick rundown of a few of the greats. Now we all have our likes and dislikes, so allow me to disclaim that these are some of my personal favorites. Although I appreciate all the wonderful qualities of chocolate, I do most of my fangirling over fruit-based candies. I am in no way trying to detract from other candies and treats, so hang on to your hate mail. This is supposed to be a fun post for a fun holiday. So grab a snack ( or some candy) and enjoy!
Skittles – While my personal favorite are the Darkside Skittles, I will eat virtually any Skittles I come across. I think the commercials are cute (albeit somewhat twisted), and was disappointed to discover that they had been rated the worst for you by multiple sources. Thanks for the downer, guys. In my defense, it’s not like I’m gobbling these things by the pound. The Wrigley Company are currently putting these little gems out, and they definitely get a tip of the cap from me. This year I picked up the Sour Skittles, and while they don’t exactly live up to my definition of sour – I’m pretty hard core on that score – they are still tasty little treats.
Recently I did a post about a few cookbooks that were on my “To Buy” list. The acquisition of one of these books, combined with a recent yen to begin exploring my native culinary heritage, compelled me to maybe do a few posts about my experiences in that exploration. The book, The Historic Kentucky Kitchen by Deirdre Scaggs and Andrew McGraw (2013) is a terrific collection of recipes from local families from both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is comprised of what are known as “manuscript” recipes, which are the ones we all know from our mother’s recipe file boxes: your aunt Edna’s green bean casserole, the famous jam cake from that lady at your church scribbled on an index card? Those are manuscript recipes, and they hold a very special place in our culture. This has always been extremely intriguing to me, and I decided to pick out a recipe from the book, give it a go, and bring you all along with me.
I love having options, especially where my grocery shopping is concerned. I would imagine most people share that sentiment; I have heard from multiple citizens of foreign countries that Americans are spoiled with the variety of options we have in our everyday lives. And when I heard that a new food market was coming to Lexington, I kept my ear to the ground, anticipating its opening and what exactly it would be offering the public. Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market opened on September 28, and I made a couple of trips over to explore all the things shoppers could expect from this Midwestern-based chain.