Flavors of Kentucky

Old Friends ­Thoroughbred Retirement Farm has partnered with the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and Nick Ryan’s Saloon to present Hall of Fame Day on Monday.

The event will honor Hall of Fame legend Skip Away, who recently was laid to rest at Old Friends, and Hall of Fame greats Noor and Precisionist, also buried at the farm.

The event starts at 3 p.m. at Old Friends, 1841 Paynes Depot Road, Georgetown, and will be followed by a benefit hosted by Nick Ryan’s at 6. The menu includes barbecue ribs and pulled pork. Roger Bondurant will entertain.

Festivities also include a barbecue sauce bake-off. A classic recipe from Nick Ryan’s chef will face off against a zesty Cajun-style sauce by Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux and a tangy blend created by staffers at Old Friends. Guests will have the chance to vote on their favorites. Tickets are $50. Call Old Friends at (502) 863-1775.

Special events

■ The Bigg Blue Martini at the Hilton Lexington/Downtown Hotel, 369 West Vine Street, will host a tailgate party ­Friday in celebration of Big Blue ­Madness. The first open practice of the 2011-12 season for the University of Kentucky’s men’s and women’s ­basketball teams will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Rupp Arena. Bigg Blue’s tailgate party will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and after the practice. Festivities will include live music by Plan B. Go to Thebiggbluemartini.com.

■ Once a month, the Greek Orthodox Church at 920 Tates Creek Road serves authentic Greek dinners. The October dinner, prepared by chef Jim Scalos, will be 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Go to Greekdinner.com.

■ The Oleika Shrine Temple Legion of Honor will have its annual all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are $6 for adults; $3 for children; half-price for ­active-duty military members, ­firefighters and police officers; and free for ages 6 and younger. The temple is at 326 Southland Drive.

■ The Crossroad on Southland, 286 Southland Drive, will celebrate its first anniversary Friday. The menu includes Italian beef with house-made giardiniara; smoked Texas links; smoked beef brisket; and pirlau, a South Carolina fish and rice stew. Call (859) 309-3904 or go to Thecrossroadonsouthland.com.

■ Cameron Irvin, executive chef at CastlePost, will be the guest chef Thursday at Dinner at Wingspan art gallery. The four-course prix fixe dinner is $40 and includes a choice of seared diver ­scallops with vegetable confetti or braised veal bourguignon. Wingspan Gallery, 191 Jefferson Street, serves dinner once a month. The reservations deadline is noon Tuesday. Call (859) 225-5765.

New menus, items and hours

■ Jeremy Simpson, the new chef at Bellini’s, 115 West Main Street, has created a new menu for fall. It includes organic chicken or veal marsala, roast pork stuffed with rabbit and chorizo, pan-roasted halibut with parsnip purée, and rabbit leg with ricotta ­gnocchi. Simpson, a graduate of Sullivan ­University in Louisville, has worked at Jack Fry’s, Basa and Avalon in ­Louisville. Call (859) 388-9583.

■ Ramsey’s Diner is celebrating its second annual fall harvest festival. In addition to 22 side items, the menu includes sweet pickled beets, Parmesan deep-fried corn on the cob, organic baked acorn squash and sweet ­potatoes, and sweet potato casserole. The ­produce is from Abell Organics in Scott County. Ramsey’s has four locations. Go to Ramseysdiners.com.

■ The Dish, 438 South Ashland Avenue, has a new fall menu that includes pan-seared sea scallops on a bed of blanched julienne celery root, lemon-honey brined and roasted airline chicken breast, and pork cheeks slow-cooked in apple juice. The patio, which has a fireplace and heaters, will remain open for a few more weeks. Call (859) 317-8438 or go to Thedishlexington.com.

■ Della’s has added a dish to its breakfast and brunch menu. The Nola Bell, named for owner Tom Morris’ grandmother, features two biscuits topped with sausage, fried green tomatoes, eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Della’s, 124 North Upper Street, now carries locally produced Marlow ­Granola. Call (859) 281-1141.

■ Stinky & Coco’s, 1 North Main Street, Winchester, will be open for ­dinner starting next week. Dinner will be served until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Call (859) 744-8100 or go to ­Stinkyandcocos.com. The restaurant opens at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday.

■ Alice and Greg Keller have taken two Kentucky favorites and jazzed them up to make them specialties at JK’s Café, 50 South Main Street, Winchester. “We don’t use the traditional Mornay sauce on the hot Brown, but we do use country ham,” Greg Keller said. “We’ve gotten great reviews on our burgoo, which is close to Keeneland’s.” Call (859) 744-4255.

■ Detroit Famous Coney Island, known for its giant fish sandwich, now is making the sandwich with whitefish from the northeastern United States. “It’s a better quality of fish,” owner Charles Martha said. Locations are 825 Lane Allen Road, (859) 278-3982, and 1301 Winchester Road, (859) 280-9138. Go to Detroitconeyisland.com.

Specials

■ Thai Orchid Café, 1030 South ­Broadway, is offering a lineup of fall dishes for the weekend, including butter­nut squash and coconut soup, pumpkin curry, and caramel apple roti. Call (859) 288-2170 or go to Thaiorchidcafe.net.

■ Sarah’s Corner Cafe BBQ, 4300 Winchester Road, offers a plate lunch special for $5.95. Call (859) 309-1220.

■ Rossi’s Restaurant is featuring fresh oysters prepared a variety of ways through October. Also, the restaurant, at 1060 Chinoe Road, has a new wine and martini list. Call (859) 335-8788 or go to Rossis-restaurant.com.

■ Weekend specials at The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland Avenue, include ­Berkshire pork loin with pumpkin ­gnocchi, sweetbreads with charcuterie sauce, and andouille-dirty rice-stuffed quail. Call (859) 226-0300.

Accolades

■ Four awards were presented to marketplace exhibitors at the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show on Saturday. Judges chose the best sweet, savory and booth display, and show attendees voted for their favorite product.
Best sweet: Applecreek Orchards; honorable mention: Lexington ­Chocolate Co.
Best savory: Kentucky Specialty Sauces; honorable mention: Good ­Shepherd Cheese.
Best booth display: Hillbilly ­Specialties; honorable mention: ­Howard’s Creek Authentic Beer Cheese.
People’s Choice Award: Dad’s ­Favorites.
Gail Greer of Lexington won the God’s Pantry March Madness Dream Dinner, to be prepared by Jonathan Lundy, chef/owner of Jonathan at Gratz Park. Visit Incrediblefoodshow.com.

Farmers market report

■ Bluegrass Farmers Market will have tomatoes, heirloom beans, pumpkins, squash, eggplant, garlic, baked goods and mums. The market is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 3450 Richmond Road, in the parking lot of Pedal the Planet and Fast Signs. Go to Localharvest.org/blog/29529.

■ Woodford County Farmers Market will have customer appreciation day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Versailles’ Courthouse Square. Farmers will have tomatoes, greens, peppers, beans, pumpkins, squash, gourds, baked goodies, homemade breads, beer cheese, fresh eggs and honey. The market also is open 3 to 6 p.m. Monday on Main Street in Midway.

Easter Sunday is a big family day for restaurants and an opportunity to add a little springtime to their menus. Here are places that are offering something special for the holiday, on Sunday.
■ Breaking Bread Café with Jazz, 17 Wainscott Street, in Winchester will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Choice of one meat, three vegetables and dessert is $8.99. The restaurant is in the People Helping People building. Call (859) 771-6108 or (859) 745 6813.
■ The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland Avenue, will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., serving brunch and dinner. The menu includes roasted leg of lamb, salmon croquettes and eggs Benedict. Call (859) 226-0300.
■ Stonefence Bistro, 730 Main Street in Paris, is normally closed on Sundays but will open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Easter brunch. The menu features half rack of lamb, honey-orange glazed ham and chocolate French toast. Items are priced under $13. Call (859) 402-2009.
■ Three Suns Bistro, 298 East Brannon Road, in Brannon Crossing, Jessamine County, will serve brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes leg of lamb with mint sauce, turkey breast with sage dressing, and pecan fried chicken. Cost is $25. Call (859) 245-0048 or go to www.threesunsbistro.com.
■ Varden’s, 509 Main Street, in Paris will serve an Easter buffet 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Included are pork tenderloin, hot Brown, and filet of sole, Cost is $24.95. Call (859) 987-4700 or go to www.vardens.com.
■ Wayne Masterman’s group of restaurants will have specials along with their regular dinner menus. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Portofino, 249 East Main Street, (859) 253-9300, and at Summit, 1097 Duval Street, (859) 271-1400. Frankfort’s Serafini, 243 West Broadway, is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; call (502) 875-5599.
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Let the cooks at the Greek Orthodox Church make something special for your Easter feast at home. Stop by the church’s annual pastry sale for spanakopita, baklava, and ravani cake. The bake sale is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the church, 920 Tates Creek Road. Call (859) 245-4057 or (859) 223-6267.
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Wine in Wonderland at Heard It Through the Grapevine features cuisine from 35 restaurant and caterers. The party will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Campbell House, 1375 South Broadway. Tickets are $85. Call (859) 257-3221 or go to www.wuky.org.
One of the vendors at Heard it Through the Grapevine will be Dad’s Favorites. Guests can sample four cheese spreads: Swiss cheese, smokey pimento cheese, chipotle cheddar and asiago sun dried tomato. The product now is available at Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati. Call (859) 276-0001.
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Thai Orchid Café, 1030 South Broadway, is celebrating Songkran, the Thai New Year. Five special noodle dishes will be served Monday through April 18.
“In Thai and Chinese cultures, noodles represent happiness and long life,” chef Toa Veerasethakul Green said.
Included are spaghetti noodles stir-fried with ground beef in a spicy basil sauce, and egg noodles with topped with shrimp, scallops and calamari in a spicy seafood broth. Call (859) 288-2170 or go to www.thaiorchidcafe.net.
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Lexington Farmers Market opens at 7 a.m. Saturday at its new location, in Cheapside Park. Vendors will be selling spring greens and lettuces, hydroponic tomatoes, organic and natural meats, honey, eggs, cheeses, breads, herbs and spices, chocolates, sorghum, plants, flowers and wool products.
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Woodford Reserve’s Picnic on the Porch will feature sandwiches, salads and desserts handmade by Wallace Station. The lunches will be served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through October on the terrace at the Visitor Center. The distillery is at 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles. Call (859) 879-1812.
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Cold Stone Creamery has a new line of frozen and iced coffee treats. The drinks will be priced at $1.99 through June 2. The iced and blended coffees come in five flavors, including sweet cream latte and raspberry truffle mocha latte. They’re also available in a light versions. The Lexington store is at 2337 Sir Barton Way. Call (859) 243-0694.

Kentucky Crafted: The Market will be Saturday and Sunday at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

Food vendors who will be showcasing their products include: Dad’s Favorites of Lexington;  Spille Bees of Morning View;  Ruth Hunt Candy Co. of Mt. Sterling; Kentucky’s Smokin’ Grill of Danville; Kentucky Kandy Kitchen of Maysville; Screamin’ Mimi’s Salsa of Lexington; McDowell Farms Salsa of Germantown; Elmwood Inn Fine Teas of Perryville; Elm Street Epicure of Versailles; Mom Blakeman’s Candy of Lancaster; Fire on the Ridge Farm of Brooksville; Nancy’s Fancy of Lexington; Town & Country Specialty Foods of Bardstown; Chipotle Chicks of Falmouth, and Kentucky Specialty Sauces of Lexington.
Market admission is $8. Call (888) 833-2787 or go to www.kycraft.ky.gov.