Flavors of Kentucky

If you’re traveling on I-75 in the Corbin area, you might want to plan a trip around lunch or dinner time. Bubby’s BBQ, Catfish and Steak restaurant will be the place to stop if you’re hungry.
Bubby’s serves a buffet that includes everything Grandma cooks: fried catfish, fried chicken, corn bread, bean soup, dumplings, broccoli-chicken casserole, greens, green beans, beets, hominy, bread pudding, and chocolate cake. A salad bar is included. Prices range from $6.99 to $9.99.
The BBQ menu includes pulled pork and ribs which are smoked on site. Sandwiches and burgers also are available. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Bubby’s is at 2700 Cumberland Fall Road in Corbin. Call (606) 258-9070.

Announcement

■ Just before Lexington baker James Brown was scheduled to appear on TLC’s season three of the Next Great Baker, Brown received results from a medical test and decided not to compete. He’s now recovering from surgery for a benign brain tumor, and the bakery at 1226 Versailles Road will be closed until Feb. 8. You can go to Brown’s Bakery Facebook page for updates from Brown’s wife Bridget.

Events

■ Jonathan at Gratz Park, 120 West Second Street, will have a Wild Turkey bourbon dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Master Distiller Jimmy Russell will be guest speaker. Cost is $85. Call (859) 252-4949 or go to Jagp.info.
■ Sondra Strunk, owner of Sondra’s Wine Creations, will offer samples of her pineapple wine jelly at Good Foods Café & Market on Saturday. Strunk will be at the café at 455 Southland Drive, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
■ Alfalfa Restaurant, 141 East Main Street, will serve its holiday brunch on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Specials, served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, will include heirloom pumpkin pancakes with apple compote, braised Stone Cross pork with pickled butternut squash, and Boone Creek Creamery asiago, spinach and mushroom omelet. Call (859) 253-0014 or go to Alfalfarestaurant.com.
■ Wine + Market, 486 West Second Street, is offering classes this month. “Whiskeys of the World” is the topic for Jan. 24. The whiskey seminar will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and feature whiskeys from Ireland, Scotland, and Canada, and Kentucky bourbon. Cost is $10. “Wine 101” will be from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Jan. 28. Learn how wine is made and tips on tasting. Cost is $12. A beer tasting will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30. Call (859) 225-0755 or go to Wineandmarket.com.

Etc.

■ Nick Ryan’s Saloon, 157 Jefferson Street, is giving a portion of its proceeds on Monday to the Children’s Advocacy Center. Volunteers will be on hand to discuss the nonprofit organization that provides treatment and support to children who are victims of sexual abuse. Call (859) 233-7900 or go to Nickryans.com.
■ Bob Tabor, owner of the Engine House Deli, 9 Lexington Avenue in Winchester, is turning daily operations over to someone else while he devotes time to making River Rat beer cheese. Laine Rogers and Roy White will run the deli and they will retain the same menu. River Rat beer cheese is sold at retail markets in Central Kentucky. Call (859) 737-0560.
■ Double H BBQ, 1244 Versailles Road, is offering special packages for Super Bowl parties. Included are smoked pulled pork, beef brisket, and wings. Customers receive a free pint of a homemade side of choice with every pound of meat ordered for the game day party. Double H’s menu also includes soups, country ham, and a stuffed pork chop entree. Customers received free dessert on Mondays and Tuesdays with orders. Call (859) 523-4227, or go to Doublehbbq.com.

Elk Creek Vineyards will open The Kentucky Proud Market in the Shops at Lexington Center later this month. The new showroom, formerly occupied by Orvis, will feature the entire selection of Elk Creek wines, along with Jean Farris and other Kentucky wines, and a large variety of Kentucky Proud products, including meats, cheeses, sauces, spices and crafts. Call (502) 484-0005 or (859) 233-4567 or go to www.elkcreekvineyards.com or www.lexingtoncenter.com.
Tea for two: a kid and you
Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, will have a children’s valentine tea and a fashion-themed tour of the historic home on Valentine’s Day.
Hours are 10:30 a.m. for children ages 7 to 12, and 1:30 p.m. for ages 4 to 6 years. Cost is $15, and a child must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations are required.
Ashland is at 120 Sycamore Road. Call Becci Ray at (859) 266-8581, Ext. 12, or e-mail bray@henryclay.org.

A way to help Old Friends
The first Old Friends Along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail dinner and bourbon tasting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Seelbach Hilton, 500 South Fourth Street, Louisville.
The event will benefit Old Friends Equine in Georgetown, a home for at-risk Thoroughbreds whose racing and breeding careers are over. Among the champions living at the farm are Ogygian, Sunshine Forever and The Wicked North.
Eight of Kentucky’s master distillers will offer bourbon samples: iHarlen Wheatley of Buffalo Trace, Jim Rutledge of Four Roses, Parker and Craig Beam of Heaven Hill, Fred Noe of Jim Beam, Kevin Smith of Maker’s Mark, Jimmy Russell of Wild Turkey and Chris Morris of Woodford Reserve.
The dinner, prepared by chef de cuisine Nicole Walker. will feature a bourbon- inspired menu featuring sweet potato bisque, kurobota pork shank with polenta, heirloom winter vegetables with bourbon reduction, bourbon-roasted apples, and chocolate bread pudding. Tickets are $100. Call (502) 807-3463 or go to www.seelbachhilton.com.
Old Friends Equine is open daily to tourists by appointment. Call (502) 863-1775 or go to www.oldfriendsequine.org.
Classes are in session
Do you have the winter blues? Get out of the house and take a class at Good Foods Cafe & Market. Here’s the lineup.
Saturday bite fever, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Sample fresh produce and savory soups, and pick up easy recipes.
Intuitive soup making, 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 12 and 26. Learn basic techniques and shortcuts for creating soups without a recipe. Roger Pearson is the instructor. The cost is $25.
Better eating for life: Got calcium? 2 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 14. Beth Loiselle will explain how to plan menus with calcium-rich foods. $12.
Better eating for life: Invincible veggies, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28. Loiselle’s class will show how to incorporate more vegetables into meals. $12.
Good Foods is at 455 Southland Drive. Call (859)-278-1813 or go to www.goodfoods.coop.
Your creation could be worth a million
Winter is a great time for creating recipes to enter in the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off contest.
New brands have been added to this year’s contest, the cooking is quicker, and the grand prize is $1 million. Consumers also will have a chance to help determine 10 of the 100 final recipes.
Finals will take place April 11 to 13, 2010, at the Waldorf-Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek hotel in Florida. In 1949, the first bake-off was at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
New brands that are eligible are Hershey’s cocoa, baking chips or bits, and baking chocolates; Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk; Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations; and Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust.
Four categories define the kinds of recipes consumers may submit: breakfast and brunch; entertaining appetizers, dinner made easy, and sweet treats. Cooks may enter online at www.bakeoff.com through April 20.