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Historical interpreter and culinary historian Michael Twitty will be in residence at Locust Grove May 22 through May 25, 2018 for Africa In Our Kitchens, a series of workshops, presentations, and tastings. Michael Twitty is a dedicated researcher who is committed to preserving and promoting African-American foodways and culture, and linking this influence on Southern food heritage. His research brings an understanding of the cultural heritage of enslaved communities and its relationship to the American South. His book, The Cooking Gene, was released by HarperCollins in 2017.
Twitty’s week-long residency at Locust Grove will explore the influence that African culture had on what has become American food through the enslaved African American experience. “Kentucky has an impressive and important role in the history and heritage of Southern and African American foodways and I hope my visit amplifies that story,” says Twitty of his visit.
Twitty’s residency will involve three formal public events, and focus on the enslaved community at Locust Grove. According to Brian Cushing, Locust Grove’s Program Director, “Michael Twitty’s visit is one of the best opportunities we have had yet to bring the experiences of the enslaved African Americans who worked the Locust Grove farm two centuries ago to life for our visitors. At any given time between 1792-1856, they comprised the majority population on the property that is now our museum and through exploring the food that they brought with them and created here, we are hoping that visitors come closer to understanding them as real, individual human beings.”
On Tuesday, May 22 at 6:00 pm, Twitty will offer a hearth meal tasting, allowing guests to taste traditional recipes cooked in Locust Grove’s hearth kitchen while hearing how the lived experiences of enslaved African Americans inform our national story and taste buds. Tickets are $18, or $15 for Locust Grove members.
On Thursday, May 24 at 6:00 pm, the public is invited to an open-air barbecue sampler that recreates the practices of enslaved African Americans living in early America. During the day, Twitty will roast a whole sheep over an open pit and prepare other 18th and 19th century recipes for sampling by evening guests. Tickets are $23, or $20 for Locust Grove members.
On both Tuesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 24, the Locust Grove hearth kitchen and grounds will be open for “Cooking Days with Michael Twitty.” Guests are welcome to stop by the hearth kitchen to view preparations, ask questions about recipes and techniques, and gain insight into how daily meals were prepared in the 18th and 19th centuries. Admission to the grounds for Cooking Days will be free. On Thursday, much of the preparations will take place on the grounds as Twitty roasts a whole sheep over an open pit.
Finally, on Friday, May 25 at 6:30 pm, Michael Twitty will present “Africa In Our Kitchens: How Enslaved African American Cooks Shaped American Cuisine.” This lecture will discuss Twitty’s research into the foodways of the enslaved and how their culture and experience shaped the American palate. Tickets for this presentation at $12, or $10 for Locust Grove members.
Africa In Our Kitchens: Michael Twitty at Locust Grove will take place May 22-25, 2018 at Historic Locust Grove. Tickets for all events will be on sale starting April 21 and may be purchased by calling Locust Grove at 502-897-9845.
Africa In Our Kitchens: Hearth Meal Tasting
Tuesday, May 22, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Learn about 18th and 19th-century hearth cooking practices and the African influence on American cooking through enslaved cooks with historical interpreter and culinary historian Michael Twitty. During this tasting event, guests will taste traditional recipes cooked by Michael Twitty in Locust Grove’s hearth kitchen and hear how the lived experiences of enslaved African Americans inform our national story and national taste buds, as African culture and food practices became associated with American cooking. Tickets: $18/$15 for Locust Grove members. Tickets on sale April 21, 2018; call (502) 897-9845.
Cooking Tuesday with Michael Twitty
Tuesday, May 22, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Free admission to grounds and hearth kitchen to view preparations for the evening event.
Africa In Our Kitchens: Open Air Barbecue Sampler
Thursday, May 24, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Experience an 18th century barbecue that recreates the practices of enslaved African Americans living in early America as Michael Twitty roasts a whole sheep over an open pit. The foodways of the enslaved have had a profound influence on the flavors that persist in American recipes, intrinsically linking African culture with our present understanding of traditional food. Michael Twitty’s food will give you a taste of the past while offering an understanding of the unique stories and experiences of enslaved African Americans. Tickets: $23/$20 for Locust Grove members. Tickets on sale April 21, 2018; call (502) 897-9845.
Cooking Thursday with Michael Twitty
Thursday, May 24, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Free admission to grounds and hearth kitchen to view preparations for the evening event.
Africa In Our Kitchens: How Enslaved African American Cooks Shaped American Cuisine
Friday, May 25 6:30pm – 8:00pm
In this presentation, historical interpreter and culinary historian Michael Twitty will discuss his research into the foodways of the enslaved and how their culture and experience shaped the American palate. Tickets: $12/$10 for Locust Grove members. Tickets on sale April 21, 2018; call (502) 897-9845.
Kentucky State Fair Premium Books are now available online. Competitors can choose from 31 departments — including antiques, field seed, livestock, photography and textiles — which are divided into 7,000 total classes of competition. All ages are welcome to compete for cash prizes and the more than 5,000 blue ribbons to be awarded.
The 2018 Kentucky State Fair is Aug. 16-26 at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Entry deadlines are:
- General July 2
- General (late fee) July 10
- Open and 4-H/FFA Youth Livestock July 10
- Pigeon and Poultry July 18
- Rabbit July 18
- Open Livestock (late fee) July 25
- Extra Late Open Livestock (late fee) August 3
The Premium Book and entry form are available online at www.kystatefair.org/premiumBook.html. A print version is also available; to request a copy, contact the entry department at Entry@kyvenues.com or call (502) 367-5190.
As fans plan for another Derby Season, Louisville Metro Emergency Services is offering a text message alert system for residents and visitors. LENSAlert, the Louisville Emergency Notification System, offers a text message sign up which will provide event goers real time notifications in the instance of an emergency. To sign up for notifications for any event throughout the Derby Season, just text “Derby” to 67283.
Should an incident occur, text message notifications are sent from MetroSafe, Louisville’s 911 Communications Center. MetroSafe stays in constant communication with the Incident Command System, the Emergency Operations Center, first responders, and LMPD’s Real Time Crime Center and maintains a high level of situational awareness during all events.
Attendees are encouraged to text “Derby” to 67283 prior to attending events, but you can sign up for the service at any point in time. If you are already signed up for LENSAlert, you can elect to receive event specific notifications through your safety profile, which can be accessed anytime at smart911.com.
Emergency Services Director Jody Meiman states, “We expect a safe and secure Derby Season and are doing everything we can to be prepared, including offering text alerts for the public. LENSAlert is meant to communicate emergency information only and will be the trusted source of information should a major incident occur.
Commercial anglers netted nearly 42 tons of invasive Asian carp from Kentucky and Barkley lakes during the inaugural Carp Madness tournament in 2013.
Carp Madness returns to the lakes in June with a new twist: it’s a tournament for bow anglers. The top prize is $10,000 for the team on the winning boat in each division, with total prizes of $23,000.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency are partnering with the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Kentucky State Parks and the Bowfishing Association of America for Carp Madness 2. The tournament is set for the night of June 23-24.
The tournament is another way to remove carp from the lake while building awareness of the invasive fish.
“We anticipate that Carp Madness 2 will remove more than 100,000 pounds of Asian carp in a single night of bowfishing,” said Ron Brooks, fisheries division director for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “Proceeds beyond the cost of the tournament payouts and prizes will go to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which works with our department on fish and wildlife habitat, the Salato Wildlife Education Center and sponsoring the department’s summer conservation camps for kids.”
The Bowfishing Association of America is sanctioning the event.
The entry fee is $150 per boat. Contestants can pay an extra $25 for entry into the big fish contest. Teams may consist of 2-4 anglers, but no passengers.
The top three weights harvested per boat from each division (lake or river) will win prize money. First place pays $10,000 per boat, followed by $1,000 for second and $500 for third. The big fish payout will be combined for both divisions and depend on the number of entries.
Contestants who weigh in Asian carp will receive a commemorative “Carp Madness 2” T-shirt. Contestants weighing in at least 250 pounds of fish will receive raffle tickets for chances at donated prizes. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation is providing support for raffles, t-shirts and donations to the tournament. The foundation will also sell “Carp-Madness 2” T-shirts to support Asian carp removal efforts.
The tournament begins at 7 p.m. (Central time) June 23 and continues until 7 a.m. the following morning. Launch is set for the Kentucky Dam Marina Boat Ramp, located at the Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park near Gilbertsville, Ky. Bowfishing anglers may harvest any of the Asian carp, including the silver, bighead, grass and black carp.
Pre-registration opens today on the Bowfishing Association of America website: baastore.bigcartel.com. Participants may also register at the event (cash only).
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
The third time is the charm and the forecast shows this Saturday will be good weather for the postponed Spring Cleanups in and around District 6.
“I want to thank everyone for their patience. It appears the weather is on our side this Saturday so I am asking everyone to come out and join us as we make District 6 a better, cleaner place for everyone,” says President James. “We are fortunate to always have great volunteers for these events and I am hopeful everyone will help us out.”
Volunteers need to show up at 12:00pm for the cleanup which is scheduled to last through 3:00pm.
There are three areas set for a cleanup this Saturday. One is Dumesnil between 17th and 18th Streets; the second is at West Ormsby between the 1500 and 1800 blocks and finally the California neighborhood. . Volunteers should meet at the corner of 18th and Dumesnil and then the cleanups will begin.
There will be a limited number of shovels, rakes and brooms, gloves and bags. If any volunteers have their own yard equipment please bring it with you.
“So if you have the time, come join us and have some fun and help us make a difference in our community,” says President James.
For more information about the cleanups, contact President James Office at 502-574-1106.
More than 250 vehicles, including nearly 120 pickup trucks and SUVs, are being retired from the state motor pool and will be auctioned off April 24 at the State Service Garage, 513 Barrett Street in Frankfort.
The public auction begins at 10 a.m. Individuals can pre-register and inspect the vehicles from 1 to 4 p.m. on Monday, April 23 or register and view them the morning of the sale from 8 to 9:50 a.m.
“Each year the state rotates vehicles out of its inventory,” said Pete McDonald, director, Kentucky Division of Fleet Management. “This is an opportunity for individuals and organizations to buy a low-cost car, truck or van that still has a useful life.”
Vehicles range over years, makes and models, from 1996 to 2012. Vehicles are categorized with a status of either “runners” or “non-runners.” One of the oldest vehicles on the runner list is a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4×2 with 70,800 miles. One of the newer runner status vehicles is a 2012 Ford Fusion with 220,400 miles. A 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 4×2 has the least amount of miles at 22,000. More than 20 vehicles are classified as non-runners and will be sold as salvage.
In 2017 the average sale price of running vehicles was approximately $2,200.
“People from all over the state buy vehicles at our surplus property auctions,” said Dewey Blevins, director of the Division of Surplus Properties. “Whether you are an individual or a non-profit, if you need a farm truck or a van, you may be able to find something suitable and affordable.”
Questions can be directed to Fleet Management Inventory at 502-564-2260.
Full payment is due within one hour after the last item is sold. Payment can be made with a credit card; cash; cashiers, certified, or travelers checks; money order or personal check with proper identification. Any check over $5,000 must be accompanied by a letter of credit from the bank; all out-of-state checks for any amount must have a letter of credit. Credit card transactions will incur a 2.75 percent fee. All items sold at the auction are subject to a 7 percent buyer’s premium. There is a $100 fee for returned checks.
Additional payment information and a list of vehicles are available online at surplusproperty.ky.gov.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton is encouraging residents to come out to the District 5 Community Meeting on April 24th to talk with representatives of Louisville Metro Government if there are issues or concerns they would like to have addressed.
“I have invited various representatives and agencies to come and make themselves available to anyone who has a question about an issue or would like to know more about a program we offer in Metro Government,” says Hamilton
The District 5 Community Meeting is set for the Shawnee Golf Course Clubhouse, 460 Northwestern Parkway beginning at 6:00pm.
Among the departments invited; LMPD, MSD, Codes and Regulations, Metro Public Works and Assets, Metro Parks and Recreation, Vacant and Public Properties, Community Services, Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, and a representative from the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office.
“I know for some, it is not easy to take off from work and come downtown to speak with someone in Metro Government. At this community meeting, we have brought Metro Government to one place. No appointments are necessary, just come in and talk,” says Hamilton. “Government works best when we know what is on your mind and how we can handle it together.”
For more information about the District 5 Community Meeting, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 574-1105.
