This Louisville Lady Gourmet has tons to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. While my soup is simmering on the stove (we all know it's better the next day!), I would like to take a few precious minutes to digitally express my thanks for our fair city. I think that many people have not discovered the true gem that we have made our hometown. However, those who do know her and are well acquainted with her are sure to say that she's quite a looker, intelligent, friendly as can be, a magnificent cook, and can surprise you everyday, while remaining familiar and comfortable. This is my city and I couldn't be happier to seize this exciting life on the banks of the Ohio River.
I grew up thinking that many things unique to our city and state were just natural parts of life for any other American. This city has, in fact, brought some of the most interesting people, events, ingredients, and traditions into my life, just by existing and being a place that ignites innovation with a community that can take it to great success.
I always thought it was normal for a kid to have a Benedictine and Bacon Sandwich in their school lunch--I just learned last year, at a Derby party in Spain, that nobody outside of Louisville knows what the heck Benedictine is (it is the most delicious cucumber cream cheese spread for you deprived ones). Bourbon is celebrated around the world, and the best and most traditional bourbon whiskeys come from our region; adding complexity, sweetness, and earthy qualities due to our limestone rich geology, golden corn-based agriculture, and the reverence and celebration of quality and variety in our products. Louisville is the crossroads of all fine food in our country. We have access to an incredible diversity of produce, a long history with our beloved swine, and in our past we have had countless characters moving in, out, and through our city to create the food culture we see today. Now we have an abundance of inspired chefs and food artisans to appease even the most particular foodie's fix.
But it isn't just about food (well, it is, but there are other details too!). Louisville lit the first display of the electric lightbulb. During the Southern Exposition, Thomas Edison's lightbulb prototype lit up that glorious space in what we call Old Louisville, to show the world where we were headed. To me, this is astounding. For Louisville to have that nugget of history in its pocket is amazing, and I still see the spirit of awe and fancy in our city everyday. Take a stroll in Old Louisville and see the most beautiful Victorian homes, full of history, ghost stories, and homeowners who aren't just living in their homes, they are preserving the great history and souls of our city's residents and visitors. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but Louisville shows up in that lovely book by F. Scott Fitzgerald--you should check it out and see where Daisy, the Louisville debutante came from--harkening back to the glistening age of the 20s and all of the bootlegging glory.
And don't get me started on my home in the Highlands. I love this neighborhood, and from the Highlands through the corridor to Crescent Hill and Clifton I feel most at home. This city is alive with interesting people with a past they'd love to share with you. Shop owners start to build business relationships with you the second you walk in the door, and after maybe your third visit, you are considered family. Restaurants are, of course, where the spirit of our city shine, using local talents and resources to celebrate our hometown the best way we know how. Finally, we can wash it all down with a local craft beer or a bourbon cocktail (the Old Fashioned cocktail was invented in Louisville in the late 1800s, btw), and a spirited conversation among friends--we are all pretty much friends around here.
This Thanksgiving, I am going to be surrounded by friends and family, some I have known for ages, some are new but still welcome as family. We will go to Wild and Woolley tonight to get some rentals from our favorite local video shop (cult, classic, horror, foreign :D), hit up Old Town Liquors for our final bottle(s) of wine, record the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, throw on our aprons and go to town on a fabulous meal. My turkey came from our local butcher Kinglsey Meats, our veggies came from our earth, and you can be sure that I'm going to splash some bourbon here and there to add that complex note of Kentucky's fine liquid amber. I will remember this Thanksgiving as I remember all I have celebrated in the past. I live in a wonderful city that I am proud to call my hometown, and I have the opportunity to share that city with people I truly love and am delighted to explore and experience life with.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Celebrate this holiday around a delicious table, and if you are brave enough to risk your life on Black Friday, remember to shop local. You can find a special insert from the Keep Louisville Weird people (Louisville Independent Business Assoc.) in the LEO magazine today, which has quite a few coupies and a comprehensive list of where you can get anything and everything...from your neighbor!
Bon appétit and a safe and happy holiday weekend to you!
Showing posts with label bourbon cocktails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bourbon cocktails. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Meet Meat: Louisville's Own Speakeasy
I'm going to start off by saying that Louisville can still seriously surprise me after so much time. I don't know why I'm so surprised all the time, probably because I just love getting excited about everything, but seriously Louisville, way to be awesome in your own unique way. This is brought up because recently I was recommended to go to a speakeasy-style bar over the Blind Pig. Now, I've indulged in the Blind Pig and I know how incredible it is (I must write a review!), so I was chomping at the bit to get to the secret upstairs!
**Note: the pictures are very dark...c'mon it's a speakeasy!
I made it. It is everything I dreamed it would be!
This particular night, we were meeting a friend to celebrate her birthday. Normally you would think that one would pick a place everyone had been to before. That's not how we roll, and I couldn't be happier! I'm going to take you through our evening, and you'll see why...
The only indication that there is anything upstairs is a small painted sign that says Meat with an arrow pointing up. There is a long staircase that leads you to the second floor of a Butchertown brick and mortar building. You look up from the staircase and meet a grey steel door with a single red light illuminated overhead. My friend and I hesitated with both fear and curiosity. To me mingled apparitions from a history rife with prohibition-era gangsters and flapper girls materialized. Also visions of meat lockers and slaughterhouses flashed by, but I relied on the romanticism of the former to bring me through.
We entered through a long and dark labyrinth-like hallway, the first sight we met was literally hanging meat, working with the slaughterhouse premonition, but it wasn't off-putting (as it was cured meat, and I'm pretty used to that coming from Spain). Still, we embraced the haunted house feel as we turned the next corner and met yet another long hallway with a single lamp-lit desk featuring the menu. At that point we caught our breath a little...
The inside entrance was masked by a heavy damask curtain, which parted in the middle only offering a tiny glimpse of what could be on the other side. Excited is an understatement. Behind the curtain was an inviting space with two plush couch and chair seating areas, a long table with swing out chairs, and a long stand up bar separate from the central wrap-around beacon of a bar. There was an additional room that continued towards the back with seating as well. The central bar was placed in front of a billboard-sized mural saying Meet me in Butchertown. Perfect.
On top of all this amazingness the Derby City Soul Club was spinning wax with Matt Anthony. I was starstruck that night because I am a long-time fan of Matt Anthony from the Friday Night Soundclash on WFPK. He is a serious musical genius, and I mustered up enough courage to actually introduce myself (nearly genuflecting) and to thank him for creating musical fusion like I've never heard from anyone else. If you are lost at this point, start off by tuning into 91.9 WFPK on Friday evenings before you go out...and you'll quickly understand where I'm coming from. We are lucky, fellow Louisvillians, very lucky.
Now let's get to the cocktails and nibblies! I can tell you that Meat has the best cocktail list currently in existence in Louisville--I don't think this is just my own opinion. You go there and you will not be disappointed. For those who may be intimidated, the menu actually guides you in the right direction by organizing the drinks into Well, Medium, and Rare categories based on complexity. My first try was the Meat Julep, because I had to start with bourbon, which looks like their specialty (naw, really?). Everyone chose different cocktails and everyone was in love with whatever they picked. I like that the cocktails were thoughtful, well-presented, and didn't overdo it. Later, I actually went off menu because I heard yet another rumor that one of the bartenders--you'll have to find out yourself because I'm not naming names ;)-- makes a killer Old Fashioned...and yes, sir he does! Love rumors in a speakeasy!
The bar not only serves delicious cocktails in every way, shape, and form, but they also have a carousel of jumbo jars full of snacks!!! The choice of nibblies is varied and plentiful from gingersnaps to pretzel chips and nuts to veggie crisps, which are doled out by little silver scoops into wax paper packets. It adds a nice playful note to a place that already makes me feel way cooler than I am. Yep, I'm going back.
Good people, phenomenal music, and scrumptious drinks made for a great birthday celebration. Next time I will be indulging in a dinner at the Blind Pig before I sneak upstairs to see what's going on at Meat. I don't think it is possible to have a bad time there--Three cheers for Meat!
<psst!> Spread it around and bring some friends, but keep it on the down low ;) Also, be responsible, as Meat reminds you on the menu, you can't ride all the rides at once...so don't even try it.
Meat
1076 East Washington Street
Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: 502.354.3212
Website: www.meatinlouisville.com
Email: contact@meatlouisville.com
**Note: the pictures are very dark...c'mon it's a speakeasy!
I made it. It is everything I dreamed it would be!
 |
| Take the plunge... |
The only indication that there is anything upstairs is a small painted sign that says Meat with an arrow pointing up. There is a long staircase that leads you to the second floor of a Butchertown brick and mortar building. You look up from the staircase and meet a grey steel door with a single red light illuminated overhead. My friend and I hesitated with both fear and curiosity. To me mingled apparitions from a history rife with prohibition-era gangsters and flapper girls materialized. Also visions of meat lockers and slaughterhouses flashed by, but I relied on the romanticism of the former to bring me through.
We entered through a long and dark labyrinth-like hallway, the first sight we met was literally hanging meat, working with the slaughterhouse premonition, but it wasn't off-putting (as it was cured meat, and I'm pretty used to that coming from Spain). Still, we embraced the haunted house feel as we turned the next corner and met yet another long hallway with a single lamp-lit desk featuring the menu. At that point we caught our breath a little...
The inside entrance was masked by a heavy damask curtain, which parted in the middle only offering a tiny glimpse of what could be on the other side. Excited is an understatement. Behind the curtain was an inviting space with two plush couch and chair seating areas, a long table with swing out chairs, and a long stand up bar separate from the central wrap-around beacon of a bar. There was an additional room that continued towards the back with seating as well. The central bar was placed in front of a billboard-sized mural saying Meet me in Butchertown. Perfect.
 |
| Meat's central horseshoe-style bar |
 |
| Ambiguous Smile |
On top of all this amazingness the Derby City Soul Club was spinning wax with Matt Anthony. I was starstruck that night because I am a long-time fan of Matt Anthony from the Friday Night Soundclash on WFPK. He is a serious musical genius, and I mustered up enough courage to actually introduce myself (nearly genuflecting) and to thank him for creating musical fusion like I've never heard from anyone else. If you are lost at this point, start off by tuning into 91.9 WFPK on Friday evenings before you go out...and you'll quickly understand where I'm coming from. We are lucky, fellow Louisvillians, very lucky.
Now let's get to the cocktails and nibblies! I can tell you that Meat has the best cocktail list currently in existence in Louisville--I don't think this is just my own opinion. You go there and you will not be disappointed. For those who may be intimidated, the menu actually guides you in the right direction by organizing the drinks into Well, Medium, and Rare categories based on complexity. My first try was the Meat Julep, because I had to start with bourbon, which looks like their specialty (naw, really?). Everyone chose different cocktails and everyone was in love with whatever they picked. I like that the cocktails were thoughtful, well-presented, and didn't overdo it. Later, I actually went off menu because I heard yet another rumor that one of the bartenders--you'll have to find out yourself because I'm not naming names ;)-- makes a killer Old Fashioned...and yes, sir he does! Love rumors in a speakeasy!
 |
| Meat Julep: Served in a silver tumbler |
The bar not only serves delicious cocktails in every way, shape, and form, but they also have a carousel of jumbo jars full of snacks!!! The choice of nibblies is varied and plentiful from gingersnaps to pretzel chips and nuts to veggie crisps, which are doled out by little silver scoops into wax paper packets. It adds a nice playful note to a place that already makes me feel way cooler than I am. Yep, I'm going back.
Good people, phenomenal music, and scrumptious drinks made for a great birthday celebration. Next time I will be indulging in a dinner at the Blind Pig before I sneak upstairs to see what's going on at Meat. I don't think it is possible to have a bad time there--Three cheers for Meat!
<psst!> Spread it around and bring some friends, but keep it on the down low ;) Also, be responsible, as Meat reminds you on the menu, you can't ride all the rides at once...so don't even try it.
Meat
1076 East Washington Street
Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: 502.354.3212
Website: www.meatinlouisville.com
Email: contact@meatlouisville.com
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