Gerstle’s set to grow; Vikings set to still suck: Having cleared its final re-zoning hurdle last week, Gerstle’s is poised to begin an expansion project that will allow the St. Matthews/Crescent Hill bar to accommodate a great deal many more Vikings fans this football season.  The plan is to use the property next door, vacated by a Christian bookstore, for indoor-outdoor seating, while adding angled parking and a new side door.  [Courier]

Shiraz has got us surrounded: From Poplar Level Road, good news for lovers of Mediterranean food.  Shiraz, the sprawling Louisville micro-chain (I mean that in a good way), is opening a new location in the Quarry Center, about a mile south of Audobon Hospital.  Besides the Frankfort Avenue location, there are locations on English Station Road (near the Gene Snyder), on Hurstbourne Parkway near Shelbyville Road, and in Holiday Manor.   The fifth store’s grand opening is in the about-a-week range, but it looks like there’s still plenty of work to do.

Monkeys can do tofu?  Who knew?: Ray’s Monkey House (Bardstown Road) will begin serving hot breakfast food from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the weekends, starting this Saturday, July 25.  The quirky, family-extra-friendly café (they have kids open mic night every Friday!) will sell made-to-order omelettes and tofu dishes in the neighborhood of $5, according to owner Nimbus Couzin.  If business booms on the weekends, they may start serving breakfast during the week as well.

Raising glasses, funds at O’Shea’s pub family: Highlands block brothers O’Shea’s and Flanagan’s, along with their St. Matthews cousin Brendan’s, have raised more than $202,000 in their three-year history of community fundraising.  The most recent Monday “FUND Day” garnered about $4,300 for Louisville Habitat.  The next one is on Monday, August 3, and will benefit the Volunteers of America Emergency Shelter.

There’s a reason it’s called a ‘secret recipe, Yankee: Another signature Kentucky industry is in danger of being overrun by New York-based entrepreneurs!  Ron Douglas, of Long Island, claims he’s cracked the secret recipe for KFC’s 11 herbs and spices and is about to publish his findings, as well as other imitations of famous recipes, in a new book.  Apparently, he only needed six tries to figure it out.  The Colonel must be pissed, right?  Wrong.  “Plenty of people have tried to duplicate the recipe over the years,” says KFC spokesman Rick Maynard.  “There is still only one place to get authentic Original Recipe Chicken.”  Maynard didn’t bother to point out (but I will) that one of Douglas’s ingredients, monosodium glutamate, couldn’t be purchased in the U.S. until 1947, a full seven years after Harland David Sanders developed his original recipe. [MSNBC]

Cure for a Case of the Mondays. This week’s LEO review of North End Café omitted that the Tuesday-Sunday restaurant is now open for limited hours on Mondays, from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Those breakfast tapas sound pretty tasty. [LEO]

John LaFollette is a Louisville writer.

How are you controlling your cholesterol? Are you eating right?

Right.

Eating right seems to be the hardest thing these days, but we thought we had a panacea with the General Mills juggernaut Cheerios. You’ve seen the playful commercial with the husband and wife competing to see who would reach their goal first. He, finishing the job jar (probably filled up by her) and she, lowering her cholesterol by eating Cheerios for breakfast. She got the idea from the cereal box that says “lower your cholesterol four-percent in six weeks.”

Right.

The Food and Drug Administration is giving Cheerios the big nuh-uhh on that claim. You see there’s a rule that says you can’t pinpoint risk reduction. The letter the FDA sent on May 5th called the box’s wording an “unapproved drug claim.” General Mills has 15 days to correct the problem. For its part General Mills is still saying that Cheerios is still good for you and the FDA’s problem is with the copy used.

To quote a certain spokes-gecko, “we’ve been duped.”

But honestly, this isn’t the first time food labels have fooled us. What was your reaction when you found out that your Caesar Salad had nothing to do with Julius Caesar? Wasn’t that the story? In reality it was named after chef Caesar Cardini, the guy that created it. Next time you’re at the Spaghetti Factory and you’re taking in the menu that’s so closely connected with ancient Rome, with a side order of Greece, think about your choice of leafy greens and see if it doesn’t leave a little pang in your belly.

On the other hand, we’re pretty safe in assuming there’s no duck in duck sauce or actual ears in elephant ears, but what about something like Rocky Mountain (prairie) oysters? Did you think it was made from little mollusks from the Colorado River? When you found out exactly what part of the bull it came from, did you do an involuntary purge? Did it make you wonder who figured out that it was edible?

Or, closer to category, there’s a product called Grape-Nuts, which contains neither. So General Mills and its Cheerios isn’t the first to walk the line. I remember the first time my wife brought home sweetbreads. Thinking they were fried and sweetened pastries, I pounced. Imagine my surprise at that first bite. It didn’t taste like a danish at all. Nor was it supposed to, as she told me that I was eating calf pancreas.

Thinking back on that incident, all of a sudden, the General Mills transgression doesn’t seem so bad.

The popular breakfast-brunch-lunch concept occupies 4,800 square feet at the Westport Village shopping center in the former Bountiful Bread restaurant. According to Business First, Hall and Rothberg, as Eggheadz LLC, signed a 10-year lease with renewal options with Underhill Associates, which owns Westport Village, so it looks like they plan on being around for a while.

Hall and Rothberg reportedly plan to open a third Wild Eggs by early spring of 2009, and the locations under consideration include The Summit Louisville and Brownsboro Crossings, both on Ky. 22 in eastern Jefferson County. Rothberg, along with Simon Fields, also owns Napa River Grill, another popular restaurant in the Westport Village complex, and if things go as planned, Wild Eggs is poised to become a regional chain.

Read the rest after the jump…

The first Wild Eggs location opened on Dutchmans Lane last year, and the menu at the new location will feature the same selection of breakfast and lunch items. Omelets, scrambles, frittatas, pancakes, waffles, French toast, sandwiches and soups will be offered seven days a week. Selections will include popular items like the fresh vegetable “Farmers Market Skillet” and “Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict” with green chili cheddar corn cakes, topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream, green onion and fresh avocado. Wild Eggs also offers custom blended coffee at an espresso bar and mimosas will be made with fresh squeezed orange juice at the cocktail bar.

Rothberg and Hall celebrated the second Wild Eggs’ grand opening with a preview party for a couple hundred people Jan. 30.  John Fischer from the Mayor’s Office was there to preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and servers busily ran around offering tasty hors d’oeuvres of egg salad with pickled habaneros. Wild Eggs’ executive chefs J.J. Kingery and Chip Lawrence were both on hand to greet visitors and supervise the buffet, where there were “everything” muffins, breakfast bread pudding, wild mushroom and roasted garlic scramble, spinach salad and a chilaquile-inspired Mexican breakfast dish.

Guests also had a wide variety of drinks to choose from, including a wine bar; in addition, one corner had a hopping bloody Mary station and the bar was set up to dole out refreshing pomegranate mimosas with Pama liqueur. To find out more about Wild Eggs and what will be available at the new Westport Village location, go to the website.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Thoughts of home and all the trimmings while on tour can be bittersweet for the emotional appetite. What this one Louisville boy has to say about sharing and preparing meals at home and on the road is well, food for thought.

Thunderous drumming — be it ancient, state of the art or summoning John Bonham from the afterlife, Patrick Hallahan supplies the tribal, life-affirming heart for My Morning Jacket’s mesmerizing works of sound.

Front man Jim James scales a rock solid wall pounded out by Hallahan with the psychedelic grace of a shape shifter. The two are in sync as band mates as well as old friends and the connection is nothing less than magic.

With their current album, Evil Urges, carving a niche through the rock and alternative charts, My Morning Jacket still escapes category. To define the group’s body of music as one style is as futile as chasing spilled mercury across a classroom floor. (If you’re old enough to remember science labs back in the day, teachers letting students play with cups of quicksilver…but don’t get me started.) So, just trust me, or anyone who is a fan of  Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Slint or even Prince, that My Morning Jacket is hard to pin down. And why bother? You could be listening.

Read the rest after the jump…

Patrick is a dyed-in-the-wool Louisville and family man. Clan Hallahan are tight-knit, supportive and can take up some space at a local MMJ performance. Putting some substantial ripples in the gene pool are Patrick’s young cousins, Jackson and Corey, both exhibiting natural talent at drums and guitar, respectfully and are avid participants at Louisville School of Rock.

Jackson’s instructor Neil Lucas at Willis School of Music has a lot to say about the student he’s had for three years, starting when he turned ten.

“From what I’ve seen, is a hard hitter with tons of finesse which means he’s more than likely put in years of practice and pays attention to detail.”

Sounds familiar.

Taking visual stock of MMJ on the live stage, one can barely make out human figures and instruments as they are lost in swirling fog and bathed in a surreal light.  The rise and fall of guitars and hair occasionally break through the high tech nova. Outside of live concert photography, a recent studio session revealed a royal western style Dutch Masters sensibility. Not to mention that everyone is standing still.

Once out from behind the drums, Patrick Hallahan is revealed to be a tree of a man. He looks like he sounds – powerful, thick and esoteric.

With enough follicle glory to boost personal stock in Roto Rooter, Patrick falls into the rhythm of the song as wall of drumming hair windmills and hammering arms, with each memorable concert.

Many fans and bloggers from outside Louisville have a hard time hearing of how local folks used to catch Jim strumming solo at the Rudyard Kipling or remembering the kind barista, Patrick, who used to tap out time for a flawless cappuccino with his toe at Heine Bros in the Highlands.

The roar of those concerts is just an echo as of this moment. Misjudging a step into darkness, then plunging from the stage in Iowa earlier this fall, Jim James received traumatic injuries to his torso.  The unfortunate event pulled muscles as well as the plug on the remaining tour. A short while later the European tour was put on hold. Recovery is imminent but slow and nothing to take on the road. However, this won’t keep the band from honoring the Chicago shows in December as well as New Year’s Eve in Madison Square Garden.

Get ready to savor our guest’s response to questions about Louisville cuisine, Kentucky favorites that graced his childhood table and now miss or share while on the road, in the sky and far from a home-cooked meal.

With Seattle in their rear-view mirror, MMJ was on its way to the ill-fated Iowa City concert where Jim was injured when Patrick took on the task of completing the Gut Reaction interview.

Cindy Lamb: What are you eating, if anything, right now? Are you a good cook?

Patrick Hallahan: I’m really not eating anything at the moment, just drinking some raw Kombucha.  I wish I was eating my dad’s pulled pork bbq…. it’s the best thing in the world.  Am I a good cook?  Hmmm, some would debate both sides of that question.

CL: What restaurants in the Louisville area do you miss?

PH: If I don’t get a Jack Fry’s pork chop or a Kern’s Korner cheeseburger soon, I’m sure to implode.

CL: What is your favorite dish prepared by Your Mom?:

PH:  MAC AND CHEESE!!!  I’m pretty sure the woman invented the dish.  God, I need to get home.

CL: at Catholic Summer Carnivals?

PH: Fried fish sandwich or bratwurst.  Catholic summer carnivals = nuns, cold beer, and beat the dealer, and fish sandwiches/bratwursts balance things out.

CL: Favorite by your significant other?

PH: My wife, Brigid, makes a bourbon/mango chutney salmon dish that will send you upstream. A dash of love is always the best ingredient in any dish, and she heaps it on.

CL: Please shed some light on “Peanut Butter Pudding Surprise”. I’ve come across several slang definitions of all or some of that phrase and would like your personal take.

PH: I want nothing to do with any “Peanut Butter Pudding Surprise.”  I have a feeling it’s something smeared, and I want no part of it.  That one is all you…

CL: What brand of peanut butter do you prefer?

PH: I know there are a lot of delicious peanut butters out there (and you know who you are), but Kroger’s Natural Peanut Butter makes me really happy.  Maybe nostalgia has a stake in this…

CL: What Kentucky grub would you most enjoy sharing abroad or in other states?

PH: I always love sharing BBQ recipes with people abroad (Texas, the Carolinas, Korea, and Australia…all known for good BBQ).  But one thing that isn’t necessarily Kentucky-based, but something I like to share, is the colossal southern breakfast.  This high-calorie sucker punch baffles people everywhere, but once it’s explained that the meal’s origin is that of energy supplement for long days of farm work, they drop their guard and pick up their fork.

CL: What food will never pass your lips and why?

PH: I’ll try everything once.  WELL, maybe not lamb fries, or that body part on any other animal.

CL: What do you have stashed in the fridge of the tour bus? What will you not share?

PH: I have this Chinese chili pepper sauce that I can’t live without right now.  It goes on everything.  And I’ll share my food with anyone!  Food is a communal thing for me.  You want a bite?

CL: What music (or anything aural) goes best while dining for breakfast?

PH: Old Country, Sam Cooke

CL: Lunch?

PH: Digital Underground, Afro-beat, Fugazi, Talking Heads

CL: Dinner?

PH: Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald

CL: What is your ultimate morning meal?

PH: I can’t bring myself to eat this on a daily basis, but my first instinct is to make/order;  2 Eggs (Scrambled), 4 Strips of bacon, 2 Biscuits w/sausage gravy, Orange Juice, Water.  And a life insurance policy.

CL: What did you last cook over an open fire?

PH: Pork tenderloin and grilled vegetables in a grill wok.

CL: Take your pick of the two, or add your own food item:

• Baloney or Corndog: Corn dog
• Moon Pies or Derby Pie: Derby Pie, are you kidding???
• Big Red or Ale 8: Man, depends on the day.  Big Red for now
• Bourbon or Beer: Bourbon…quality over quantity.
• White Castle or Dizzy Whiz: White Castle (to go along with the Big Red).
• Pinto or Navy: Pinto
• Biscuits or Grits: Biscuits
• Coffee or Tea: Tea

Two of my favorites are the English Grill and J. Graham’s Café  at the historic Brown Hotel. On Thursday, November 27 the English Grill has dinner seating times at 12:30, 12:45, 1:00, 3:30, 3:45 and 4:00 p.m. For $58 per person the dinner includes live piano music and a lavish appetizer buffet, as well as a decadent Viennese dessert display. Entrée choices include roasted turkey breast and leg with fig and chestnut stuffing, sweet potato pancake, haricots vert and Yukon mashed potatoes; sautéed Arctic char with truffle, diced potatoes and grilled corn; and pan seared filet with honey lavender crust, cauliflower gratin and spinach béchamel.

J. Graham’s Café will feature a Thanksgiving Day buffet with all the traditional favorites for $32 per person and $16 for children 12 and under. Buffet seating will be from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy dishes such as Kentucky ham with pineapple glaze; roasted turkey with cranberry sauce and giblet gravy served with traditional cornbread stuffing with walnut; roasted pork loin with Calvados apple sauce; sautéed green beans with roasted almonds; and Yukon garlic mashed potatoes. The Thanksgiving feast will end with dessert options like pineapple upside-down cake, pecan pie and pumpkin pie.

Read the rest after the jump…

Or, if the Brown isn’t what you’re looking for, let award-winning chef Michael Paley and the red penguins pamper you at 21c. Proof on Main at 702 W. Main St. will offer from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.  a Thanksgiving Day menu featuring smoked Tallgrass Farm heritage turkey served with fig sausage, locally grown sweet potato puree and Tuscan green beans. Also featured will be such seasonal dishes as chestnut ravioli with treviso and brown butter. Call (502) 217-6360 or go online for reservations.

In addition, the Bristol Bar & Grille will be serving Thanksgiving buffets at all but the downtown locations from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. $19.95 for adults; $4.95 for children ages 4 to 11 years old. What’s on the menu? Roast turkey with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, roast beef, honey-glazed ham, poached salmon, sweet potatoes, country-style green beans, brussels sprouts, corn pudding, asparagus vinaigrette, fresh cranberry sauce, wild rice salad, spinach salad, pecan and pumpkin pies. Go online or call for more information. 1321 Bardstown Road, (502) 456-1702; 6051 Timber Ridge Drive, Prospect, (502) 292-2585; 300 North Hurstbourne Parkway, (502) 426-0627; 700 West Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville, Indiana, (812) 218-1995. By the way, the Bristol in Jeffersonville will open at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast for those planning an early day of shopping on Friday, November 28.

Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille, 5700 Captain’s Quarters Road, Harrods Creek, will serve a buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Breakfast items will be served until 1 p.m. Thanksgiving menu will include turkey with oyster stuffing, fried chicken, baked tilapia with teriyaki orange glaze, carved roast beef, pastas, salads and desserts. $21.95 for adults; $13.95 for children ages 6-12; and children ages 5 and under eat free. Call (502) 228-1651 or go online for reservations.

And, like the Brown, the Galt House at Fourth Street and River Road will offer two Thanksgiving dinner options. Rivue will serve a traditional feast from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. that starts with relish trays on each table and salads served by captains. ($49.95 for adults; $19.95 for children ages 4 to 10; free for children under 3 years) Then comes turkey carved tableside with family-style sides, with baked ham and fried oysters available as well. Turkey, beef, pork, stuffed flounder and various side dishes will be on the buffet in the Fountain Room from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Included in the $29.95 price are salad bar and dessert station. $9.95 for children ages 4 to 10; free for children under 3 years. Parking is free. Call (502) 589-5200 or go online.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Head east and try the food at Fava’s in Georgetown. Fava’s is an old-fashioned soda-fountain kind of place that has been catering to hungry Georgetownians since 1910 when Susie and Louie Bertolini Fava opened a confectionery shop on Main Street. Although the establishment no longer specializes in the mouthwatering ice creams and homemade chocolates concocted by the Favas, it has maintained a faithful following nonetheless. Today – and several owners later – Fava’s still attracts crowds of patrons hungry for a taste of yesteryear with its casual, neighborhood atmosphere and American diner classics.

Read the rest after the jump…

Jeni and Howard Gruchow bought Fava’s not too long ago and have added their personal touches to the menu, which has grown to more than 100 items and specials today. Aside from the usual suspects such as chicken salad ($3.79), Ruebens ($3.79), BLTs ($3.99) and tuna salad ($3.79), sandwiches include grilled pimento cheese with tomato ($3.25), country ham ($4.99), and po’ boys ($5.95) with catfish, roast beef and shrimp. Also available are several burgers, including the giant Fava burger ($5.99), which is a half pound of beef charbroiled to order and dressed with lettuce, pickle, onion, mayo and tomato. Side items such as the popular home fries, onion straws and fried banana peppers average $1.99, and a humongous order of frickles, or fried pickle slices, goes for $4.95 a basket.

For supper, guests can choose from entrees like the Clifty Farms country ham dinner ($9.69), the Kentucky Hot Brown ($8.95), or the open-faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy ($6.95). Friday and Saturday evenings see the addition of dinner favorites such as all-you-can-eat catfish ($12.95), ribeye and shrimp ($14.95), and fried chicken ($10.95). For dessert, try a slice of pie ($2.50) or take a whole one home with you ($12.50 for cream pies; $14.50 for fruit).

Some friends and I recently stopped in for lunch at Fava’s, and we all thought it was well worth the hour’s trek from Louisville. The inside, with its bright and cheery colors, is cozy and always jam-packed with friendly locals. The service was excellent and attentive, and – all in all – the food was tasty. One complaint I had – and this is unfortunately a common complaint of mine – was that the tuna salad in the tuna melt (on of my favs!) had way too much mayonnaise in it. Like so many tuna and chicken salads out there, the mayonnaise-laden concoction was goopy (I hate goopy-ness in the kitchen!), messy and tasted – surprise, surprise! – like so much mayonnaise. I’d suggest they cut the mayo proportions in half (at least!) and try to showcase the flavors of tuna. It would be a lot easier to eat, as well.

Breakfast is on the menu, too. For more information call (502) 863-4383. Fava’s is at 159 East Main Street.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

The Swope Design Group will again create a bright, cheery atmosphere, and the Westport Village location will feature design favorites from the original, such as the egg wall, breakfast bar and “scrambled egg” floor. Some new features will include a patio dining area and a retail section in the waiting area.

Wild Eggs’ executive chef is J.J. Kingery and the menu at the new location will feature the same selection of breakfast and lunch items available at the Dutchmans Lane store. Omelets, scrambles, frittatas, pancakes, waffles, French toast, sandwiches and soups will be offered seven days a week. Selections will include popular items like the fresh vegetable “Farmers Market Skillet” and “Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict” with green chili cheddar corn cakes, topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream, green onion and fresh avocado. Wild Eggs also offers custom blended coffee at an espresso bar and mimosas will be made with fresh squeezed orange juice at the cocktail bar.

Wild Eggs will be hiring 45 new employees to staff the Westport Village location. Wild Eggs offers breakfast and lunch daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.  For more information on Wild Eggs call (502) 893-8005.

What do you know? Dan Borsch saw the post and started looking into the business, and closed on his purchase of the business and building in mid-July.

Borsch and his brother R.J. plan to continue operating the business, investing in some remodeling and boosting the 24-hour diner’s business. “We plan to update it and keep the basic conept — cheap, good food,” he said.

The Borsch brothers have a history of working in the restaurant business, and Dan said it was a “good fit” for them as a project.

Gut Reaction

Revealing meals with Cindy Lamb and guests

Toast On Market
736 East Market Street
502.569.4099
fax: 502.569.407
www.toastonmarket.com

WiFi
Carryout available
Patio dining
Breakfast served all day
7a.m. – 3 p.m.
Koala changing table

Breakfast with a Champion

Cindy Lamb – Host : Huevos Ahogados “Drowned Eggs” two poached eggs in a tomato cilantro sauce, hash brown casserole.

John Yarmuth- U.S. Representative for Kentucky’s 3rd congressional district: Gingerbread pancakes. Spicy and cake-like served with cherry compote and whipped cream – add bacon (hold the whipped cream.)

Christopher Hartman: Campaign Press Secretary Grilled veggies

It’s not everyone that gets to sit down and pass the salt with their Congressman. We’ve been raised to believe that if we wrote our leaders in Congress things could change. I never expected to have a late Saturday morning to load carbs with mine. A personal hero since I met him at LEO in 1995, Yarmuth brought to life key words that I find useful every day – alternative, grassroots and empowerment. His work is hard and his laugh is easy. He was my willing and gregarious guinea pig for the audition of ‘Gut Reaction’ when I brought it home to Louisville from L.A. over a decade ago. It ran in LEO for almost two years, probably annoying real dining critics and ticking off deep-thinking scribes. How could I not invite John to be my first guest as I revive the dinner-view column.

Yarmuth is one of the most accessible and hands-on leaders the state has ever elected and I’m proud of him. His genuine manner and straightforward approach have impressed countless others far beyond the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As casual as he is passionate, informed and curious, Yarmuth is the kind of messenger that you don’t want to shoot.

With his campaign headquarters ensconced in the old Huffman Jeep building just blocks away (as soon as the actual size cardboard stand-up of Obama was packed up with the rest of their gear after the primary, Yarmuth’s dedicated troops of orange moved in.)

The former theater that now houses the eclectic and wallet-sensible TOAST is historic. Down on the corner, in the office with the big Yarmuth explanation mark on the window, they’ll be making history of their own.

With delicious, rich three-bean blend coffee from Consumer’s Choice in our cups, we caught up with Yarmuth as he wears the carpet thin between the capitol and The ‘Ville. On July 12, he was half-way through his second bid for the 3rd District Congressional seat. He seemed to be grateful for the seat he had on the breezy patio. While traffic on Market Street zoomed by in front of us, a time to be still and be nourished was welcomed.

Check out the Q&A after the jump:

Cindy Lamb: So your schedule is intense?

Yarmuth: Oh, yeah.

CL: When do you have your private time?

JY: I don’t.

CL: Because you’re not a private person any more?

JY: Well, I thought I was. (Laughs) I used to go to lunch every day by myself, take a book and read. Usually the weekends have been full of events when I’m home so I don’t see a lot of private time.

Like today I went to an event in the Shelby Park neighborhood, after this I’ll be going to a ceremony at The Healing Place, then a house party meet and greet in the South End, then guest pitching at the Metro Dems Picnic softball game and I have a fundraiser myself tonight. It’s neighborhood festivals, church projects, schools, businesses, you name it.

CL: Let’s swing another direction, how’s your golf game? I hear you’re the handicap on The Hill.

JY: I have the lowest golf handicap in Congress. Mostly because I haven’t turned in a score in two years. I haven’t played that much. I still have the handicap I had before I ran for office. I’m still one of the better players in Congress, I’ll confess to that.

CL: What about Washington life has surprised you the most?

JY: The thing that surprised me about the job is how physically demanding it is.

CL: You mean like the West Wing walking and talking all the time? You got to meet Allison Janney, right?

JY: Oh, yeah and I told her I was a devoted West Wing fan. Then I said, ‘People don’t really do that, do they?’ Now, that I’m in this job, I believe it! She laughed. We wear pedometers on the Hill and I find myself averaging about 20 miles a day.

I’ve always known that Yarmuth talks the talk and walks the walk and now I know exactly how far he goes. Our food arrives, fresh, hot and fragrant. John’s stack of pancakes is a work of art, which he plans to destroy with his utensils. I see his eyes scooping up the generous coverage of cherries that cascade down the stack of flapjacks. Christopher has opted for a lunch item and begins to decorate his grilled veggie sandwich with Tabasco. My huevos are flat out looking at me; I slice one of the eggy orbs with my fork. I’m hungry but I’m still thinking Lasik. Sourdough toast slices encourage the southern practice of sopping.

CL: Nice that TOAST is so close to your campaign headquarters.

JY: Yes! This neighborhood is wonderful! East downtown is terrific. I think it’s developing in all the right ways, a lot of housing, a lot of pretty cool housing. I think Liberty Green is phenomenal and will be more so when it grows, Home of the Innocents is such a great improvement, the art galleries. Wayside going to move, Gill Holland and a group are going to buy that property. I’m really thrilled, he happens to be a big supporter of mine. He’s doing so many great things.

CL: You’ve eaten more than half of that stack of cakes. Do you feel energized? Better than Wheaties?

JY: Actually, I had a bowl of cereal before I left the house this morning.

CL: Oh, and what was that? Another hard-hitting question and if you don’t answer I’ll understand.

JY: Life, with blueberries.

CL: Wow, that sounds like a movie or a novel or something. Life with blueberries.

Christopher Hartman joins in on the interrogation. “Two percent? Skim? Whole?”

JY: Yes, we have skim milk at the house.

(Our server, Joshua brings the check. A brief skirmish occurs when John insists that I cannot buy him a meal. I obey my Congressman and we all Dutch out.)

CL: I recall the fifth anniversary at Butchertown Pub. Then there was another anniversary party with all the White Castles. That was at Saints in St. Matthews, right around the corner from the old Shelbyville Rd at Breckinridge location.

JY: Yep…. eight hundred White Castles to go.

Hartman: (concerned and amused) Sliders?

JY: That was good. Thank you! They’re still with me.

A new cookbook touting the culinary delights of many of the state’s best bed-and-breakfast establishments recently hit the shelves. Room at the Table showcases signature recipes from more than 30 inns around the commonwealth with appealing color photography and easy recipes that will tempt you to make reservations for a relaxing – and appetizing – weekend getaway.

Although the cover of the book from the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky features a formal table set against the backdrop of an elegant room, the dishes inside come from a wide array of comfortable and informal establishments. Readers will discover recipes from Victorian mansions and country cabins, Federal estates and remote farmhouses. B&Bs include the ­Doctor’s Inn in Berea, Frankfort’s Gothic Revival Meek House, the Lyndon House and the Swann’s Nest in Lexington, Louisville’s DuPont Mansion, and the 1872 House on Belmont in Winchester. McClanahan Publishing House of Kuttawa published the hardcover, which lists for $24.95.