Incredible Food Show delivers again

Beer cheese. Barbecue sauce. Chocolate chili. Ice cream. Vegetable juice. Hot tea. Culinary seminars.The Incredible Food Show delivered samples of all of this as well as so much more on Saturday, November 27 at Heritage Hall in Lexington. It’s the second time I’ve attended and I continue to spread the news about the event to foodie friends because it was once again a marvelous taste and learning experience for me.

I want to highlight some of the area farmers, cooks and service providers who I find to be especially great sources for anyone who is concerned with good health and local food. There were also many more at show. You can find all the exhibitors listed at www.incrediblefoodshow.com.

Cheese:  I continue to look for local sources of good cheese and found a new source in Heavenly Homestead Cheese. Lindsey and Dustin Perkins brought plenty of samples from the cheese they make from their Jersey Cows in Windsor, Kentucky. Although they aren’t officially designated as an organic farm, it’s clear when talking with them that you are getting an organic product in which you don’t have to worry about hormones, steroids and antibiotics. All that, plus the cheese tastes great! For more information, go to www.heavenlyhomesteadcheese.com.

Shitake mushrooms: I first encountered the Stickney family from Irvine, Kentucky at the Mushroom Festival in Irvine this past spring. They grow their mushrooms organically on logs that come from a sustainably managed forest.  I’ve long read that Shitake’s have anti-cancer properties. For further nutritional information, you can find information at www.whfoods.com.  If you’re interested in buying mushrooms or a log on which to grow them, call Jack, Teresa or Caleb Stickney at 606-723-6856. 

Cookbooks and authors: Thanks to Joseph-Beth Booksellers, show attendees could also purchase cookbooks and meet local cookbook authors. One of those was Rona Roberts, author of Sorghum, Sweet Sorghum. Rona loves to share information about sorghum, including the fact that it has more nutritional value than sugar cane, as well as recipes. Since it’s a locally produced sweetener, I need to delve further into sorghum recipes to see what I can produce. The fall and winter seasons seem like an ideal time to do that.

Nutrition: If you wonder about the nutrition of the products available at the food show, you could ask Paula Antonini of Simply Nutrition. I originally met Paula at a professional women’s luncheon and enjoyed talking with her about food. She enjoys helping people lose weight. She’s a good source for all sorts of information about how food relates to our health and wellness and she was at the show to share some of what she does.

Celebrity Chef: Of course, a post about the show wouldn’t be complete without a few words about celebrity chef Tyler Florence and his presentation. He was as entertaining and down-to-earth on the Kentucky Proud stage as he is on television. He did his part in promoting local foods by creating a Venison Bourguignon Recipe. For that and his Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie, go to the Celebrity Chef Information page on the Incredible Food Show web site.

Are you now enticed enough to attend next year? I was definitely well-fed and picked up plenty of information from producers that I’ll follow up with. If you want to try it out for yourself, be sure to check the website next August for the dates of next year’s show.