Even in this age of bourbonism and pricy trophy labels, Louisville still loves Old Forester, the locally made, affordable Bourbon with its signature caramel and brown sugar flavors.
Or at least we used to love it. But then we got big mad last week after news broke that OldFo’s creator, Brown-Forman Corp., the lovable, liberal old local firm had suddenly abandoned its long-term commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and its support for the LGBTQ+ community.
You wouldn’t expect Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood to have a deep resonance with Louisville, but that erroneous conclusion overlooks the importance of Harold Henry “Pee Wee” Reese.
Generally speaking, I’m no fan of restaurant buffets. I didn’t complain much when the Covid-19 pandemic banished the buffet.
But I hear a lot of people complaining about the near-demise of the Indian buffet.
Why the difference? I wonder if it’s about unfamiliarity with Indian cuisine, coupled with just a touch of fear that you’re going to get something unfaniliar and possibly as hot as the hinges of Hades.
The news that Pete Wells got from his doctor was too alarming to ignore: “My scores were bad across the board,” the physician told the 60-something New York Times restaurant critic.
“My cholesterol, blood sugar and hypertension were worse than I’d expected even in my doomiest moments,” Wells wrote in his Critic’s Notebook column on July 15. “The terms pre-diabetes, fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome were thrown around. I was technically obese. OK, not just technically. I knew I needed to change my life.”
I’m still hearing from readers about my comments in last week’s review about the quality furnishings and spotless, seemingly hand-polished silverware at Perso restaurant in Shelby Park: “Those seemingly smaller signals of attentiveness and care from the moment we sat down signaled management that cares.”
In a way, we could liken dining out to a theater performance: Good food might be the lead actor, a player who struts and frets their hour upon the stage. But from decor and drinks to service and even the restrooms, it takes a quality supporting cast to turn a meal into an unforgettable show.
Just about everyone loves ice cream, and that goes double when a heat dome drops over the country like a gigantic warm blanket that nobody requested.
But that rich scoop of cold, sweet delight becomes a lot less unanimous when it comes to the details: Favorite flavor? Traditional hard frozen and scoopable, soft serve, gelato, frozen custard, sherbet, sorbet, froyo, or something else? Cup or cone or take-home pint? And perhaps the most controversial question, which local shop is No. 1 for you?
What is the advantage to a restaurant so loud that you can’t easily chat with your partner or maybe even hear yourself think? Maybe someone out there finds this exciting and attractive, but I haven’t found anyone yet who’s a fan.
Every year at Derby time, restaurant nostalgia sets in. Along with all the chatter about horses, track conditions, and betting odds, food-loving locals can’t resist reminiscing about all the beloved restaurants that aren’t around any more.
