Field Report: 2023 Valley Of Silent Men Social Aid and Pleasure Club Second Line

2023 Valley Of Silent Men Social Aid and Pleasure Club Second Line


A record shattering day of New Orleans heat did not delay the official kickoff of Second Line Season in New Orleans. The Valley Of Silent Men Social Aid and Pleasure Club stomped through the streets of Central City earlier today. Here is what we saw: Continue reading

2023 Kentucky Country Ham Sells For $10 million

The legendary Ham Motel of western Kentucky.

Ronnie and Beth Drennan of Broadbent B&B Foods in Kuttawa, Kentucky saw their Grand Champion ham sell at auction for $10 million at the 59th Annual Country Ham Breakfast this week in Louisville, Kentucky.

Broadbent claimed the title for the 15th time and saw their 18lb ham sell for over a half million dollars per pound.

On Feb. 27, 1974, the late James Beard wrote in a newspaper column, “It was only lately, while in Kentucky, that I became acquainted with these superb hams. There’s a company called Broadbent-Bingham that sells cured and aged country hams. If you visit them, you can also buy extraordinarily good ham hocks, thick ham steaks and hams, all cured the same way. I carried back a cooked ham for Thanksgiving which was much admired by all who tasted it”.

Former Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Kelly Craft, along with her husband Joe, and Central Bank president and CEO Luther Deaton, made joint $5 million bids for the 18-pound grand champion ham.

The $10 million will be made available to a variety of charitable organizations including Boys and Girls Clubs across the state; a new mental health initiative that has not been clearly defined; and to build 57 new homes in Knott County for families who lost everything in the 2022 floods.

Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken Recipe

Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken Recipe

In the 80s it was a special treat to visit Chez Helene, the old brick-fronted building behind Circle Foods on N. Robertson Street in New Orleans 7th Ward. The restaurant is long gone, chef Austin Leslie is deceased and while there is plenty fried chicken to be had at curbstores and corner markets none of it holds a candle to Mr. Leslie’s.

Time to visit your favorite grocery store and make the chef’s legendary recipe in your own kitchen.

Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken Recipe Continue reading

A Revolution In The Kitchen: A Further History Of Swans Down Flour [1926-1956]

Willard Private Donation Library

In May of this year I drove from my home in New Orleans to Evansville, Indiana to research the Igleheart Brothers Swans Down flour archives at the Willard Private Donation Library. As we know, Levi, William and Asa Igleheart built their first flour mill on the banks of the Wabash and Erie Canal in Evansville in the 19th century. Continue reading