Dark Horse Recording Studio

Town Hall Meeting with Tn. Representative Marsha Blackburn

WHAT: Health Care Town Hall Meeting
WHO: Congressman Marsha Blackburn and Health Care Expert Dennis Smith
WHERE: Embassy Suites Franklin, 820 Crescent Center Drive
WHEN: Friday, August 14th 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Road to the Horse 2009 - part 2

Road to the Horse 2009 - part 1

We're at "The Road to the Horse" this weekend

This show started last night and we are having an absolute blast so far. I will tell you more about it later because we have to get back to the show, right now.

Grand opening of the American Bistro

Photo courtesy of Amy Ellis and the Franklin Favorite

Great day to finally enjoy the grand opening of the restaurant. That is me in the middle cutting the ribbon.

American Bistro
4000 Nashville Highway
Franklin, Kentucky
270-598-7777

Road to the Horse 2009- March 14-15 in Franklin Tennessee

Tickets

$110 Premium

$57 General Admission

$250 VIP Room Access

Learn more and get your tickets HERE

Viking Culinary School calendar; January 5-10

Jan. 5
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Teens Italian Cuisine

Jan. 6
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Homemade Sauces Workshop
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm ECS 1: Stocks

Jan. 7
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Fish Cookery
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Girls' Night Out: In Rome

Jan. 8
10:00 am - 12:30 pm Basic Knife Skills
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Stop the Clock Cuisine Almost Sold Out
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Date Night: In Sicily

Jan. 9
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Casual Cocktail Party
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Classic Tuscan Dinner Party

Jan 10
10:00 am - 1:00 pm Teens Chocolate Workshop Almost Sold Out
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Steakhouse Workshop ** Sold Out **
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Girls' Night Out: In Vegas

Viking Cooking School in Franklin- Schedule for December 12-20

December 12
12:30 pm - 4:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmThe Chef's Table: Champagne Brunch
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmDate Night: In Sicily
December 13
10:00 am - 12:00 pmGingerbread House Workshop** Sold Out **
10:00 am - 12:30 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
2:00 pm - 5:00 pmThe Chef's Table: Réveillon: A French Creole TraditionAlmost Sold Out
December 14
11:00 am - 1:30 pmEdible Ornaments Workshop** Sold Out **
12:00 pm - 2:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPrivate Event (Demo)
December 15
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmCookie Workshop
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmPasta Workshop (Fall/Winter)Almost Sold Out
December 16
4:00 pm - 7:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:30 pm - 8:30 pmECS12: Cakes
December 17
10:00 am - 1:00 pmHoliday Sweets Workshop
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmJewish Cooking: Treasures from Around the World
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmPrivate Event (Demo)
December 18
4:00 pm - 7:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmCajun Christmas
December 19
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:30 pm - 9:00 pmDecorating Designer Cookies with Cathy Webb** Sold Out **
December 20
10:00 am - 12:00 pmGingerbread House Workshop
10:00 am - 12:30 pmDecorating Designer Cookies with Cathy Webb** Sold Out **
2:00 pm - 4:30 pmDecorating Designer Cookies with Cathy Webb** Sold Out **

Viking Cooking Classes this weekend

November 14
Chocolate Workshop
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Chicago Steakhouse
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

November 15
Holiday Sweets Workshop
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Sushi Workshop

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Check out the entire schedule at the Viking Cooking School website.

Viking Cooking School in Franklin (October calendar)

Some of the upcoming classes include Thai Taste Explosions, Date Night: Decadent Dinner, Classic Tuscan Dinner Party and The Chef's Table: Girls' Night Out: In Rome. Be sure to visit the Viking cooking class October calendar to find more interesting classes and learn how to enjoy cooking again.

"Chuck Waggon" and his restaurant roundup

Are you in need of good chocolate for Valentine's Day?

Here are some options for some really good, gourmet chocolates. Yes, she will know the difference when she tastes it so go out and do something to impress her.

Xoconochco
Historic Downtown Franklin
434 Main Street
Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 599-0236

Cocoa Tree
121 3rd Ave N
Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 599-1989

Pralines by Leon
138 2nd Ave N # 102
Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 254-5030

A Country Music Christmas at the Viking Store with Edie Hand

Southern Cooking Class at Viking Cooking School

You don’t have to live in the South to appreciate soulful Southern cookin'. In this highly requested new workshop, we’ll teach you how to create traditional Southern food from the heart.

SKILLS and TECHNIQUES
Preparing a traditional Southern dinner; learning the art of balancing seasonings; preparing lump-free, creamy mashed potatoes; pan-frying chicken to crisp perfection; braising greens; making a quickbread; making custard.

Adult classes are for students age 16 and older.

Best-Ever Crispy Fried Chicken
Perfect Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Slow-Cooked Southern Greens
Skillet Cornbread
Homemade Banana Puddin’
Sample Recipes: Cheese Straws; Sweet Tea
Remaining Dates & Times in Nashville, Tennessee:

$79.99
Monday, November 5
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Workshop

The Viking Store
The Factory at Franklin
230 Franklin Road
Building 13
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone 615.599.9617

Visit the calendar for more Viking cooking classes.

Turkey Workshop at the Viking Cooking School in Franklin

Brine, truss, season and roast the ultimate holiday bird. Receive coaching on what type and size of turkey to select; then learn how to season and roast it. We’ll even give you tips for reheating and making the most of those seemingly endless leftovers. This technique-intensive hands-on workshop is designed for the greenest rookie to the most seasoned professional.

SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES Handling and preparing poultry safely; learning everything you ever wanted to know about turkey; making tender scones; making deliciously unique holiday side dishes.

Adult classes are for students age 16 and older.

~Ultimate Holiday Turkey with Roasted Shallot Thyme Butter
~Savory Mushroom Bread Pudding
~French-Style Green Beans; Bacon, Corn and Green Onion Scones
~Honey-Roasted Mashed Sweet Potatoes; Cranberry Apple Crumble
~Sample Recipe: Praline Ice Cream
~Bonus Recipes Utilizing Leftovers: Better-Than-Chicken Turkey Salad; Turkey and Broccoli Penne Al Forno; Turkey and Brie Panini; Turkey and Spinach Risotto

Remaining Dates & Times in Nashville, Tennessee:

$129.99
Sunday, October 21, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

$129.99
Sunday, November 4, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

~~~~~~~

Visit the calendar for more information.

Chocolate Special at Xoconochco this weekend

Bing CHERRIES and CHOCOLATE
Available this weekend only!
July 14-15, 2007

They've Arrived! They've Arrived! We've been waiting for picked-at-peak BING CHERRIES like a kid waiting for Santa Claus. We were so excited to open the shipment yesterday.

Cherries. Big, bold, firm, dark, mahogany red cherries. Straight from the orchard.This summer, we are participating in a limited program with Batch's Best Family Farms, a farm with acclaimed cherries located in the high plateau of eastern Washington. There, fruit is allowed to ripen on the tree rather than en route to the store. Tom Batch's family hand-picks each piece of fruit, and then the cherries are checked for size, color, firmness, and even to be sure they have a stem, five times, before they are boxed and shipped. This means every cherry is, well, cherry-picked from all the rest! Perhaps this is why they have been sited in publications such as Bon Appetit', Saveur, and the New York Times.

BING CHERRIES are the most popular variety of sweet cherry and the first cherries of the season. Washington produces some of the finest cherries, apples and pears in the world, but most of that fruit is picked too early, because it needs to travel by truck or train across the country to reach our supermarkets. At Batch's Best Family Farms, they are available for just one day a year - the day they are picked and immediately shipped to us - perfectly ripe- straight from the orchard. We waste no time in dipping them in white, milk, or dark chocolate and topping them off with ground almonds, walnuts, or pistachios. Our goal is for YOU to enjoy them as if you just brought them in from your OWN beautiful orchard and dipped them straight into luxurious chocolate. We have limited quantities available and when we are sold out, there will be no more until next year. So, come by early or call us to reserve your selection of FRESHLY PICKED, FRESHLY DIPPED CHOCOLATE CHERRIES!

Visit us at the shop or call us at 1-877-LUV-XOCO.

Options include: dark chocolate (64%), dark chocolate with almonds, milk chocolate (40%), milk chocolate with walnuts, white chocolate, white chocolate with pistachios.

Price:$ 1.45 each

A Feast for Mothers Day at Buca Di Beppo

This was such a delicious day and the weather was very beautiful. After eating all this food and being ready for a nap, we went out and did a family photo outside on the grassy knoll. We had lots of fun with that because we got some great family photos that are now on the wall but also some fun, goofy ones that most of you all won't see. Ha!!

From start to finish the food was excellent, as was the service. We had lots of fun and, as always, I look forward to going back again soon. We had leftovers for days as well.......yummmm

Appetizer:
Garlic Bread Wheel (large)

Entrees:
Macaroni Rosa (large)
Lasagna (large)
Pizza Angelo Pizza (large)

Dessert:
Chocolate Vesuvio

Buca Di Beppo Cool Springs

Carnton Plantation (Civil War)- Nashville History

~Built by Randal McGavock, Nashville's first mayor (1824-1825).

~The plantation house, which is late-neoclassical, is considered architecturally and historically one of the most important buildings in the area.

~In its early years the mansion was a social and political center. Among the prominent visitors attending the many social events were Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Sam Houston.

~The plantation was used as a Confederate hospital after the bloody Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. 12 confederate soldiers were killed.

~ In 1866 the McGavock family donated two acres adjacent to their family cemetary for the burial of some 1,500 Confederate soldiers.

~The McGavock Confederate Cemetary is the country's largest private Confederate cemetary.

~The book "Widow of the South" was written about it. It is a fictional book though.

Carter House (Civil War)- Nashville

~This 1830 brick house was used as a federal command post while at the center of fighting in the Battle of Franklin, known as the "bloodiest hours of the war."

~The Carter family, their friends & neighbors hid in the cellar during the battle.

~Built by Fountain Branch Carter and is a registered National Historic Landmark.

~In less than six hours, according to some official records, there were about 6,200 Confederate casualties(killed, wounded or captured), including 1,750 killed.

~The official Union count was about 2,579, which included 179 killed.

~Some historians, including Carter House officials, have documented at least 7,300 Confederate casualties, including more than 2,000 killed or mortally wounded. There were approx. 2,850 Union casualties, including about 450 killed.

~Capt. Tod Carter, the youngest son of the Carter family, died at the home 48 hours after being wounded in the battle.