Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Precious Jewels

A landmark includes anything that is easily recognizable, a term used to designate places that might be of interest to tourists due to notable physical features or historical significance. The town of Corbin has one of the famous landmarks in the world, Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken, where it all began.
I was encouraged to read where plans are in the offing for giving the old restaurant its rightful place as a national treasure. High time, I would say. Since its beginning, it has grown to over 9,000 restaurants in over 86 countries and continues to grow at the rate of two restaurants per day the world over.
My own experience with the worldwide popularity of this franchise came the last time I was traveling in England. As is commonly known, the English cuisine is famously lacking in flavor. And after days of eating bland  food…bland potatoes, bland cauliflour,  bland roast beef, cold bread at every meal… I was hankering  for a tasty stick-to-the-ribs meal. The tour bus I was on had been traveling somewhere in the Cotswold area  and was just pulling into a small town for a lunch break,  when I spied the most familiar, the most welcoming sight in the world. It was the big KFC bucket with Colonel Sanders face emblazoned upon it. The thrill I felt at seeing this wonderful sign of home in a foreign country was overwhelming. Just imagine, the Colonel’s eleven herbs and spices in a little corner of England.  
Corbin has many special attributes to its credit, and its good to know that the city planners are taking advantage of this little jewel that has been sitting on its doorstep these many years. Just think of the tourists who would gladly detour off I-75 to see “where it  all began.”  
Another project I would like the chamber of commerce to tackle is the Krystal, the little  diner that sits wasting away on South Main Street.  The sign on the door “Hamburgers, 5 cents and Ladies Welcome” are specially poignant when I recall my father taking my siblings and me there after church on Sunday nights.
It was my incentive for going to Sunday night service, knowing this special treat would be waiting for us. I always ordered a bowl of chili with those little oyster crackers and a cold drink. How I loved those little oyster crackers.  
The little diner was nothing fancy, a long counter with about 8 or 10 bars stools, greasy but tasty food, cheap prices, and a juke box standing against the wall where you could hear a song for a nickel. As small town America as you could get for way under a dollar.  
The little diner has been waiting all these years for someone to come along and restore it to its nostalgic place in history. It is not just a building, it’s a memory of times past that needs to be preserved.

Perfect served with roast pork or grilled chicken. Or as a dessert.

Slow Cooked Pineapple
From Food Network Kitchens

2 medium pineapples (about 2 1/2 pounds or 8 cups fresh pineapple, sliced)
1 cup brown sugar
1 (6-inch) piece fresh ginger (about 5 ounces), thinly sliced
1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
Coconut or Vanilla Ice cream for serving

If using whole pineapple: Peel, quarter, and cut away the core from the pineapple. Discard the core. Cut each quarter in half lengthwise then slice 1/4-inch thick slices crosswise.
Stir the pineapple together with the sugar, ginger, and cinnamon in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, until the pineapple is very tender and slightly sweet.
Serve warm with scoops of coconut ice cream on top. The compote keeps for up to a week tightly sealed in the refrigerator.
8 to 10 servings, about 6 cups