Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Would you like burnt fingers with that?

 When it comes to food, I like a lot of different cuisines, Italian, Greek, Mexican, German, Chinese. English food I find boring.  Too bland, most of the food I ate while I was there tasted like cardboard. Sorry, but the English have no talent for spices and seasonings. As for Japanese fare, I’ll settle for a mustard sandwich, thank you. My first experience eating in a Japanese restaurant was a monumental disaster.

I thought about that when I read that Corbin was going to celebrate Octoberfest again this year, a marvelous idea, and one I hope will be a great success. It’s such a beautiful and colorful time of year and one that deserves being celebrated in all its splendor.

I was visiting a friend in Cincinnati and it seemed like the whole of Cincinnati had turned out for that city’s Octoberfest the night our host took some friends and me out to dinner. She chose to take us to a Japanese restaurant in the heart of town and I was game for that. It was a new experience for me. Everywhere we looked we could see streets filled with revelers enjoying large steins of beer and all kinds of ethnic food.    Everyone was  in a gala mood.  

We had to fight our way through the crowd to get inside the restaurant. We were seated at a large oval counter that encircled the grill where we could watch our own private chef prepare our dinner. He was Japanese and the way he juggled the sharp knives in the air while he cooked our food was utterly fascinating. We each had an empty plate in front of us and every time a food item was done, instead of placing it on our plates, he flipped it with one of the large cooking knives and it hit the plate every time.  

I was completely carried away with the skill of the chef and in my excitement, I leaned forward and put both hands on what I thought was the edge of the counter. Only it wasn’t the counter. It was the grill! And it was HOT!  I pulled away quickly, thinking I had burned my finger prints off. It was at that moment that I knew what real pain was.

Of course my evening was ruined and so were the few days that followed.

The experience left me with a strong dislike for Japanese food. I have tried it since, thinking that it was a mental thing, but I still don’t like it.

So much for my Octoberfest story. But next time I think I’ll have sauerbraten on a roll with lots of kraut. That’s more in keeping with the October event anyway. 

Here’s hoping everyone will get into the spirit of the occasion and come to downtown Corbin and enjoy a happy and festive Octoberfest. It’s a marvelous way to celebrate the season and get together with old friends.

Auf Wiedersehen Y’all.

You can whip this up in minutes. Good for serving during football games. This dip goes great with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, or zucchini.

Melting Pot Green Goddess Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, sliced

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely sliced chives

In a microwave-safe container, microwave cream cheese and milk for two to four minutes, whisking after each minute, until cream cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in sour cream, onion, parsley and chives. Refrigerate until cold.