KENTUCKY
“I CAN SEE YOU’RE PRETTY, I’LL JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT ABOUT HONEST AND DEPENDABLE.”
That is how Carol Avery was described by a friend to Walter Ford—as pretty, honest and dependable. He had just bought George’s Bar-B-Q and needed to hire a waitress.
Carol was doing office work at the time been a waitress in the past. She mentioned that she would like to get back into waitressing part time. Her friend told her to go see Walter. (Image 65)
Image 65
“You’ll really like him. He’s a great guy,” the friend said.
Walter hired her on the spot. They hit it off right from the start. They both realized that their friendship transcended George’s. A year and a half later, they were Mr. and Mrs. Ford.
Today, Carol spends most of her time running George’s and Walter splits his time there and tending cattle on their 200 acres.
Walter bought George’s in 1989. It was a venerable Owensboro establishment started in 1955, but it had recently changed hands a couple of times.
“I had a video and frame shop across the street and would eat there often. The owner approached me about taking it over. He just wanted to get out. I had never thought about it, but the cook, Orville Horn, agreed to stay on and show me the business if I bought it, so I did.
“Orville was a great cook and he became a really good friend until he died a few years back, but he lacked a little in the customer relations department. I’ll never forget soon after I just bought the place. Back then they would take raw meat from people to smoke. The only stipulation was that the meat be thawed out and ready to throw on the smoker—we couldn’t have it sitting around thawing. This woman brought in some meat that was frozen solid and Orville told her to go home, thaw it out, and come back. (Image 66)
Image 66: George’s Bar-B-Q 1362 E 4th Street • Owensboro, KY 42303 • (270)926-9276
“She responded, ‘If I leave here with this meat I ain’t coming back.’
To which Orville replied, ‘I don’t care if you come back or not.’
“I couldn’t believe what I just saw, and I tried, unsuccessfully, to apologize and explain the situation, but she would have none of it. I’m thinking, what have I got myself into. I’m not going to be in business if my employees treat people like that, so I tried to explain that to Orville and he just said, ‘Bitch should have known better’ and walked away.”
WESTERN KENTUCKY BURGOO
Mutton is virtually impossible to find outside of Western Kentucky, where it is a favorite dish. It is the key ingredient in burgoo, which is widely enjoyed in that neck of the woods. This recipe was published in the Louisville Courier-Journal. It was taken from the cookbook Owensboro’s Very Famous Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn Inc. (Image 67)
Image 67
(Some area cooks add dried beans or lima beans, tomatoes, and a little boiled, shredded beef or wild game.)
Boil mutton in enough water to cover. Cook until tender, 2 to 3 hours. Discard broth and bones. Chop meat fine; set aside. Boil chicken. Add cabbage, onion, potatoes, corn, ketchup and 1 gallon water to chicken broth. (If you are following the area cooks’ recipe, add those ingredients now.) Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, chop chicken meat and discard bones and skin. When potatoes are tender, add chopped chicken, mutton, tomato puree, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 2 hours or longer, stirring occasionally as it thickens.