I've enjoyed my vacation week, taking road trips- I ventured to Berea, Ky on Friday. This is part of a road trip series for my regular website. I thought it was so cool that when The Boone Tavern opens back up after renovation in May, they will be the 1st "green" hotel in Kentucky. They are owned by Berea College and the college has an ecovillage which operates entirely by natural resources. The hotel buys alot of their fruits and vegetables locally, and even supplies their leftover grease for a man whom has a car that is run by grease. They don't serve alcohol, keeping its small-town charm, they would like to keep things just the way it all. The pictures are below:


This is Maria, who was my server. She was very nice and friendly. The Chocolate Spoon Bread is her favorite dessert- and is now on my Top Ten List.

Pictured here are the Executive Chef Jeffrey Newman, graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in New York, and the Sous Chef, Rebel,- both have worked at The Marriott Griffin Gate Resort.


This is the main course, and one of the dishes that The Boone Tavern is known for, and a wonderful dish- "Chicken Flakes in a Bird's Nest", developed by the late Innkeeper, Richard Hougen, is a dish of juicy chicken and a light cream, crafted into a bird's nest of golden-brown, crisp noodles that sits atop a mountain of mashed potatoes A serving of fresh cranberries in sauce accents the tasty dish.
I had a house salad before the main dish- an ocean of tossed local salads and spots of fresh cherry tomatoes. The homemade orange-marmalade dressing that I chose is the house dressing, and is well worth a try.



This was the, "to die for", Chocolate Spoon Bread, served with drizzling fruit and chocolate syrups, and topped with fresh whipped cream and freshly sliced strawberries.


The Tavern is known for its Spoon Bread- a sweet, creamy cornbread that is served with a side of fresh butter and honey. Pictured here is KOJO, whom is from Ghana, where I will be spending Christmas in 2008- I plan to visit his family while taping there. He is in school at Berea. 85-90% of the workers are students, according to Emily, Front Desk Manager of The Tavern. She was once a student at the college, and says that Berea is unique in that you can't go there if you have alot of money, and, if you are one of the lucky ones to brace the reowned college's doors, you don't pay tuition, well, at least directly, you don't, for you have to work your way through. Like when my aunt and grandma worked their way through the, "old nursing schools" in America years before my time, you have to work every week, either on campus, or at one of the college-owned areas, like Boone Tavern or the local college bookstore. "All students are required to work ten to fifteen hours a week, and the collge matches what they earn", informed manager, Emily, as she showed me around the hotel.
"We are very reasonable on our rates, which range, depending on the season, from $109.00 to $124.00 a night. We have repreat guests- guests who have been coming here since they were children." Therefore, I found it was no shock that the Executive Chef had fond memories of visiting the tavern when we was three-years-old. And the Sous Chef has family down the street, so it was like a homecoming for him to be transferred from the hustle-bustle of city life back to Berea. Both of these chefs have been here for about six months- I can't wait to see all the changes...and the intact traditions that both bring to the Inn in years to come. To find out for yourself, or if you are looking for a reasonable place to stay in the Bluegrass State, visit www.boonetavernhotel.com