Shiloh and Jackson,Tennessee and Western Kentucky, A weekend ride !

 
  We found a free weekend to set off for places we wanted to visit for a long time, but hadn't made the stops on previous trips.
 
Thursday Sept 24 we headed South on I-65 in some heavy showers hoping to clear out of the rain before too long. By Nashville it had turned to cloudy with a few drizzles now and then as we turned West onto I-40. We were saving our appetite and trying to make time...so no side trips to Loveless or Henpeck Market that morning.  At exit 108 we headed south on Rt 22. This took us right by The BBQ place that Dennis Hays used to operate in Lexington, TN. A touch of sadness hit us there, as we were getting hungry, and sure missed his great BBQ !  Onward we drove, hoping to arrive at the Catfish Hotel Restaurant as it opened.  The turn off for the restaurant is well-marked just before the entrance to the Shiloh Military Park.
 

 

 
The road to the restaurant turns off of Rt 22 to the left and takes you just over a mile to the Tennessee Riverbank near the place (Pittsburg Landing) where the Union Troops landed after their ride up-river from the "Land Between the Lakes". The River view from the restaurant is really pretty, even in the grey, muggy weather.
 

 
 

 
We opened the place that day, with three or four other parties coming in while we were eating. It is a clean, neat, well-kept restaurant.
 

 
The placemat tells the story, but the map is what shows the historic location
 
 

 
Here is Janet's Catfish Plate. There were three mid-sized fish on this plate, and she managed to eat two more on a reorder !! (AYCE Fish). The Sweet Potato was 'OK' but the slaw and salad sides were really good. Very Fresh and crisp. The Catfish is what made the place special. It was Outstanding. Fresh, Lightly breaded, Piping Hot from the Fryer..It was excellent !!
 

 
My Seafood Plate had two fish (one after the other), Clam Strips, Fried Oysters, Large butterflied Shrimp, and a deviled crab (stuffing). The Fish was outstanding, the Oysters and Shrimp were very good but the stuffed crab and clam strips were pretty far down the list !!
 

 
What stole the show here (almost) was a piece of Carmel Pie that we shared for dessert.
Smooth, rich, and creamy. It was the perfect finishing touch for the fish dinner. Made from scratch...not melted candy or pre-done stuff, this was extra-good. Later I was told that Carmel Pie is found a lot of places in Western Tennessee. We had never seen it before and were delighted in finding this special treat. I called BuffetBuster to have him add this pie to his "Gotta Try" list!!
 

 
Then it was time to tour parts of the Shiloh Battlefield. We stopped at the Visitors Center to get a park-map and started to follow the winding roads past many monuments to the fallen soldiers on both sides of the struggle.
 

 

 
Obviously the wildlife has found food and safety in the park. We came across these Turkeys and several groups of Deer as we wandered around the wooded area.
 


 
After our tour we headed North on US 45 to Jackson, TN, to check into our Motel and meet Bob and Becky for dinner at Lathams BBQ. Bob is "Bobs" on RF. We have met him at several of the Tennessee Roadfood events, and looked forward to this dinner and a chance to meet his lovely wife as well.
 
Leaving the Scotties with TV to watch and comfortable quarters in the motel we drove the few minute ride to Lathams Meats and BBQ.  The parking lot tells us this is a busy place, even in the rainy weather.

 
From the Parking Lot you can see the "BURN-PIT", where hickory wood is reduced to coals for use under the smoker/cookers. Very few BBQ places still do ALL their BBQ over woodfires. No Gas or Electric cookers here.  They do their Pork Shoulders 24 hours to get them 'melt in your mouth tender' .

 
Here is our RF Friend, Bob (BOBS) with Paul Latham, the owner of this classic meat and BBQ BUSINESS! Yep, It was raining pretty hard when we took our tour of the outdoor cooking area!!

 
Back inside Paul insisted that we sample a variety of his meat. We had a good bowl of slaw and Janet got some Greens that she said were excellent, but the focus was on the meat. Paul uses a dry rub on his ribs. It realy seasoned the meat very well. I am not much of a fan of dry-rub...prefering the KC style of thick sauce when I use sauce at all.  BUT this rub was really good ! The only thing I would pass by next time was the Bologna. I am not a fan of fried or grilled Bologna  !  But the beef, pulled pork, chicken, pork ribs were all outstanding!!
 


 
We then watched Tim work his magic on a hunk of Pork to create a fine order of pulled pork for an order to go.
 

 

 
Next morning we returned to Lathams on our way back to Kentucky, to take Paul up on an invitation for breakfast. Here the young lady gets my B & G ande Bacon ready, then fetches some country ham (I skipped the Bologna!!
 
 

 

 
Here are the finish plates. The biscuits were even  better than the Loveless Biscuits according to Janet !
 
BTW the tube-like things are hash-brown sticks !
 

 
Then we took a nice ride up the Trace that goes between the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. This is the noted "LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES" It is the home to the largest herd of Bison East of the Mississippi, among other attractions !
 

 
As I said elsewhere we chickened out in the rain and traffic and crowds at the Paducah BBQ FESTIVAL (after looking around town a bit). Some of you are aware that I took a nasty fall last winter in the square in Paducah. The rough pavement in the square caught me wrong and it took quite a while for my knee to return to normal...so I was really nervous about trying to walk in big crowds in the rain that day. Instead we followed US 60 back thru Western KY to our old favorite...The Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro. Here is my plate of Fried Apples,  Brisket, Pork Ribs and Fried Oysters that evening. Real 'Heading for Home' comfort food !!

 
Desserts-- Yep, to close this report, let's try some Blackberry Cobbler with soft/serve, Coconut Cream Pie, and a small sample of the Fudge-Covered Pecan Pie !!
 


 
The Moonlite is just 90 minutes from home..so the rest of the ride was quick and easy! They are finishing the construction on I-64 that has slowed that ride for over a year. It will be nice to have 'normal speed available next time we use that road
 
That's it for this report. Next time we promise to get Becky's photo included !! Thanks to Bob for introducing us to Paul latham. He runs a fine BBQ. We hope to stop there again soon.

Al, as for that pie, you had me at carmel!  Man, that looks good as does all the food.  Latham's BBQ and Catfish Hotel are now on the list of places to visit. Thanks for the great report!

I'm digging that blackberry cobbler with soft serve - nothing like a warm berry ANYTHING, then add ice cream, to make your day! We've been wanting to explore that area of the country, and you've definitely added some "must-do" places to the list!

The best part of the desserts with the dinner at Moonlite is that they are part of the AYCE Buffet. Janet put a piece of very tart Rhubarb Pie in her bowl before adding the Blackberry Cobbler and Soft-Serve !! The lunch choices have one cobbler and a couple of pies. For the dinner buffet You can choose from Berry and Cherry Cobbler. Pies include Buttermilk, Pecan, Fudge-Pecan, Apple, Coconut Cream, Chocolate Cream, Rhubarb,Peach (in-season), Fresh Strawberry (in season), Carrot Cake, and Cheesecake with several fruit sauces for the cheesecake.

It is difficult to save room for these choices when enjoying the Pork, Beef, Mutton, Chicken, Ham, and Seafood on the buffet !! We really like the Moonlite, and as you see from my meat choices, we have learned to rein-in a bit so as not to overload before the dessert bar .

I sort left out the veggies and salad, but they have many choices there also. I usually get a side-dish of slaw and potato salad and some pickled beet slices. Their Banana/Nut Pudding is in a huge bowl on the salad bar.

This was a 900+ mile ride, with many stops as reported, plus stretch breaks for us as well as the dogs. Gas here is about $2.50/gal. but we filled up a couple of times in Tennessee for $2.18-$2.20.

This was a great experience! You have not been roadfooding until you have been roadfooding with Al! We had a great time and look forward to our next get together. Al and his wife are great company and all you need is some great food and the time to share fantastic stories and experiences.

Jeez Al,

Is that all you can write about is BBQ and Catfish?- what about a little regional diversity here!

It  seems you enjoyed The Catfish Hotel as much as I did earlier this year. Although it was a top 10 contender for 2009 for awhile it did slip into an "honorable mention" slot - but that doesn't take away from the fact that this was probably some of the best catfish I ever had.

Al,

What a fantastic trip and incredible report.  I am officially jealous.

Did the Scotties enjoy the Bologna?

Jim

What a great, great trip and pictures.THANX.

Very nice presentation! The food pics from the Moonlite BBQ have me wanting to do a road trip there in October.

Looks like a great weekend Al.  I think I've made a version of that caramel pie--it's a Nathalie Dupree recipe, and I think it's here: http://www.bigoven.com/52123-Caramel-Brown-Sugar-Pie-recipe.html

Nancy

I checked out that recipe link. It is a two-crust, regular pie-crust pie, where the one we had in Shiloh was a Graham-Cracker bottom and used whipped cream for the cover over the carmel. The light crust really made the carmel filling stand out !!
 
I email exchanged with Bobs this morning. He was going to have lunch at Latham's and share our report with the folks there. I wish we had a good BBQ stand "close" by here. We like the Moonlite BBQ, but a 90 mile ride each way means trips are much further apart than we might like !

 Everything looks wonderful! That caramel pie looks just like the one my Memi has made since I was a kid. She makes it by boiling cans of condensed milk for a few hours, the milk turns into caramel. It is put in a graham cracker crust and topped with cool whip and pecans. I can get the recipe if you'd like. It's incredibaly delicious and rich. We all used to argue who would take home the last pieces at christmas time. lol

Jen,
 Yes, Please share the recipe. What you describe sounds like that wonderful taste-treat we enjoyed in Shiloh !

ACK!  Those fish have tails!  I've never seen catfish served that way.

Excellent report and I love the picture of the turkeys.  They look so big!

Marlene,  No ACK! involved !! Lots of places serve Catfish two ways...Fillets or "Fiddlers", Fiddlers being the whole fish, skinned, cleaned, beheaded, then breaded ot battered and deep-fried. For years I did the 'Fillet' choice when I ordered Catfish, but I have gained a respect for the concept that is spoken here a lot...The Fiddlers have better flavor and 'cook-up' flakier ! We also could choose fillets broiled with cajun or lemon-pepper seasoning.  When cooking fillets at home we use the lemon-pepper seasoning and pan-fry them, rather than go to the expense of the deep-fryer for one meal.

I was amazed at how easy a Catfish is to'pick off' the meat without disturbing the bones. What remains looks like the cartoon picture of a devoured fish...skeleton and tail!!  Not like the exdperience I have had with whole trout or salmon where bones turned up everywhere...now that is worth an "ACK!. Catfish is a good lazy-man's meal!

I did enjoy lunch today at Lathams's. As usual I had a difficult time choosing between the ribs, chicken, pulled pork and bologna. I decided on a half chicken with a side of slaw and sweet tea. Everyone at Latham's was excited about meeting Al and watching us enjoy a variety of great food fresh off the smoker. They looked at Al's report over and over and were really impressed with how soon they could see it on the website. As usual, Al made a lot of friends. I encourage anyone coming through Jackson to get off at exit 83 north and go about 5 miles until you see the smoke on the left.

Thanks for that desciption, Al.  I'll have to look for it the next time I see catfish on a menu.

I like eating sand dabs that way.

Did you have any "dirt" taste with the catfish?  The last couple times I didn't finish the meal because a piece or two tasted like I think dirt would taste.  

mayor al


Marlene,  No ACK! involved !! Lots of places serve Catfish two ways...Fillets or "Fiddlers", Fiddlers being the whole fish, skinned, cleaned, beheaded, then breaded ot battered and deep-fried. For years I did the 'Fillet' choice when I ordered Catfish, but I have gained a respect for the concept that is spoken here a lot...The Fiddlers have better flavor and 'cook-up' flakier ! We also could choose fillets broiled with cajun or lemon-pepper seasoning.  When cooking fillets at home we use the lemon-pepper seasoning and pan-fry them, rather than go to the expense of the deep-fryer for one meal.

I was amazed at how easy a Catfish is to'pick off' the meat without disturbing the bones. What remains looks like the cartoon picture of a devoured fish...skeleton and tail!!  Not like the exdperience I have had with whole trout or salmon where bones turned up everywhere...now that is worth an "ACK!. Catfish is a good lazy-man's meal!

Great report! Those catfish remind me of the ones a restaurant in Colfax, Indiana used to serve that I'm remembering over 40 years ago. Note also they cross-cut them so they fry faster and you can easily pick the chunks off the bone.

 
Ok Mayor Al, I called Memi and asked her about the pie. This recipe makes two pies.
 
CARAMEL PIE
 
2 regular size graham cracker pie crusts
2 cans sweetened condensed milk, remove labels
2 TBSP butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 tub whipped topping
Enough chopped pecans to sprinkle over pies
 
Place the cans of milk in a large pot, add enough water to completely cover the cans. Boil for 4 hours, turning the cans upside down once every hour. It is very important to keep water over the cans at all times, you don't want them to explode.
 
When milk is done, let the cans cool down just a bit before opening, you do want it warm enough to melt the butter however.
 
Empty cans of milk into a bowl and add your butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well blended.
 
Place the mixture into the graham cracker crusts.
 
After the filling has cooled, top pies with whipped topping and sprinkle with pecans.
 
Next, enjoy every rich, yummy bite. lol!  I will be making these this weekend, my youngest son has never had this before and I know he will love it. I guess you could just half eveything if you just want one pie, but she always made two. I know one probably wouldn't last too long around here. Just keep em' in the fridge and they will last several days.

Thank you, Jen.  I have heard of doing sweetened condensed milk that way, but have never seen a 'real' recipe !  We may test it out soon ourseleves. I promise to report back on our efforts.

mar52


ACK!  Those fish have tails! 

One of the best things about fish prepared that way is nibbling the tender crunchy, flaky end of the tail.

Regarding the pie recipe above, if you eat the boiled condensed milk rather than adding other ingredients and making a pie, then you have "Danger Pudding"... ;^)

Why is it danger pudding?  Because of the danger in the cans blowing up?  And I always thought that was how you made dulce de leche.

Modern technology may alter the success of this project.  All the sweetened condensed milk available in our market is the pull-tab top openining type...rather than the older use a can-opener type. We will find out tomorrow if this will work, or if the cans self-destruct from the boiling treatment.

I have done the sweetened condensed milk thing before.  I boiled the cans for several hours and it was exactly what other folks have described.  It was caramel and I spooned it on a graham cracker crust with a whipped cream topping and folks really enjoyed it.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Marlene
  We have run across some 'muddy-tasting' catfish a few times,usually not at a restaurant, but at a family dinner where the fish came right out of a nearby pond or river (usually caught by a grandkid!). I have yet to have the dirt-tasting experience at a restaurant or fish stand anywhere in the South. The fish I caught in the Hesperia Lakes in the SoCal Desert tended to the muddy-bottom feeder taste. I learned to soak them in milk and rinse many times to help get rid of that 'aftertaste.
 
CARMEL PIE HELP !!
Now a question for anyone... I want to do the Carmel Pie recipe that Jen Posted..BUT, the cans of Sweetened Milk we bought are the pull-open top cans like so many soup cans are constructed these days. They have printed on their label "Do not heat unopened can". Does that mean we can't do the boiling water 'cooking' you all have described? I hate to tend a 'double-boiler' for the length of time necessary to get this stuff to the right temp.  I also don't want $6.00 worth of canned milk to pop open in the boiling water and be lost.

Any suggestions?

Personally, I would not use that type can for boiling.  Recently, my daughter in law bought some "store brand" condensed milk and it had the regular can top.  Perhaps you can look for this the next time you are at your grocery store.

Thanks..Janet came home today with three "regular" cans from Walmart ! We are going to make the attempt this weekend.
 
I  will report the effort and outcome on the recipes and cooking forum.

Great trip report ! Those catfish filets look fantastic.

The buffalo herd reminds me of home here in Colorado.

Thanks Al.

The regular cans of sweetened condensed milk (Walmart store brand) worked great. We've never attempted this before, so it was a fun afternoon!!! We used three cans in case we 'lost' one in the process. Our pie filling is thicker(deeper) than the half-inch of the Shiloh TN Pie. I will add a link here to the cooking forum where I will post the photos of the pie-creation !
 
Here is a link to the Photo Recipe Report of our pie-making activity. Thanks again Jenn...This was a fun activity that turned out great !
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/tm.aspx?high=&m=544555&mpage=1#544555