I Can Smell You, Friday. I Just Can't See You.

"When I die let my ashes float down the Green River
Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam
I'll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin'
Just five miles away from wherever I am.

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away "

--“Paradise” by John Prine

This is an oldie, but a goodie. John Prine is coming to the Lexington Opera House on February 16th and 17th. Fast Eddie Hazlette, a scratch golfer hailing from Paintsville, introduced Prine to me when I was young and quite impressionable at Morehead. He asked me to go to the Lexington show with him and his wife, but I looked for tickets and the venue said that none were available. If you aren’t familiar with John Prine, he is a Grammy winning folk singer. I am not that familiar with all of his music, but what I have heard, I definitely like.

We have a Colts/Bears Super Bowl coming at us in a couple of weeks. I am glad the Colts made it, finally, with Peyton Manning’s leadership. Anybody can knock him all they want, but he proved his worth on Sunday leading his team back from a 21-6 deficit after the first half to win 38-34 over the Patriots. You can’t argue what happened. Man, he looked solid. You will hear it here first during this edition of Da Pond Biznass. Super Bowl XLI will go down 31-14. Colts win.

I don’t want to take anything from Tom Brady. He played a great game. He is one bad mofo on the field, a proven quaterback. But, like the Highlander said, “There can be only one.”

Of all the coaches in the NFL, I think I despise Bill Belichick the most. First of all, the guy is a slob. He comes to games, games broadcast nationwide, wearing big-necked sweatshirts and looking like he just rolled out of bed. Secondly, he doesn’t seem to think good sportsmanship is important in football. After New England beat the Chargers, his team mocked Ladainian Tomlinson’s touchdown dance on his field after the game, which almost started a really ugly incident when LT took real offense to this gesture. Belichick saw nothing wrong with the act. Lastly, after Sunday’s game while players were crossing the field to shake the opponents hands, Manning tried to shake hands with Belichick. The coach just ignored him as he stormed across the field. Classless. Period.

Enough of that. Beth and I discovered a new restaurant a couple of weeks ago that ranks easily in *The Lexington Top Five. The Jean Farris Winery and Bistro is located on Old Richmond Road about five miles from Jacobsen Park. The setting is modern, but lacking in atmosphere. The food and wine, however, makes up for the missing ambience. Under the advice of a friend from work, we selected the Tempest (a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) for dinner. It was probably the best local wine I have sampled. The bouquet alone was intoxicating. The taste was enough to make me want to drink my dinner. But, the menu told me not to. Every thing looked fie fie delishe.

We selected the crab cakes for an appetizer. They were pan-fried crispy around the edges and filled with actual crabmeat—not much filler and probably the best crab cakes I had ever eaten. We shared a frisee salad after the appetizer. Not sure what this was when ordering, we were surprised by the arrangement of garden weeds and fried pieces of batter involved in this creation. With peaches flanking the greenery, the toasted walnut vinegar dressing painted the most exquisite picture on the palate. Nice.

Next, it was time for the entrees. I had a filet prepared medium rare served on a smashed new potato topped with a mushroom merlot reduction sauce. The ornamental green beans were the centurions commissioned as flare. The beef was melt in your mouth delectable. Beth selected the Sweet Chili Glazed Salmon with coconut sticky rice and baby bok choy. The salmon was a little overcooked, but Beth said she preferred it prepared that way. The rice was my favorite part of the dish--sweet, but not too sweet. I took the salmon a long way. The bok choy was eye candy, only. Does anyone really eat bok choy?

For dessert, we shared a bourbon and pecan bread pudding. It was a real treat. The bread pudding was swimming in what almost seemed like a shot of bourbon mixed with syrup. Yes, after that dish, I was finished. Jean Farris Winery and Bistro is a definite must. Do it.

That was my audition to be a food critic. What do you think? And be honest, dammit!

*The Lexington Top 5
1. Jonathan at Gratz Park
2. Rossi's
3. Portofino
4. Jean Farris Winery and Bistro
5. Malone's

Honorable Mentions: The Mansion at Griffin Gate, Annabelle's

After watching UK suffer defeat on Saturday to Vandy at home and the loss last night to Georgia on the road after leading 13 at halftime and by 17 at one point, I snapped. I honestly think this team may be throwing games on purpose. That would be the only explanation as to some of their losses. When Stevenson lost the ball on the fast break near the end of the first half, a “You freakin’ goober!” spilled out of my consciousness and materialized into audible tones right there in my living room. I can’t honestly tell you the last time a called someone a goober before last night. But, this was after Bradley passed Stevenson the ball at the free throw line and it went through his hands and drilled him in the face. Nice hands, feet.

You will get one last rant from me. Jodie Meeks, all you had to do was block out the free throw shooter. Really, just one step in the lane in front of Sundiata Gaines with your arms extended and maybe defeat wouldn’t have been so close at hand. No, you had to be an enabler because you really enabled the Bulldogs to win the game. Turd.

Beth and Pop’s birthdays are next week. You had better let them know that you know. Peace from Da Pond!