ELLEN + JENI'S ICE CREAM & APRON ADVENTURE // LOUISVILLE

Author:
Diane Lieu

We blew through Louisville like a tornado, quick! Our first stop was Chef Edward Lee's 610 Magnolia, where we gave out hugs, ice cream and aprons and checked out his greenhouse. Ellen picked her first carrots ever and Jeni and Edward talked about the importance of sourcing ingredients.

Chef Kevin Ashworth of Milkwood Louisville and Ellen Bennett with freshly picked carrots

Jeni Britton Bauer Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

The team pulled into 21c Hotels and joined the back of house at Proof on Main for family meal.

Chef Proof on Main Louisville KY

Chef Mike was kind enough to bring out slow braised beef and incredible penne pasta drench in some sort of magical sauce (we're certain he told us it had beef rendering in it. Amazing.) We ate quickly and scooted over to Gallery 4 where we put together our ice cream social + apron pop-up. Jeni started scooping and we were off! The employees of the hotel were grinning cheek to cheek, scoops in each hand.

Jeni Britton Bauer and Ellen Bennett Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream

Our Meet the Makers Mixer started and we met with a bunch of different bloggers, makers, artists, cooks and recipe developers from Louisville and it was amazing to share our story and hear theirs.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

We proceeded to Chef Edward Lee's Milkwood and ate our weight in ribs, bibimbap, pork belly, potatoes, coconut rice, mac n'cheese, and piles and piles more. 

The next day we all jumped into the RV and Ellen hauled ass to Steve Wilson (the founder of 21c Hotels, who she met 2 years ago!) and his wife Laura Lee Brown's magical farm in Goshen, Kentucky. We greeted by oversized pink snails and immediate hop off the back of Mike's pickup truck and ran around the field like maniacs. 

Woodland Farm Goshen Kentucky

We pulled right up to some bison who were grazing happily in the mist and fog. "Can we go run amongst them?" "DEFINITELY not. That would be a terrible idea" Apparently they can get quite fierce and aren't nearly as domesticated as our other bovine friends. Good to know.

Bison on Woodland Farm

We picked peppers, discovered that loofahs grew on trees (DID YOU KNOW THAT?! We all thought they grew in the sea!) and danced in fields.

Ellen Bennett with loofahs

It was an incredible 90 pit stop that was unplanned but totally worth it. We were blown away by how much care and attention the farmers like Stephanie and her crew put into growing the food that places like Proof on Main then put to use in crafting amazing meals.

Executive Chef Mike Wajda and Ellen Bennett and Jeni Britton Bauer Woodland Farm

 Jeni Britton Bauer at Woodland Farm