MOUNT VERNON — The Country Club Retirement Campus building was packed with people on Monday evening for its A Taste of Knox County event. Mary Gillan, marketing assistant, said the event is the first at CCRC, but probably won’t be the last.
Local restaurants and food suppliers served their specialties to guests, residents and staff, who then voted for their favorite appetizer or entree. The food and drinks were free, but donations were accepted for CCRC’s planned Memory Bridge program, which connects people suffering from the various forms of dementia with people in their communities. The goal of the Memory Bridge is to create awareness and a global community of people who will listen to dementia victims for what they can continue to teach others, despite their handicaps and suffering.
In one wing of the CCRC facility, the jazz band After Hours played tunes; in another, Catherine Schermerhorn played the piano to accompany the taste-testing.
“This is really great,” said Ethel Sloboda, who lives at CCRC. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to anything like this. Everything is so good that I can’t believe it. I’m trying to have a taste of everything, but it’s pretty hard.”
Joel Gunderson of The Village Inn in Gambier served up VI Mac and Cheese, made extra special with spicy andouille sausage, roasted garlic, Parmesan and smoked gouda cheeses, peppers and carmelized onions.
Jim Bristow, CCRC’s chef, served wine and appetizers, including finger sandwiches garnished with purple orchids. The Lakefront Grill offered Honey Dijon Glazed Pecan Chicken with Garlic Parsley Linguini.
Steve McCurdy of The Parkside Restaurant and Tavern dished up Chicken Noodle Soup, Pasta Salad and a Baked Potato Soup that he called “a guilty pleasure,” made with baked potatoes, green onion, sour cream, bacon and a mix of cheddar and monterey jack cheeses.
Katie Scarberry, Marcie Nethers and Doug Ratcliff, all employees of CES Credit Union, stopped by to try the food.
“It’s a fun event,” said Scarberry. “They should do this again. It gives you an idea of the food the restaurants serve if you have never been there before.”
Nethers had a better idea.
“They should do this every night,” she said.
Ratcliff said his favorite food was R&M’s Southside Diner’s ham loaf, because of the sauce.
“I’m all about the sauces,” he said with a smile.
At Southside’s table, General Manager Paul Neighbarger was also serving its signature chicken and noodles. He declined to reveal the ingredients of the ham loaf sauce.
“It’s a secret sauce,” he said. “But it does have lots of sugar in it.
“We wanted to participate in a community event and let people try some of our food if they’ve never been to our restaurant before,” he added.
Also represented were Flapper’s Bar & Grille, The Alcove, Lanning’s, Jake’s, The Pink Cupcake and Tim Horton’s.
Gillan said the event raised $150 and the Favorite Dish Award went to Jake’s for their ribs and prime rib appetizer and to Southside Diner for their ham loaf.
