CONNECTION The need for speed - Game better with fiber internet - WK&T
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
CONNECTION
Published for the members of West Kentucky & Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative
The need
for speed
Game better with
fiber internet
MAKING
THE CUT
SCIENCE
FUN
INDUSTRY NEWS
Communication at
Rural Connections
By SHIRLEY BLOOMFIELD, CEO
the speed of light
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association
Fiber optics make it possible
An investment
for the future
Expanded broadband access
will lift rural communities
I
n order to thrive, all communities — espe- At the end of the 1970s, Corning Inc. developed a technology that would
cially those in rural America — require reshape communications — fiber optics. Today, it’s a critical component
opportunities and the modern communica- in the networks making our hyperconnected world possible. Streaming
tions tools so vital for jobs, education, health entertainment, social media, video calls, telehealth, online education, work-
and so much more. from-home jobs and so much more depend on this technology.
Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act, the NTCA's nearly 850 rural,
community-based broadband providers now
DID YOU KNOW?
have fresh help as they work to complete
• Each fiber strand is made up of a glass
their essential mission. This historic invest-
core thinner than a human hair.
ment will go a long way to connecting all
Americans, even in areas of the country that • Light signals are transmitted through the
are the hardest to reach for service providers. glass, just as you might send a signal down
Of course, the work now truly begins to the tunnel.
deliver on the promise this law offers. The
FCC must prioritize areas of the greatest • To keep the light from simply passing
need. Also, we will work with all key parties through the glass when it changes direc-
to support state leaders as an unprecedented tion, the core is surrounded by a cladding
amount of resources flow into their broadband that reflects light back into the glass.
initiatives.
Care is needed to vet those seeking funding, • The process is similar to mirrors in a tunnel,
to ensure they can truly supply the infrastruc- bouncing the signal from side to side until
ture and services they promise. Throughout it reaches its endpoint.
the effort, we must remember that we need
• A single fiber cable — each fiber is much
to do more than simply build networks. Our
thinner than copper wire — can bundle
commitment must also be to sustain these
hundreds, or even thousands, of fiber
vital communications systems and to ensure
strands.
the services offered over them are affordable
and will meet customer demands well into the • While incredibly thin, fiber is not brittle. A
future. single strand is three times stronger than
We're confident NTCA members will con- steel and more durable than copper.
tinue to serve their neighbors by solidifying
existing networks and expanding service. No • The glass core of a fiber cable is so pure that if the ocean was made
matter where they live, all Americans should of the same glass, you could stand on the surface and clearly see the
have the same opportunity to access vital ocean floor miles below.
communications services needed not only
today, but also for years to come.
2 | January/February 2022
Take a
STAND!
Avoid back and
neck pain while
working from home
O
ver the past couple of years, looking at a monitor at eye level, on the STAY ACTIVE
working from home has gone other hand, puts little strain on your neck It’s a good idea to take breaks through-
from a perk — one that only a and back, while also burning more calories out the day to move around and get the
few employers offered — to the norm for than sitting. blood circulating. While you’re at it, try
many. The benefits for employees range That said, it isn’t comfortable to stand some simple exercises like backbends,
from having your dog as a co-worker to for hours at a time. That’s why the UPLIFT hamstring stretches and planks that can
adding pajama pants to the professional Standing Desk V2 is a good option for help strengthen your core and provide
wardrobe. But working from home can any remote office. The design enhances additional support for your lower back.
also come with hazards. durability and comfort, and easy height If you’re looking for a guided workout,
Whether you’re camped out at a kitchen adjustment encourages users to keep mov- the Seven Home Workout app offers a
table, sprawled across the couch or ing without settling into any position for wide variety of seven-minute routines
luxuriating in bed all day, odds are your too long. that you can squeeze into a busy day. Or
home setup isn’t as ergonomic as that explore the Yoga Studio app to unwind
of an office. This may not be a big deal LOOK FOR SUPPORT with yoga classes for all levels of experi-
when you’re working from home for short When you do decide to take a seat, get- ence and guided meditations that take as
periods. But when those workdays add up ting the proper support can make a big dif- few as five minutes.
to weeks or even months, poor posture and ference. If you don’t have an office chair,
sedentary behavior can create serious back try putting a small pillow behind your MOVE AROUND
and neck pain. lower back to maintain an arched posture. Time can get away from you during a
The good news is that with the right This practice will help put your upper body busy workday, so it always helps to have a
furniture and a little daily activity, it’s easy weight on the chair instead of your spine. reminder when it’s time to take a break. If
to strike a healthy balance with your work- If you’re ready to invest in a new you have an Apple Watch, you set the fre-
from-home routine. chair, the Steelcase Gesture has been quency of these reminders in the Activity
Wirecutter’s pick for more than five years. app. For everyone else, apps like Stand
GET ON YOUR FEET However, if you’re looking to spend less, Up! will schedule notifications throughout
Most people tend to hunch forward the HON Ignition 2.0 is a more afford- your workday to get up and move around.
while sitting, which can put a lot of pres- able option that makes few sacrifices in The Wakeout app will even suggest quick
sure on your lower back. Standing and comfort. exercises for every room of the house.
January/February 2022 | 3
FROM THE CEO
CONNECTION
Neighbors helping JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 VOL. 14, NO. 1
neighbors
The WK&T Connection is published
by West Kentucky and Tennessee
Telecommunications Cooperative,
© 2022. It is distributed without charge
From tragedy, we can create a legacy of grace
to all members of the cooperative.
E
very day, our actions shape our communities, a steady
rhythm that, over time, tells the story of who we are and the
places we call home. But that history is not made up only
is your cooperative serving West Kentucky
of the moments we can control. There are natural events so power- and Northwest Tennessee across nearly
16,000 network connections. The company
ful, so traumatic and so deadly they burn their way into the shared is dedicated to using technology to keep
memories of not only everyone who experiences the moment, but its members connected through local and
long-distance calling, high-speed internet,
also into the very fabric of our area. digital television and beyond.
One such event occurred Dec. 10, 2021, a stormy Friday night
like no other. For the rest of our lives, and for generations to Send address corrections to:
come, this date will be remembered for a record-breaking tornado WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative
outbreak. Homes, businesses, landmarks and more disappeared in 100 WK&T Technology Drive
seconds. More importantly, the storm took lives. We lost friends Mayfield, KY 42066
Telephone: 877-954-8748
and loved ones. Neither the young nor the old were spared. www.mywkt.net
No community should face such a toll. Everyone at WK&T
offers their deepest sympathies to all who lost someone they cared
about, and we hope our thoughts and prayers provide at least some BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TREVOR comfort.
BONNSTETTER The ripples of this storm were felt far and wide. The images of Tony Goodman
Chief Executive Officer President
the aftermath in Mayfield and surrounding communities moved
everyone who saw them. Friends were missing. Workplaces were Ricky Littleton
devastated. Favorite local businesses were gone. Life had changed Vice President
in fundamental ways.
Jerry Holloway
As the days unfolded, other truths also became clear. You are not alone. As a community,
Secretary/Treasurer
we are not isolated. In the worst of times, people do come together. Even as divisions can
seem all too commonplace, the spirit of who we are as a region, even as a nation, became Jeff Davis
evident, whether it was a donation box in a nearby town like Martin, Tennessee, or a
Bill Hainaut
charitable donation made hundreds of miles away by someone who had never visited Western
Kentucky or Northwest Tennessee. Jerry Stephenson
The examples of the efforts to provide help are too numerous to note here, because I
Joe Thompson
would never wish to leave out anyone who provided aid. I would, however, like to offer a
sincere thanks to everyone who donated resources, to every church and organization that
rallied to supply the aid they could, and to every person who committed time and energy. The
damage from the storms, even now, is difficult to grasp, but I do know that it’s the efforts of Produced for WK&T by:
individuals over time that will make all the difference as we rebuild.
I also wish to thank our team at WK&T, because they’ve persevered. They appreciate how
vital the services we provide are to emergency workers, businesses and people trying to go on
with their lives. Like so many others, WK&T crews have committed to doing all they can to
help. On the Cover:
In the weeks since that awful Friday, I’ve come to appreciate that while one horrific night Ten-year-old Eli Palmer
will forever claim a chapter in our history, it will not define who we are. Every day, we are knows the difference
met with stories of resiliency, reminders we will not only survive but also rebuild, even as we fiber internet makes
mourn our losses. Together, we’ll continue to write the story of our region, and it will not be when it comes to
playing Fortnite with his
one of loss but of resiliency. friends.
See story Page 8.
4 | January/February 2022
WK&T NEWS
the
COOPERATIVE
SPIRIT
Coming together in a time of need!
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
WK&T has set up the Tornado Disaster Relief Fund to accept donations At WK&T, our thoughts
to aid the families impacted by the tornadoes in Western Kentucky and and prayers are with
Northwest Tennessee.
those affected by the
Monetary donations will support the immediate needs and long-term
December tornadoes.
recovery of impacted communities. While 100% of the donations
received will be used to provide assistance, the donations are not tax-
deductible.* TOGETHER, WE
Checks can be mailed to or dropped off at WK&T, 100 WK&T Technology
WILL REBUILD
Dr., Mayfield, KY 42066. Please include a note that it’s for the WK&T STRONGER
Tornado Disaster Relief Fund.
THAN EVER!
Online donations can be made at mywkt.net by clicking on the donate
button.
*WK&T is not a 501c3 agency, required for a tax-deductible donation. For tax-
deductible donations, several other relief efforts have been set up for Kentucky and
Tennessee.
APPLY FOR THE FRS SCHOLARSHIP!
Each year, the Foundation for Rural Service offers multiple scholarships
nationally to help with the rising costs of college tuition. FRS is accepting
applications from 2022 graduating seniors, with preference given to
those planning to return after college to work in a rural community.
Applications and information packets about the program are
available from high school guidance counselors or at www.mywkt.net.
A parent or guardian of an applicant must have service with WK&T. The
application deadline is March 4.
WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative January/February 2022 | 5
TRAVEL
Ancient treasures Museums showcase
geologic adventures
E
Story by ANNE BRALY
ntertaining kids while traveling isn’t easy. But there are places just a smidge off the beaten
track, outside the glitz and glamour of big cities, that will spark your child’s interest. Here are
some spots around the South that mix history and science in fun and interesting ways.
Falls of the Ohio State Park with fossils from the quarries behind the the Gulf of Mexico spread its waters
Clarksville, Indiana interpretive center, which is open Monday across the Volunteer State. Fossils of
Jump over the Kentucky state line into through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and these early inhabitants reside at Coon
Indiana and hike across one of the world’s Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. The park grounds are Creek in rural McNairy County, one of
most accessible Devonian-age fossil beds. open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fishing, hiking, the most important fossil sites in North
The 390-million-year-old fossil beds are fossil viewing, bird watching and picnick- America.
among the largest exposed Devonian beds ing are among the most popular activities. The Coon Creek Science Center is a
in the world. The park features a spectac- Admission is $9 for ages 12 and up, $7 for great place for kids to visit and discover
ular interpretive center, which features ages 5 to 11, and under 5 is free. Parking some amazing things. There are hands-on
interactive, immersive exhibits. is $2. For more information, visit displays and activities, which allow them
While fossil collecting is prohibited fallsoftheohio.org. to learn through experiments in which
on the beds and river bank, the park they use their senses while having fun.
staff encourages visitors to explore and Coon Creek Science Center There’s a treasure trove of artifacts on
discover the many different fossils that Adamsville, Tennessee display, so allow enough time to see
can be found on the ancient sea bottom. Tennessee was once home to giant everything. To learn more, visit
And you can collect from rock piles mosasaurs, sharks, crabs and clams when memphismuseums.org.
6 | January/February 2022
Children learn
about the dynamics
of science in the
Discovery Lab, one
of several exhibits
at the Hands On
Children’s Museum.
At right, children can
play while learning
about science and
discovery in the
museum’s Scheu
Family Exhibit Hall
& Art Studio in
the General Shale
Learning Center.
Folly Beach, South Carolina
Finding shark teeth on Folly Beach is
— sometimes peacefully, others not —
around the South. And one of their favor- If you go
a great way to learn about the giants that ite gathering places was a watering hole » Where: Hands On! Discover Center
once roamed the seas — and the many in what would become Gray, Tennessee, and Gray Fossil Site, 1212 Suncrest Dr.,
that continue to do so — and Folly Beach outside Johnson City. Gray, Tenn.
is one of the best places to find their teeth Fast forward a few million years, and » Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday
and learn how to identify all the different today, paleontologists are unearthing a through Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
species. massive amount of bones at the Gray Also, open on Mondays from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. during March, June, and July
Wade into the water and start your hunt, Fossil Site. Experts say they could dig for
only.
sifting through the sand with special tools another 100 years and still not find every-
for shark teeth — maybe even one from thing that lies beneath. Now, kids, parents, » Information: visithandson.org or
423-434-4263.
a megladon. For more information, or to grandparents and others can come and see
book a tour, visit chsfossiladventures.com. what paleontologists have found and learn
so much more in the neighboring Hands and see how fast these creations can go
Cook Museum of Natural Science On! Discovery Center. or spend time at the Bernoulli table while
Decatur, Alabama “The fossil site itself offers an up-close exploring the science of how objects are
Kids can learn all about the birds, the experience where children of all ages able to fly. They’ll be having so much fun
bees, the flowers and the trees and more can see an active dig site,” says Andy they may not realize they’re learning many
by spending a day in Decatur at the Cook Marquette, the Discovery Center’s pres- of the same things about energy that they
Museum of Natural Science, a museum ident and CEO. “They can come within learn in school, says the center’s Director
that began with a small collection of inches of giant fossils and learn about the of Operations Keith Maultbay. “It makes
insects from John Cook, the founder of process from finding a fossil to putting it science fun,” he says.
Cook’s Pest Control. It’s now grown into in collections.” The second floor of Hands On!
a state-of-the-art museum with numer- Discovery Center is all about the dig.
ous exhibits including cave systems, the Hands On! Discovery Center Large glass windows allow views of the
weather, outer space, rivers and streams, Johnson City, Tennessee paleontologists at work, piecing together
oceans and forests and more, including The center grew from a small children’s the intricate bones of a massive mastodon
— yes — insects. Many exhibits include museum in downtown Johnson City to discovered in the center’s backyard several
hands-on elements to keep kids busy and what it is today: a beautiful, new building years ago. Also on view in the collection
entertained. Log onto cookmuseum.org for with numerous interactive exhibits like the room are more bones and tusks.
more information and tickets. “dig pit” in the Paleo Hall where visitors Buy a ticket and take a paleo tour of the
can dig for themselves and see what actual dig site. Another ticket gets you into the
Gray Fossil Site paleontologists experience. Life-size Tesla Theater to witness an electrifying,
Gray, Tennessee replica skeletons of many of the creatures Guinness record-holding experience that
There was a time — some 5 million that once called the Gray Fossil Site home honors the great inventor Nikola Tesla.
years ago — when small horses, mast- now surround the hall. Watch in amazement as the world’s most
odons, alligators, tapirs, rhinoceros, In addition to the paleo exhibits, the powerful, musical, bi-polar Tesla coil
camels, saber-toothed tigers and other Main Exhibit Hall is the place where kids turns 240 volts into 200,000 volts of pure
creatures roamed the hills and meadows can make their own air rockets and air cars electricity.
January/February 2022 | 7
GAME ON
© miglagoa/Adobe Stock
Fiber internet takes connections to the next level for Henry County family
Story by LAZ DENES
W
hen Eli Palmer learned WK&T
would bring fiber internet to Eli Palmer loves playing games
online and WK&T’s internet service
his home in Henry County, it gives him a competitive edge.
wouldn’t be a stretch to say he was the
happiest 8-year-old on the planet — well,
in West Tennessee, at least.
WK&T announced in 2019 that it
received a $2 million grant from the
Tennessee Department of Economic and
Community Development to bring fiber
broadband to the area of Henry County
that lies east of U.S. Highway 79 and west
of Kentucky Lake.
For the past four years, one of Eli’s
favorite pastimes has been playing the
video survival game Fortnite with a hand-
ful of friends and with his cousin Cash,
who introduced him to the game. But until middle of a cornfield, which we love,” how long he could play. He had to tell his
last June, when WK&T finished routing says Eli’s mother, Allyson Palmer, who’s buddies that was all he was going to play
its fiber broadband service to the Palmer an assistant principal at Rhea Elemen- because it would suck the data out of our
family’s home in the Elkhorn commu- tary School in Paris. “But there were no hot spots. That’s how he played Fortnite
nity, Eli’s Fortnite experience was often internet companies that offered service at for about four years.
frustrating. our address. We would turn our hot spot “We would hear how unfair it was, but
“We live out in the country in the on and give Eli a 30-minute time limit on he knew there was nothing we could do,”
8 | January/February 2022 WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative
she says. “He was old enough to under-
stand it wasn’t that we were choosing Bob and Allyson Palmer,
to not have good internet, it was that it left, and their son, Eli,
was not offered. When WK&T extended make the most of their
WK&T fiber internet
internet to our community, he was 100% connection.
supportive of it.”
IMPROVING THE GAME
Eli did get a taste of the full Fortnite
experience when he visited friends or
relatives who had high-speed internet, but
that just made it all the more frustrating
to have to play using a mobile hot spot
and his mother’s iPad at his home. “It
was pretty annoying, because sometimes
I would be in a game and my mom made
me have to get off before I could level
up,” Eli says, referring to earning Fortnite rate provides an advantage when playing
Battle Stars needed to advance to the next against others. “If your ping is better than
level. theirs, then you can do it easier,” Eli says.
In addition to the all-important ping
rate, Eli, now 10, is no longer subject to
hot spot limits and gets to spend more time
engaging in the game’s signature “Battle
Royale” mode with his Fortnite “squad.”
“Now, I can get home from school and
play before sports practice,” says the Paris
Elementary fifth grader, who is a shortstop
for the area’s travel baseball team, the
Paris Thunder. He also plays for the local
recreational football and basketball teams.
each week to a member’s home who had
PRODUCTIVE SERVICES high-speed internet just to be able to pro-
The arrival of WK&T fiber broadband vide our people with digital resources.”
in the Palmer home and the surrounding That situation changed in early summer
area has not only maximized Eli’s gam- 2020 when WK&T connected its fiber
ing experience but it’s made the working service to the church. “It radically changed
life of Bob Palmer, his dad, much more what we could provide for our people,”
He did graduate from the iPad to a productive. Bob says. “We began creating a lot more
Nintendo Switch handheld console two Bob is the preaching minister at Sulphur digital content, hosted virtual classes and
summers ago, but without fiber inter- Well Church of Christ, located about worship services, and our youth ministers
net, he couldn’t take advantage of all its a half-mile from the Palmer residence. would host weekly group meetings over
features. Limited by the mobile hot spot, In fact, the Palmers enjoyed their first Zoom.”
he couldn’t use the microphone on his encounter with WK&T’s fiber broadband Once it was safe to resume meeting
headset. He instead needed to use the chat when the church received the service indoors, the church was able to host for
function to communicate with other play- in July 2020 in the early stages of the the first time in its history a livestream
ers. His gaming was also hampered by his COVID-19 outbreak. option for members who chose to stay at
connection’s high lag time, measured as The pandemic created a major hurdle home. “We are very grateful for all that
ping rate. “It’s a lot easier now,” he says. for the church, Bob says. “We had sat- WK&T has provided for us,” Bob says.
The arrival of high-speed fiber internet ellite internet, and our speeds were such “Not only did it put us in a position to bet-
to the Palmer home brought Eli a better that livestreaming and uploading digital ter serve our people, but it has allowed us
ping rate, which represents the reaction content for our people was basically an to dream about future ideas and offerings
time of the internet connection. A low ping impossibility. I had to travel offcampus for our congregation.”
WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative January/February 2022 | 9
Locator apps
Connected for safety and security
W
ith the help of a locator app on about events like a child arriving at school
a mobile phone, parents can be are easy to receive.
aware of just about anywhere
their family members roam — assuming WWGlympse
families have reviewed and accepted the The free Glympse app lets friends and
app’s policies. loved ones know your travel status, so you
While some might find this concept never have to worry if you’re running late.
intrusive, these apps can be helpful for busy They’ll know. Users can send a Glympse
schedules or a comfort during troubling alert to anyone with a web-enabled device.
times, late nights or long trips. Here are a
few of the top locator apps on the market WWiSharing
and what they can do. Know where your friend or family member
is at any moment. The iSharing app pro-
WWLife360 vides real-time alerts when someone leaves
The premium version of Life360 can tell home, work or school. In-app messaging is
you where your family members’ phones just one of the features, some of which are
are at any given moment. Notifications only available in the premium version.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
The role of the CFPB, which Congress established in 2010, is
to hold financial institutions accountable for following federal
financial laws and to protect and educate consumers.
The bureau’s website, consumerfinance.gov, has a section ded-
icated to youth financial literacy and offers more than 200 edu-
cational activities designed for kids of all ages. The list of topics
is extensive and includes entrepreneurship, budgeting, managing
credit and preventing fraud and identity theft.
FAMZOO
FamZoo is a comprehensive finance app for families. It creates
a virtual family bank with parents in the banker’s seat. Through
Money wise
the app, parents can pay their children’s allowances, track their
spending and savings and even encourage charitable giving.
FamZoo isn’t free — the cost ranges between $2.50 and $5.99
Financial education with digital tools a month depending on which option you choose. One- and two-
month free trials are available at famzoo.com.
F
ewer than half of U.S. states require students to complete GOHENRY
personal finance education, although there have been GoHenry, aimed at kids as young as 6 years old, provides
recent efforts in many states to focus on this form of parents with a prepaid debit card for their children and an app
education. the whole family can use to keep track of spending, savings and
There is, however, a wealth of online resources and apps to progress toward financial goals.
help parents teach children to safely navigate the financial seas. GoHenry offers a one-month free trial, after which, the service
Here are a few of the sites and apps available to parents looking charges a monthly fee of $3.99 per child. For more information,
to teach their kids real-world money lessons: visit gohenry.com.
10 | January/February 2022Which
MUSIC
STREAMING
SERVICE
is right for you?
WHAT IS
LOSSLESS
I
t’s never been easier to discover a new favor- Audiophiles can enjoy lossless tracks at the base
ite band or find that hidden gem of a song tier of $10 a month with about 20 million tracks AUDIO?
you can’t stop playing on repeat. A wealth of currently available at the highest quality. Apple
music streaming apps boast exhaustive libraries, says the rest of its 70 million-plus track library Most music streaming
classic hits and new buried treasures all at your will be available in that format by the end of the services compress audio
fingertips. Whether you’re looking for crystal year. files to save space. That
clear audio, curated playlists or a soundtrack to means some data has to
keep up with your runs, there’s something for TIDAL be discarded, and audio
everyone if you know where to look. TIDAL used to have the crown when it came quality suffers. Lossless
to lossless audio, but at $20 a month it’s now a audio still compresses
SPOTIFY tough sell against other more affordable options. these files but retains all
Spotify is synonymous with music streaming If you can’t wait for Apple Music to update its the details of the original
for a reason. Its interface is easy to navigate and library, TIDAL’s catalog is already fully avail- audio recording. You can
always has new recommendations based on what able in lossless format, with a few even stream- hear the difference most
you’re already listening to. If you have friends ing at “Master” quality up to 9,216 Kbps. And often in frequencies like
on the service, you can share your listening while TIDAL may have made its name with those from the crash of
activity and see what others are playing from major hip-hop artists, the genres available now a cymbal in a rock song
Spotify’s library of 70 million tracks. Audio are about as diverse as other top streaming apps. or the bass of a hip-hop
quality, on the other hand, varies based on your track.
account. Free users can stream at decent qualities AMAZON MUSIC
if they’re listening on standard headphones or The biggest benefit of Amazon’s music service is Higher-quality audio
a Bluetooth speaker. Premium users can stream that it’s already available to anyone with a Prime tracks are also much
at higher quality for $10 a month, and Spotify subscription. But that may not get you as much larger than lossy audio
has announced plans to roll out a hi-fi tier with as you think. Despite having access to more than formats. So make sure
lossless audio quality in the future. 75 million tracks, ad-free tier users may notice you have the necessary
certain albums and artists are off-limits without data coverage if you’re
APPLE MUSIC a paid subscription. At least that buys you access streaming on the go and
Apple Music’s social options are similar to what to lossless audio, but if you’re looking for easy adequate bandwidth if
you’ll find on Spotify, even if there are fewer access and discoverability, there are probably you’re listening over the
curated options for discovering new favor- better options. internet at home.
ites. But the real selling point is audio quality.
January/February 2022 | 11Penny Lamb owns
The Butcher Block
and Stahr Foods in
Fancy Farm. Stahr
Foods is the retail
side of the business,
while The Butcher
Block sells meat in
bulk and provides
wholesale service to
area restaurants.
A cut above SOMETHING NEW
After cleaning houses for
about 20 years, Penny decided
The Butcher Block and opened
an addition, Stahr Foods, nam-
ing it after the road on which
Local butcher shop provides it was time to ditch her dust
rags to follow a different path.
the store is located. “The retail
end is rather small,” Penny
fresh meats “It was a good opportunity to says. “We have a four-door
do country hams and bacon,” freezer and a walk-in cooler, as
Story by ANNE BRALY
T
she says. So she purchased well as a showcase for our deli
he Butcher Block and way the customer wants. Want an established meat shop and meats and cheeses.”
Stahr Foods serves the a rib-eye 3 inches thick? Pork slaughterhouse, Ken Lake Buying local is difficult but
community and offers chops cut to fit a cast-iron skil- Provisions, and named the possible if a U.S. Department
friendship. But at the heart of it let? “We cut the meat any way business Brown Thompson of Agriculture inspector has
all is the meat: a plentiful menu you want it,” says owner Penny Meats after a family that made approved the meats. “I can
of quality beef, pork, poultry Lamb, who bought The Butcher the best country hams in the get things such as mutton and
and seafood. Block and Stahr Foods with her county back in the early 1900s. lamb and fresh oysters if you
The meat case is filled with brother, Roger Lamb, in 2004 With the shop purchase, she want them,” she says.
almost any kind of meat cus- and has since turned it into a also bought the recipes for the With the increasingly high
tomers might want. The store go-to place to pick up groceries company’s country hams and prices of meat, the store’s
offers staples such as rice, as and other necessities, along smoked bacon. security system from WK&T
well as packaged dinner meals with fresh meats and cheeses. Brown Thompson burned gives Penny peace of mind,
and freezer items like fish Stahr Foods, Penny explains, to the ground, but that didn’t letting her sleep a little easier
sticks and french fries. Sodas, is the retail end of the business. stop the Lamb siblings. They at night.
milk and eggs can be found in The Butcher Block provides rebuilt, renamed their business
the refrigerated section. wholesale service to area
The Butcher Block, where restaurants and people who About The 21 Stahr Road, Fancy Farm, Kentucky
state Route 121 meets Stahr want to stock up and buy meat Butcher Block 270-623-6321
Road, offers fresh-cut meats any in bulk. and Stahr Foods Find out more on Facebook.
12 | January/February 2022 WK&T Telecommunications CooperativeMake the
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WK&T’s fast fiber internet means more complain of connectivity issues. With outstanding experience.
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looking to complete continuing education Several studies have shown productivity 877-954-8748 | www.mywkt.net
WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative January/February 2022 | 13SOUTHERN KITCHENS
ROUX
the day BASIC ROUX
I
t’s a given that pretty much everything of so many dishes, roux becomes a chame- 1 stick (8 tablespoons)
is improved by the addition of a sauce. leon. It can change from brown to red and unsalted butter or 1/2 cup
That’s why we put mustard on hot to black. The longer the roux cooks, the peanut oil
1/2 cup flour
dogs and ketchup on fries. Good sauces darker and more intensely flavored it gets.
cling to food, which means they need Cooking the roux has two main ben-
In a large pot or skillet, warm the
body. efits. First, it gets rid of the raw, starchy butter or peanut oil to medium
There are many ways to achieve this, flavor of the flour. Second — and this heat and then stir in the flour.
including making a roux, the foundation is with darker roux — it adds color to a Cook for 10 minutes, constantly
for wonderful sauces for meats, fish, dish. White and blond roux are used for stirring, to make a lightly browned
poultry and vegetables. But it’s also the light-colored sauces, such as cheese sauce roux, or continue stirring and
beginning of many pots of gumbo, and and bechamel. Brown roux is used for cooking for up to 30 minutes for
roux is the underpinning for unbelievably darker sauces, such as stews and gravies. a dark roux. The roux will darken
creamy Creole dishes. Here is a recipe for basic roux. Add milk as you stir, from very light brown
Roux is nothing more than equal parts and shredded cheese for a lovely cheese to copper or peanut butter brown,
of butter or oil and flour. The addition of sauce for vegetables. Or, use roux as the then to light chocolate brown,
then dark chocolate brown and
warm liquid, whether water, stock or milk, foundation for gumbo or mac and cheese.
then very, very dark brown.
works to swell the small granules of flour, It’s a versatile concoction that’s an import-
which trap the liquid to thicken the roux. ant step in making so many good foods.
Careful though — one of the most import-
ant things to remember when making a
roux is to avoid adding the flour to a hot FOOD EDITOR
© deniskarpenkov/Adobe Stock
liquid. The result is something every cook ANNE P. BRALY
dreads: a lumpy sauce. IS A NATIVE OF
CHATTANOOGA,
In French cuisine, roux is cooked to one TENNESSEE.
of three stages: white, blond or brown. In
New Orleans, where roux is the beginning
14 | January/February 2022SEAFOOD GUMBO In a large pot, make a basic roux,
allowing it to cook to a dark brown
1 recipe basic roux (dark brown) stage.
Vegetables:
In a separate skillet, melt the
1 tablespoon butter
tablespoon of butter over medium
1 cup chopped celery
heat. Add and stir the celery, green
1 cup chopped green onions onions and bell pepper, cooking until
1 green bell pepper, chopped tender, about 10 minutes. Add the
Tomato sauce: cooked vegetables to the pot with the
6 cups water roux.
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Stir the water, tomato sauce,
sauce Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, hot
2 cloves garlic, minced pepper sauce and thyme into the
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste vegetable mixture. Bring the mixture
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to a gentle boil, reduce heat to
medium low and simmer for 1 hour.
to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Stir okra into the vegetable mixture
Seafood and okra: and cook it until tender, about 15
1 pound fresh or frozen chopped minutes. Add the fish, stir gently,
okra and cook it until the flesh is
1 pound white fish such as catfish, easily flaked with a fork, about 5
cut into 2-inch pieces minutes. Gently stir shrimp into
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined the mixture and cook until the
shrimp shrimp are bright pink, about
Final seasonings: 3 minutes. Season with the
1 tablespoon gumbo file powder, file powder and more salt; stir.
or to taste Makes about 8 servings.
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste ©Mark Gilliand
THREE-CHEESE MAC AND Melt the butter and saute the shallot,
then whisk in the flour and cornstarch
CHEESE With Bechamel Sauce to a thick paste. This is your roux. Cook
the roux on medium-low heat until it is
1/3 cup butter
light brown. Add the milk and cream and
1 shallot, finely chopped
cook it, stirring, until the sauce comes to
3 cloves garlic minced
a simmer. Remove from heat and keep
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
stirring about 4 minutes. The sauce will
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
thicken as it cools. This is your bechamel
2+ cups whole milk
sauce.
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
To the sauce, add and stir in the white
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pepper, cayenne pepper and dry mustard.
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard, preferably
Test the temperature with your finger.
Colman’s
If it’s too hot to touch, let it cool longer.
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
If it’s just uncomfortably warm, it’s the
6 ounces sharp white cheddar
perfect time to add the cheeses in stages,
cheese, shredded
stirring constantly. Add extra milk if it’s
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese,
too thick. Taste the sauce, and add salt
shredded
if it’s needed. Pour the sauce over the
1/2 tablespoon salt
cooked and drained pasta and stir. Serve
2 pounds macaroni, cooked
immediately. Makes 12-14 servings.
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2022
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