First of all, Happy 12th Anniversary to my B-E-A -Utiful wife, Heidi!!! She is the best thing to have ever happened to me and my children!

At the end of a grueling day of wine 🍷 tasting, we made to Ertels in Batesville, Indiana.

The wine was fantastic! However, the food was absolutely phenomenal!!!

I started with the crab bisque 🍜 and it was delicious.

Then came the Macadamia nut encrusted Sea Bass with a baked potato 🥔 and green beans. The coolest thing was the little jacket that came with the 🍋 to keep the seeds from getting on the sea bass when you squeezed it.

Heidi followed with the sirloin and the crab 🦀 mashed potatoes. She shared a slice of her steak 🥩 and it was out of this world.

The service was exceptional and we had a window seat overlooking the winery.

To top it off, our waitress brought us an ice cream covered brownie with a mound of whipped cream and a candle 🕯 to celebrate our anniversary.

Highly recommended!!!

Heidi and have been fascinated with Madison as of late. A beautiful river town with so much to offer. We started at The Dragonfly Air B & B.

A cozy spot to start our 12 year anniversary weekend. (August 4 our anniversary.)

After settling in we decided on the Rivercrest. It is a restaurant that floats on the Ohio River. I started with a Blood Orange from the Mad Paddle. A Madison brewery.

It was very good, even with the Reds coaster. (Btw, the Cubs beat Milwaukee tonight, 6-2.)

I thought about the Reuben, but I don’t like sauerkraut or Thousand Island dressing. Not crazy about rye bread either. I settled on a corned beef and 🧀 Swiss On Texas toast. It was ok, but next time I’ll ask for double meat and double 🧀 Cheese.

On the flip side though, the fries were on another level!!! Thick, long , square and seasoned. They were incredible !!! Heidi’s 🍤 shrimp basket was also worthy.

Besides the beautiful view of Kentucky across the river, we ran into Southwestern basketball and Madison teaching and coaching legend, Doug Rusk.

My goal is to have Sunday lunch here in October and admire the fall colors of Kentucky while a football game plays in the open air floating bar. I like to set attainable goals.

What a splendid idea 💡 to have a Cajun Boil for a couples shower?!? It may have been Nick and Jamal Stahl that came up with the theme. So when I get there and I ask when we eat, Nick said something like , “Walt, you are the cook so I don’t know.” Thank goodness for Jason Hehman who had done a boil before!!! And between Bruce Stahl , Jason, Heather Wessel and myself, we made it happen.

Put the potatoes 🥔 and onions in first with the Zararain’s seasoning for about 20 minutes. At 20 minutes add the corn on the cob and crawfish. After that add the shrimp 🍤 for five minutes at the end. Finally, dump it on a red and white checkered tablecloth covered with newspaper 📰 and it is game on!

We just dumped out the pot and people gathered around the table and didn’t even bother to get a plate. The Cajun spice gave me a good 😓 sweat on my forehead with the smoked sausage being my favorite dinner.

Also, Mendy Stahl’s cornbread out the dinner over the top! It was fantastic!!!

While helping our brother Frank run the Mid-West USGA qualifier on the Kampen golf course at the Birck Golf Complex at Purdue University, brother David and I joined the other officials for dinner the night before at The Black Sparrow.

The bacon 🥓 cheeseburger 🍔 was good, however, the Cheesy, 🥓 Bacon 🥔 Potato Soup was fabulous!!! Very creamy and flavorful.

They had a nice selection of beers and I enjoyed a Schlitz long neck that the menu described as “swill water.”

It was better than swill and I added the cap to my collection.

The tournament went off with just a lightning delay and David, Frank, Frank’s wife Kristin and Son Jared represented the family with pride. We Wintins can pull off a tournament.Great effort Frank and we were more than happy to support you at an event that you so strongly believe in.

Next stop though in West Lafayette is Triple X.

Jim’s Seafood overlooks the dam on the banks of the Kentucky River in the state capitol Frankfort.

My mix and match seafood plate had oysters, white fish and shrimp, all fried, as well as hush puppies and steamed broccoli.

We were visiting distilleries for the bachelor party of Wes Pottschmidt and everyone enjoyed their lunch at Jim’s.

Christie’s On The Square is located across the street from the Washington County court house in Salem, Indiana. It is on the fancier side of casual.

I enjoyed the “Build Your Own Panini” that consisted of 🦃 turkey, 🥓 bacon, 🧀 Swiss cheese, spinach, 🥑 avocado and grilled mushrooms 🍄 on a perfectly grilled Panini bread And Christie’s ranch dressing with a side of 🍠 sweet potato waffle fries.

The crunchiness of the panini bread was incredible and you could taste all the elements of the sandwich and the sweet potato fries were hot and crisp.

Heidi had a tropical salad with grilled chicken that was fresh and delicious.

For dessert we had a very tall piece of coconut 🥥 pie. The meringue was phenomenal.

Highly recommended!!! Salem has a plethora of food opportunities.

736 East Market Street in Louisville, an area know as NULU (New Louisville) is where you will find the amazing, Royals Hot Chicken.

I had the mild chicken tenders with their homemade ranch dipping sauce and needed napkins to dab my brow from the heat. It was a good burn, though!

The flavor and quality of this chicken was phenomenal!!!

RaeAnn’s chicken sandwich also looked fantastic. Very thick and tasty.

For your unique drinking pleasure you can choose from a bottle of Ski, Ale 8 or Cheerwine. All southern soft drinks.

For dessert we shared a cinnamon-sugar coated fried apple 🍎 hand pie with ice cream.

Royals is a Must Visit!!!

*On a side note, Royals was our lunch before seeing “Hamilton” , which was outstanding!!!

Smokin’ Jacks is located at 505 West 17th Street in Bloomington, Indiana. My nephew-in-law, Frank Guthrie brought me a pork sandwich from Smokin’ Jacks while I was at the Bloomington North track regional a few years back. After one bite, I had to go there myself.

The ribs are delicious and the side dishes add character as well. Mac & cheese, greens and the cornbread with butter, as Sophie says, “It’s like cake.”

When we went to bring Sophie home fro Indiana University, we had a cozy booth across from the warm fireplace.

The brisket is also worthy of your attention as well as the brownie and fruit cobbler.

After walking 18 holes at Cascades golf course, (Unfortunately, watching Liam and not playing.) Heidi and I had worked up an appetite. After picking Liam up a golf cart at Dick’s Sporting Goods, we went to the Red Robin at The College Mall.

We started with the Pretzel Bites with cheese dipping sauce because we were starving.

I had the Southern Charm burger. 1/2 pound of brown sugar glazed Black Angus beef patty, candied bacon, Whiskey River BBQ sauce, caramelized onions and American cheese. As a side, I went with the garlic parmesan fries. The burger was superb and it was only 1,220 calories.

The Willard is located at 99 North Main Street in Franklin, Indiana. The building was built in 1860 as a residence and later  was a hotel. Right next door is The Historic Artcraft Theater.

Heidi started us out with the Deluxe Nachos that were over the top. There must have been half a tub of sour cream on top of this masterpiece. My burger came and there was still a mound of nachos that we didn’t get to.

The curly bacon atop my cheeseburger made the sandwich and the onion rings were very good. Lawyer had the tenderloin with cheese and bacon. It was so large that he cut off a hunk for me to try and still had more than enough.

I look forward to visiting in warmer weather and trying the outdoor seating area.

It says Blue Moon but it was actually my go to, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy.