UPPER CUMBERLAND – Get ready for spring at the Upper Cumberland Home & Garden Show this weekend, Mar. 2-4, at the Hyder-Burks Pavilion in Cookeville. See the latest trends for home building, remodeling, decorating, and landscaping with almost 200 exhibits featuring products and services from the Upper Cumberland and beyond.
Those shopping for furniture, accessories, lawn mowers, cabinetry, doors, plants, cookware, specialty foods or even a complete new home, will find a variety of products and providers at this event.
For almost 50 years, the Home Builders Association of the Upper Cumberland has sponsored this annual event, bringing the best values together under one roof. With spring on the way, this is the perfect time to preview products that will enhance one’s home, garden and outdoor living spaces.
The cooking stage is always a popular attraction in the Gourmet Gallery of the show, where local and regional celebrities will demonstrate recipes and share tips for entertaining and healthy living. Presenters include restaurant chefs, food truck owners, and caterers.
Fans of antiques and vintage décor will love the barn sale area. Offering a variety of design styles – including cottage, industrial, or classic – the barn sale makes it easy to find a special gem from a variety of stylish dealers.
Another highlight of the show will be the Upper Cumberland Tourism Association’s Stay and Play Travel Expo. There, attendees will have a unique opportunity to see great ideas for vacations or day trips that are within a short drive from home. Information on the Upper Cumberland’s cultural, historic and scenic attractions, as well as its outdoor recreational opportunities and lodging options will be available in the Travel Expo area of the show.
RE/MAX will be offering free hot air balloon rides Saturday, Mar. 3 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on the South Side of Hyder-Burks, weather permitting. All ages are welcome.
On Sunday, the Putnam County Master Gardeners will be onhand to teach attendees all about gardening. Topics are “Home Beautification with Container Plantings” at 12:30 p.m., and “Starting Garden Plants from Seed in Your House” beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Step back in time in the Demonstration Area to see basket making, wool spinning, and beekeeping.
Admission is only $5, with an opening night special two-for-one price on Friday night, Mar. 2. Event hours are Friday, 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.; Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.; and Sunday, from noon until 4 p.m. On Sunday, also known as Deal Day, several exhibitors will offer special deals that are available exclusively that afternoon.
For more information, call the Home Builders Association at (931) 528-7472 or visit www.uchba.com.
Cooking Stage schedule, featuring a demonstration kitchen created by Cookeville Kitchen Sales.
Friday, Mar. 2
5 p.m. – Chris Batty. 37 Cedar Restaurant. Short Rib 37
Chris and Chef Dustin will prepare a dish called Short Rib 37, which is torched, braised short rib, with sweet cabbage, kraut, & polenta.
6 p.m. – Jaden Flynn. The Iron Kitchen. Healthy. Fast. Tasty
At the end of a busy day, putting a healthy dinner on the table can be challenging. Jaden will demonstrate Mini Steak Tacos with In-House Chipotle Sauce, and show how to make your life easier with hassle-free, healthy food at its finest.
7 p.m. – Patrick McCurdy. Red Oak Roasters. All About Coffee
A great cup of coffee is determined by the origin, the bean, and the roaster. You will learn where the world’s best cup of “Joe” come from, how it is picked, processed, and roasted to perfection. Sample the results and see for yourself.
Saturday, Mar. 3
10 a.m. – Donia Daniels. Granny Dragon’s Sweets & Things. 1-2-3 of Home Canning
When you preserve fresh fruits and vegetables at home, you can enjoy summertime goodness all year long. Donia will show how easy it is to prepare strawberry jam, and the utensils and ingredients that are needed for the job. Twelve lucky people in the audience will win a jar of her strawberry jam.
11 a.m. – John Brantley. Lagniappe Spice Company. Low Country Boil
Lagniappe gourmet custom blends are rooted in Southern heritage, but utilize spice sources from around the world. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to cook a low country boil, this is your chance! John will take you through each step, and it’s a lot easier than you might think.
12: p.m. – Rachel Tayse. Half Acres Farms Catering. Old Fashioned Banana Pudding
Rachel will show how to make banana pudding from scratch, just like your granny made, or maybe even better! Banana pudding is the original Southern Comfort Food, so grab a spoon and take a taste trip down memory lane.
1 p.m. – Victoria Davis. Mamma Jamma Baking Company. Cannoli
Cannoli are crisp Italian pastries that are filled with traditional or flavored cream filling. Cannoli provides a perfect ending to an Italian dinner or with a cup of coffee. Mamma Jamma Baking Company specializes in Italian pastries and breads.
2 p.m. – Kent Birdwell. The Blue Pig. How to Choose and Prepare the Best Steaks
Chef Kent will guide you through understanding the different cuts of meats, the difference in USDA meat grades and how they affect the quality of your steak dinner, more specifically our southern favorite, Ribeye steak. He will then prepare a Ribeye, his favorite way, on a cast-iron skillet, a method that ensures a beautiful crust and intense flavor.
3 p.m. – Harris Jackson and Ben Platt. Virgin Bay Seafood. Wild Caught Alaskan Seafood
The vibrant colors and firm textures of wild caught Alaskan seafood attest to the high quality. Harris and Ben will demonstrate pan seared sockeye salmon and salmon burgers. Virgin Bay Seafood delivers fresh Alaska seafood to the middle Tennessee area.
4 p.m. – Chef Rae. Rae’s Cuisine, A Personal Chef Service. Creole Chicken Cakes
CHEF Rae is a talented, creative chef who puts the freshest ingredients together in an unbelievable way. She has international taste buds, and cooks foods from all different cultures, to take you on a road “less traveled.” Creole Chicken Cakes are a Twist on Crab cakes for clients that don’t prefer seafood.
5 p.m. – Jose Orozco. Rosco & Company. Taste of Peru
Joe will present a brief history of Peruvian cuisine, and what makes it the most diverse food in the world. It has exotic fruits and vegetables from the Amazon forest, and is not spicy, but rather flavorful and enjoyable. The Rosco & Company food truck is known as “The Restaurant on Wheels,” and can often be found at Hix Farm Brewery.
Sunday, Mar. 4
1 p.m. – Annabelle Nolan. MasterChef Junior Contestant. Chocolate
From quick and easy, to a labor of love, from decadent and extravagant, to fresh and healthy, chocolate is the perfect food! Learn about chocolate from a professional licensed chocolatier.
2 p.m. – Brandon Henley. Lazy Cow Creamery. Silly Old Bear Ice Cream
While discussing the importance of buying local products, Brandon will demonstrate how to make the honeycomb candy found in Lazy Cow Creamery’s customer-favorite flavor “Silly Old Bear.”
3 p.m. – Rhianna Lizarraga. The Turn Around Juice Bar. It’s your health and your life!
Fresh juices, superfood smoothies and power shots, made with local fresh raw produce, can turn around your health for your good!
