Barbecue at Leon's Gourmet Grocer

Leon's Gourmet Grocer in Lincoln celebrated Independence Day with a barbecue on July 2, 3, 2010. I was privileged to be a part of it.

They served up hamburgers, brats, hot dogs and kebabs. Yum!

All ages played Plinko for prizes. This lucky boy won a package of trail mix from R U Nuts.

Everyone enjoyed free root beer floats, made with gourmet root beer and ice cream.

What a great way to celebrate!

Licorice of the Month Club

Lincoln has many hidden gems, and one of them is Licorice International, the largest specialty retailer of imported licorice in the United States.

I recently joined the Licorice of the Month Club, and I've been enjoying the great packages of licorice I receive each month. In fact, you could say I'm becoming addicted to licorice.  I never realized there were so many kinds of licorice and how unique each kind is.  I've sampled exotic gourmet licorices from places like Holland, Australia, Finland, and of course, the U.S.

If you live in or near Lincoln (or you're planning a visit there), you can find Licorice International in the Haymarket at 803 Q Street. I guarantee you'll get lots of free samples.

If you're too far away for a visit, don't despair. You can always order great licorice from their website at www.licoriceinternational.com  Don't forget to check out the Licorice of the Month Club. (More info here.)

One Year Anniversary in Lincoln, Nebraska

This week marks my one-year anniversary of my move to Lincoln, Nebraska. I'm continually amazed at the way this friendly community has opened their arms to me. It's uniquely refreshing to move to a new community and to feel so welcome.

Lincoln is a beautiful city, with many little gems to be discovered. I've gotten to know some fantastic chefs, dined at excellent restaurants, and met some wonderful farmers. I'm encouraged to see more and more farm-to-table restaurants opening up and chefs cooking from scratch. And the local farmers markets are amazing.

We celebrated my anniversary with a huge birthday cake from Le Cartier Baking Company and an open house at Schaefer's Appliance Center.

Thank you, Lincoln, for the warm welcome. I look forward to making many more memories in this wonderful community.

The Haymarket Farmers Market