Old Jailer’s Home Luncheon becomes long standing tradition

Nicholas County tourism has been serving a four-course luncheon at the Jailer’s Home and Dungeon in Carlisle the second Thursday of the month as a fundraiser, for the past 21 years.

A jail may sound like a funny place to have a luncheon but it’s actually served in the Jailer’s Home which was built around 1823 and is connected to the jail where the refrigerators and icemaker line walls around the cells.

Nicholas County Tourism has a lot invested in the jail. It was tourism that spent years restoring the building after it had fallen into disrepair after the county stopped using it as a jail in June 1982. Carlisle-Nicholas County Tourism leased the building from the Fiscal Court and applied for grants to supplement money from the city and county to bring it back to life.

The luncheon has developed quite a reputation over the years and draws 60-70 guests each month from Nicholas and surrounding counties.

Although the price for a meal has increased over the years, patrons feel the cost of lunch is well worth the current price for a meal that includes a salad, appetizer, entreé, dessert and a drink.

The deserts and other dishes are so popular that they are also featured in a cookbook that is offered for sale by members of the tourism committee.

An updated edition of the cookbook will be out this fall.

The Carlisle/Nicholas County Tourism has two luncheons the first and second Thursday in December at noon and then skips holding the luncheons in January and February and sometimes March.

As tourism Chair Gladys Shrout explained, “we work days ahead on the luncheons with 18-20 volunteers baking and preparing food. If we had a bad snow storm and people couldn’t attend it would be a major financial setback for us.”

The tourism group will hold its annual holiday “High Tea” Saturday, Dec. 3, at 1 p.m. They feature sweets and savories including petite sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, deserts including bourbon balls, cookies and cake and end with sorbet to cleanse the pallet. “Guests leave so full after our tea that they can hardly stand it,” Shrout said. To make a reservation for the luncheon or tea call Gladys Shrout, 859-749-7986.

Money earned from the luncheon’s pays for utilities at the buildings, cookbooks and brochures and other marketing materials that Tourism produces. They also have a food booth at major Nicholas County events like the Blackberry Festival in July and Saturday in Carlisle this Saturday Sept. 24. They’re noted for their grilled steak sandwiches and giant baked potatoes at their food booth.

The jail building can also be rented for events and several baby showers and birthdays have been celebrated there. Because of the many displays, antiques and stairs, no children under 8 are allowed.