Krebs

The small town of Krebs is often referred to as Oklahoma's "Little Italy". This title ultimately reaches back to the late 19th century when the area's coal mining industry fostered a large community of Italian immigrants.

Today Krebs' Italian American roots still stand firm, as evidenced by its abundance of delicious eateries and Italian grocers. The concentration of such great food and drink has certainly made Krebs a destination for hungry Oklahoma foodies in search of the perfect marinara and the finest of cured meats.

Of course if you know anything about Lacey and I, you know the siren song of soft cheese and homemade pasta is far too much for us to handle....

Our trip started at Lovera's Grocery which stocks a wide array of homemade cheeses, cured meats, sauces, pasta, pickled veggies, and much much more. The store is family owned and operated and this aspect shines through with it's incredible customer service. Sneaking a few samples from the deli counter is always my favorite part of shopping here, although walking out with a bag full of mouth watering morsels is certainly nothing to be ignored.

We picked up all the necessary items to make a delicious lasagna, but that was to be saved for dinner...

Across the street from Lovera's Grocery is a convenience store called Krebs Korner that actually serves fresh Italian food made from products found at Lovera's. With so many great food options in Krebs, it might seem odd eating lunch in a gas station, but trust me, you've never eaten convenience store food like this. Fresh pizza and sandwiches that are out of this world, and very reasonably priced. Just looking at the picture above is making me hungry!

Probably one of the most famous placed in Krebs is a wonderful family style Italian restaurant called Pete's Place. Pete's Place has a fantastic history that you can read all about here, but for now I want to focus on a slightly more obscure aspect of Pete's: Choc Beer.

Many Oklahoman's are familiar with the locally brewed Choc Beer, but some may not be aware that this delicious brew is made in the same building as Pete's Place. Tours are available to those who are interested, and of course the tasty brew can be bought on site. We brought home a sampler case to go with the lasagna we has planned for later in the evening.

On the way home we stopped at a few antique stores in the nearby city of McAlester, and found an incredible deal on these Frankoma plant potters. Lacey was quick to get them set up with some pretty looking succulents. My fingers are crossed that they'll have a good life in our living room, but as most people who know us can personally attest, horticulture is not our specialty.

Finally the payoff! Delicious lasagna cooked solely from ingredients purchased at Lovera's finished off with Choc Spring India Pale Ale. I must say it was perfect - although that's all Lacey's doing....

-Austin