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Best Kept Secrets

Smell the Coffee-The Branson Bean

Once upon a time, on a fine Summer’s day, a couple hundred years after the birth of Christ, in the ancient land of Abyssinia, a goat herder by the name of, let’s say Joe, noticed something highly unusual happening to his goats. His goats were dancing on their hind legs and making unusual sounds. Joe, upon investigation into why this was happening found that his goats were eating red berries. Joe was quite sleepy, which usually happened in the middle of a lazy afternoon, but none-the-less he took a couple of the berries and ate them himself and behold, his eyes were wide open the rest of the day. He gathered a sack of the mysterious red berries and took them back to his family who tried them and found that it kept them awake during their prayers. That was the beginning of coffee as we know it today. Ever wonder why coffee is sometimes called Joe? Naw, that’s probably not the reason.

A coffee bean on the tree resembles a cherry and contains two beans with their flat sides together. Grown on the Coffea Arabica tree, usually in altitudes of 4500 feet or higher, each tree can produce up to 12 pounds of coffee annually. I know I drink at least 12 pounds a year so there are surely a lot of coffee trees in the world.

Michael and Erin Ipock, owners of the Branson Bean, buy their coffee beans direct from several worldwide markets. They purchase only the top one percent of the highest quality coffee beans in the world, roast it in their shop and bag it as fresh as you will ever get it. They also serve rolls and freshly baked bread sandwiches, freshly made each day and in special orders as you wait. They will also custom grind your coffee to suit your taste perfectly, as you wait.

Their coffees come in a plethora of different flavors and you can create a flavor to be your particular favorite, mixed your way, by the blending of many different savory extracts.

One day, Michael and Erin had me try their Kenyan Hazelnut and from that day on, compared to their coffee, every other coffee I have tasted has not been good enough,. Their coffee spoiled me. Incidentally, their own brand of coffee went on sale recently at Country Mart stores.

Stop by the shop and let Michael or Erin introduce you to the coffees of the world. They usually have several on tap for your tasting and selection. One more thing, Michael and Erin have included a Christian book store section in the front of their store, with many of the latest hats, books, t-shirts and other neat gifts in stock.

The Branson Bean is located on the corner across the street south from Mr. G’s and just one block north from Dick’s five and dime. You may log onto their site at: www.bransonbean.com 417-239-2858. Posted 8/24/04 © Copyright 2004—Kurt L. Moore—All Rights Reserved.

Editors note: We drink allot of coffee at www.bransoncritic.org and it helps to have someone close by with decent Java.

Smithsonian of the Ozarks-
Ralph Foster Museum

Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed.
Then one day he was shootin’ at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude.
“Beverly Hillbillys” theme song—Lyrics and chords by Paul Henning.

Nearly everyone on our good planet Earth has heard of the “Beverly Hillbillys,” either growing up in that era, or having access to a TV and enjoying their reruns. Back in the Sixties, Uncle Jed, Granny and their kinfolk took a little side trip on their way to Beverly Hills and stopped in the Ozarks and while here, filmed a couple of segments of the “Beverly Hillbillys.” They took off their shoes, sat a spell and liked the Ozarks and its people so ‘dad-gummed’ well, they left their truck on display at the Ralph Foster Museum, so visitors to

the Ozarks would be able to see a bit of local lore and history.
The Ralph Foster Museum is located at Point Lookout, on the campus of the College of the Ozarks, known locally and familiarly as C of O. The museum is also known, and very accurately described, as the Smithsonian of the Ozarks. The Beverly Hillbilly’s truck is just a small part of the museum’s over-all collection of Ozark artifacts, history, relics and wildlife.
The museum is comprised of three floors of exhibits and displays, covering 40,000 square feet. I have seen a lot of museums and art galleries and found this one to be the most interesting I have seen to date. From it’s meager beginnings in the 1920s to its founding in 1930 and even up until today, the Ralph Foster Museum has grown beyond anyone’s dream or imagination, into an open and fascinating story-book of the life and times of the Ozarks and its people. This is one stop you will not want to miss while in the

Branson area.
Oh yes, one more thing. You should plan on spending, at the minimum, a half day for touring the galleries, displays and exhibits. A full day would be even better.
Jed and all his kinfolk took to the Ozarks like a duck to water. They found they belonged here and left us all a legacy to enjoy at the Ralph Foster Museum.

You’re all invited back again to this locality
To have a heapin’ helpin’ of their hospitality
Sit a spell. Take your shoes off.
Y’all come back now, y’hear?

“Beverly Hillbillys” theme song—Lyrics and chords by Paul Henning.

The Ralph Foster Museum is open seven days per week, April through December. For information, directions and/or tickets, call: (417) 334 6411. Posted 8/24/04

Here Fishy Fishy--Go Fish

OK, you know where the Roy Rogers—Dale Evans Museum is, right? When you enter the parking lot, look to the right of the museum and you will find Go Fish. A store that turned out to be quite a surprise to me and probably will be for you as well.

First of all, I was greeted by the most cleanly scrubbed and smiling face I believe I have ever seen. The smile belonged to the young lady minding the store for the owners, Bill and Valerie Coleman. Her name was Staci and her smile, the whole time I was in the store, never left her face, nor did her sunny disposition. She showed me around the store and explained each and every item I was looking at in precise detail. The lady had done her homework. She had it down cold. She was good.

Go fish is a store where you will find the unusual and one-of-a-kind items that you have not necessarily been looking for all your life, but are glad you found.

I mentioned to a woman I know downtown that the store carries the tall, hand carved giraffes, she said she had been looking for one to be next to her fireplace for a long time. Eureka! She found it. Perhaps I was a wee bit hasty in saying they carry items that you have not necessarily been looking for.

I had a friend visiting recently from San Angelo, Texas. I took her to Go Fish, as we were just bumming around one afternoon and she found several items that she had not seen anywhere else and just had to have. Now my friend is an experienced and savvy shopper and pretty well knows what stores carry and do not carry. She was thrilled to find the rare and unusual items at Go Fish that day and I scored several good Brownie points by taking her there.

Go Fish does carry that rare and unusual item for yourself or a creative gift for someone else that you simply cannot find in other stores. It is fun to browse the many shelves and racks and see what Bill and Valerie Coleman have gathered from unusual markets around the world for your enjoyment and pleasure.

Go Fish is quite unique from most other stores, in the fact that they do carry merchandise from all over the world. Owls, giraffes, lions, cats, roosters, frogs, flamingoes, cows, birds, horses, hats, clothing and art. (Another deep breath)—jewelry, candles, elephants, mirrors, picture frames and odd figurines. I know I have probably forgotten quite a few things, so you will have to go to the store and pick up on my list where I left off.

Go Fish is located on the corner of Hwy 365 and Green Mountain Drive, just across the street from Celebration City.