(Photo) Cook Museum of Natural Science.

Piece 1: The Cook Museum of Natural History and C.F. Penn Hamburgers (Decatur AL). The Cook Museum began in 1968 as a display of pinned insects from the professional collection of John Cook, Sr., which he primarily used for employee training in his pest control business.

The modern Cook Museum of Natural History opened in 2019 at 133 4th Avenue NE in the heart of downtown Decatur AL. The 62,000 square-foot multi-purpose exhibition and visitor center features a variety of educational and interactive exhibits designed to engage visitors of all ages.

The museum includes nine different galleries: 1) The Discover Gallery serves as an introduction to the natural world and features a hand-held microscope exhibit that allows visitors to closely examine many types of plants and creatures, 2) The Looking Up Gallery focuses on outer space and includes some remarkable pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope, 3) The Foundations Gallery looks at the Earth and its various elements, and features a really fun interactive exhibit that uses kinetic sand and other technology to teach visitors about volcanoes, 4) The Rivers and Streams Gallery describes fresh water habitats and features a 600-gallon aquarium, 5) The Caves Gallery includes a recreated Alabama cave that visitors can explore, 6) The Arctic/Desert Gallery compares two kinds of harsh environments, 7) The Oceans Gallery has a 15,000-gallon salt water aquarium that gives visitors a unique view of a coral reef environment, 8) The Forests Gallery features different plants and creatures common to the southeast region, and 9) The Wonderful World of Insects continues the Cook Family’s long standing exhibit of both live and pinned bugs. We were particularly interested in seeing the Brown Recluse, one of three spiders in North America with toxic venom, and the subject of many arachnophobic nightmares.

After the museum tour, a great place to experience a unique meal is C.F. Penn Hamburgers at 214 6th Avenue SE in Decatur.

The C.F. Penn-style hamburger is commonly known as a “slugburger”, which is typically a patty made from meat mixed with some type of extender or filler. 3 Piece Trip readers may recall the “Mid-South Sampler” that includes a stop at the Slugburger Cafe in Corinth MS.

At Penn’s, the burgers are made from ground beef mixed with a breadcrumb filler, then flattened into a patty and deep fried. Mustard and freshly diced onions top this tasty creation, which is served in a bun, complete with an old-school wax wrapper. Optional sides include fries and onion rings.

The original C.F. Penn restaurant was founded by Charles Franklin (C.F.) Penn in Hartselle AL on April 22, 1927, and a Decatur AL location was established in 1936. For many years, the Decatur Penn’s was at 121 Moulton Street East before relocating to its current address at 6th Avenue SE in early 2020.

The current C.F. Penn building was thoughtfully designed and decorated to resemble the layout and look of the beloved Moulton Street store, down to the black and white checkered floors.

Nothing like sitting at the counter at Penn’s enjoying a freshly made slugburger. I like mine with a slice of cheese, a side of fries, and an ice-cold fountain drink.

Ave Maria Grotto

Piece 2: Ave Maria Grotto. Located at 1600 St. Bernard Drive in Cullman AL on the grounds of Saint Bernard Abbey, Ave Maria Grotto is the creation of Brother Joseph Zoettl, a Benedictine monk born in Germany who immigrated to the United States in 1892 and began his monastic life at St. Bernard.

Inspired by his childhood memories of European shrines and biblical stories, Brother Joseph spent over 45 years constructing intricate miniature replicas of famous religious landmarks and points of interest from around the globe within the grotto’s four-acre space.

Using simple materials like cement and discarded broken items donated by locals, he meticulously crafted over 125 structures and scenes including St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the Lourdes Shrine in France, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Holy Land.

Visitors walk along a pleasant two-block pathway that winds beside the miniature buildings, and passes in front of a large cavern-like grotto (the Italian word for cave) on the lower level of the hillside.

Brother Joseph, who died in 1961, is buried in the Abbey Cemetery, final resting place of the monks of the Abbey. The cemetery is one hundred yards north of the Grotto Gift Shop, and the path leading to it is across the Grotto parking lot. Visitors are welcome to visit Brother’s grave.

Orange Rolls at All-Steak Restaurant

Piece 3: All-Steak Restaurant (Cullman AL). Legend has it that when Millard Buchman founded his restaurant in Tennessee in 1934, he intended for it to be called “All-Steak Hamburgers,” but custom signage was priced by the letter and the word “hamburgers” had entirely too many for his budget.

The All-Steak Restaurant relocated to Cullman AL in 1938, and has remained a cornerstone of that community. While All-Steak has gone through some changes over the years, the restaurant’s quality service and food have remained the same. Further, much of what is served at All-Steak is locally sourced.

The restaurant’s current location at 323 3rd Avenue SE surrounds patrons with a rustic décor that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, and while people travel to All-Steak from all over to enjoy its perfectly cooked cuts of meat, the eatery’s signature orange rolls may be just as popular!

The bread pudding is pretty special too.

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