Cuisine of Kentucky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Today's Kentucky cuisine is a blend of midwestern and southern cuisines that is increasingly incorporating more cosmopolitan ingredients and methods. The Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky is the most southern of Kentucky in culture and cuisine. A typical summer lunch of 50 years ago would be fried catfish, slaw and hush puppies served with a glass of sweet tea. Fusion cuisine that is practiced at some of the leading restaurants in Kentucky, such as The Waterfront serve dishes such as wasabi cole slaw, chili and cumin hushpuppies, and stout-beer-battered fish served with green tea. Frog legs, unlike in most of the midwest, are served without batter and grilled or sautéed. In the southern and eastern parts of Kentucky, burgoo and regular chile con carne are preferred. In the northern and western parts, Cincinnati chili is predominant with Dixie Chili from Newport, Kentucky being the only most well-known incorporated in Kentucky.
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[edit] Dishes or recipes of note in Kentucky cuisine
- Burgoo, a thick stew made from vegetables and lamb or other game meats
- Mint julep, a potable that is made with bourbon and crushed mint and is the 'official' drink of the Kentucky Derby[1]
- Henry Bain sauce, a potent sauce for serving with game
- Brains and eggs, known mostly as an English dish; this was served in Frankfort restaurants until BSE scares
- Mock turtle soup, Welsh and English settlers brought this recipe with them when they settled in Clay County
- KFC, Invented in 1910 in Corbin, Kentucky by Col. Harland Sanders
- Frog legs, as many other midwesterners
- Derby pie, a chocolate and pecan pie named for the Kentucky Derby
- Benedictine, a greenish cucumber and cream cheese spread made popular by Louisville's Benedict's restaurant
- Hot Brown, a layered dish of bread, bacon, and turkey, topped with a Mornay sauce[2]
- Stack cake, an Appalachian layered cake with apple preserves spread between each layer
- Johnny cake, a corruption of "Shawnee" cake this is a flat corn bread cooked by direct heat
- Bourbon balls, crushed cookies mixed with chocolate and bourbon, then coated in powdered sugar
- Beer cheese, a cheese dip made with beer, cheddar cheese, and spices
- Ale-8-One, a Kentucky-made soft drink bottled in Winchester, Kentucky
- Modjeskas, a gooey caramel candy with a marshmallow center
[edit] Ingredients of today
[edit] Vegetables
Potatoes, corn, carrots, onions, turnips, parsnips, tomatoes, green beans, butter beans, peas, mustard greens, kale, scallions, sweet potatoes, yellow summer squash, zucchini, butternut squash, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, cucumbers, asparagus, bell peppers (called mangoes by older rural Kentuckians), banana peppers, cabbage, beets, eggplant, garlic, avocados.
[edit] Fruits
Apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, pears, oranges, pineapples, plums, grapes, cherries, bananas, pawpaws, persimmons
[edit] Nuts
Walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashews.
[edit] Grains
Oatmeal.
[edit] Meats
[edit] Flavorings
[edit] Western Kentucky Pit BBQ
The north Western Kentucky area, namely Owensboro and Henderson, has developed a unique style of pit barbeque. Served heavy with vinegar-based sauces, and often with pickles, onions, potato salad, and coleslaw. The three main meats used are chicken, pork, and mutton; but beef is not unheard of. Burgoo is a main specialty, with no two burgoo recipes being the same. Owensboro is home to the International Bar-B-Q Festival, where the best BBQ Kentucky has to offer is on display.
[edit] References
- ^ The Mint Julep. KentuckyDerby.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-03.
- ^ Hot Brown Recipe. The Brown Hotel. Retrieved on 2006-12-03.
