Patti and I found good company and good conversation on our trip to northern Kentucky Bourbon country. We also tasted some great Bourbon, but the spirit wasn’t always confined to the glass. With its complex bouquet of flavors, it’s not surprising that Bourbon complements sweet and savory dishes alike. Following are a few of my favorites.
FLAVORS OF FRANKFORT
In Kentucky’s state capital of Frankfort, distillers used to roll barrels from their warehouses down the streets to flat-bottomed boats waiting to ferry the whiskey down the Kentucky River. A different type of commerce holds sway these days. One night before dinner, I strolled through the historic downtown and discovered a retail district full of local character. Crafts stores featured Kentucky folk artists and an independent bookstore occupied an old building with creaky, slanted floors. One liquor store offered tastings and a range of snack food, while a cigar company advertised hand-rolled, Bourbon-infused cigars. I had to wait for the next morning to try the bacon and glazed doughnuts at homey B’s Bakery (241 West Main Street; 502-699-2222).
I was on my way to dinner at Serafini restaurant (243 West Broadway Street, 502-875-5599, serafinifrankfort.com). It stands across the street from the Old State Capitol, another of Kentucky’s National Historic Landmarks. Lucky diners might be seated in a window where they can enjoy the view. The kitchen uses local products for a menu that blends Italian and Southern food traditions. The Bourbon list, by the way, stretches to almost 100 choices.
Diners can choose a simple and satisfying plate of spaghetti and meatballs—or select salmon risotto or fried catfish with fries and cole slaw. My eye gravitated to the Bourbon pork loin and my taste buds were glad. The loin had been marinated in a Bourbon sweet tea brine before being roasted and finished on the the grill. It was served with a butter garlic pan sauce, fingerling potatoes, and broccolini. It really came across as Kentucky on a plate.
HOW SWEET IT IS
I always love stories of spunky women—all the better when they create something sweet. Ruth Hanly and Rebecca Gooch, two schoolteachers with a knack for making chocolates and entrepreneurial spirits, founded Rebecca Ruth Chocolates in 1919. By 1929 Ruth, who had married, had a son, and been widowed, had become sole owner. Less than a decade later, she invented the Bourbon Ball, the candy that made her famous.
The family-owned company has three locations in Frankfort, including a retail store and factory at 112 East Second Street (502-223-7475, rebeccaruthonline.com), where factory tours ($6) are offered Monday through Saturday. Plan to visit Monday through Thursday to see the plant in operation. Try as you might, you probably won’t be able to figure out the process that Ruth perfected to create her Bourbon-infused filling for chocolate-covered balls topped with a pecan half. It remains a closely guarded family secret.
Rebecca Ruth makes a few other confections with roots in Kentucky culture, including Mint Kentucky Colonels and old-fashioned Kentucky Creamed Pull Candy. Folks with specific brand loyalty can choose chocolates flavored with Buffalo Trace, Makers Mark, or Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon.
BOURBON BOOKENDS THE DAY
Bardstown takes its Bourbon Capital of the World title seriously. Visitors can even start the day with a touch of Bourbon in a breakfast pastry. Fresh Coffee, Pastries & More (114 North Third Street, 502-331-6345, freshcoffeebardstown.com) opened four years ago as a gathering place for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks. Michelle Bowling’s scrumptious cinnamon rolls sit atop the counter under glass domes. She has several ways of gilding the lily, including a smothering layer of buttercream and even buttercream topped with maple and bacon. For me, the choice was easy: a cinnamon bun sticky with a Bourbon pecan glaze.
After a full day of touring and tasting, Patti and I ended our northern Kentucky adventure at Rickhouse Restaurant & Lounge (Spalding Hall, 112 Xavier Drive, 502-348-2832, therickhousebardstown.com). It’s located in the basement of a nearly 200-year-old building that has served variously as a college and seminary, Civil War hospital, and orphanage. It also houses the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History (oscargetzwhiskeymuseum.com). In fairness, the thick brick walls and squat arches of the restaurant do suggest a rickhouse, or warehouse, for storing and aging spirits.
The Rickhouse offers three different options for Bourbon flights, each with five different pours. But I’d sniffed and sipped and tasted enough over the previous few days. Instead, I went for a Bourbon-infused dinner. Bourbon accents many of the dishes on the menu—from a burger topped with Bourbon mushrooms to a pork chop with Bourbon apricot chutney. I picked a homey, slow-roasted half chicken with BBQ Bourbon sauce. My accompaniments were a baked potato and a serving of brussels sprouts with apples, cranberries, bacon, and Bourbon.
But the Bourbon didn’t stop there. I couldn’t leave Kentucky without trying Chocolate Bourbon Bread Pudding, a rich dessert big enough to share. It was a fitting conclusion to a great getaway. I wasn’t able to get the recipe from the chef, but when I had a freezer full of extra Thanksgiving dinner rolls, I knew exactly what I had to make with them.
BOURBON CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
We often make pumpkin dinner rolls for Thanksgiving. The recipe from the elegant Chillingsworth restaurant on Cape Cod uses an entire 15-ounce can of pumpkin and makes three dozen rolls. (It was published in the November 1990 issue of Bon Appétit!) We throw the leftovers into a ziplock bag in the freezer, knowing that they make great bread pudding. The recipe below was adapted from versions published by Fran Taylor in Keeneland Entertains: Traditional Bluegrass Hospitality and Favorite Recipes (https://hungrytravelers.com/off-to-the-races-at-keeneland/) and another published on the Southern Cast Iron blog (southerncastiron.com), a useful resource for a certain strain of Southern cookery.
INGREDIENTS
For the bread pudding
- 5 cups rich bread or rolls, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons Bourbon, divided
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
For the glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
Set oven to 350°F. Grease 8×8 baking pan.
Make the bread pudding. In a large bowl, toss together bread cubes and half-and-half. Let stand at room temperature.
Melt butter over medium heat in small saucepan or skillet. Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and 2 tablespoons Bourbon until well-blended. Pour over bread mixture. Add chocolate chips, stirring gently to combine. Spoon bread mixture into greased pan. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Cover dish with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top turns golden brown and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean (about another 10 minutes).
Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, and remaining tablespoon of Bourbon until smooth. Whisk in cream until smooth mixture forms. Spoon over warm bread pudding to create a boozy glaze.