If we lived in the South, we’d probably eat biscuits warm from the oven and slathered with butter every day. A good biscuit is the transfiguration of simple ingredients. Moreover, no two biscuits are exactly alike. Every home cook seems to cherish a grandmother’s special recipe and many restaurant chefs like to add their own spin to this Southern classic. A couple of years ago, we shared the recipe for black pepper biscuits from Gralehaus in Louisville https://hungrytravelers.com/biscuits-unite-louisville-southern-indiana/]. On our recent visit to Kentucky, we discovered another winning variation at the Kentucky Castle (230 Pisgah Pike, Versailles, Kentucky, 859-256-0322, thekentuckycastle.com) just outside Lexington.
We expected to see gorgeous estates as we drove through horse country on a rainy morning to have breakfast at the castle. But we were not prepared for the multi-turreted stone building that looked like it would be at home in the Scottish Highlands. The castle began to rise in Bluegrass Country in 1969 and already has a storied history befitting a much more venerable building.
Rex Martin and his wife Caroline became besotted with castles during a European vacation. When they returned to Kentucky, Rex decided to build a castle for his wife. Construction began in 1969. Alas, Rex’s romantic gesture didn’t work out as planned. The couple divorced before the castle was completed. Rex was reportedly heartbroken and the castle sat empty until it was purchased in 2003. But a happy ending was not in the cards. The castle was severely damaged in a fire the following year. It was finally rebuilt and opened as a bed and breakfast and event center in 2008.
New owners completely reinvigorated the property in 2017. They have added a restaurant and spa and are working on building a 5k trail. This being Kentucky, the castle even has a resident bourbon steward. Much of the produce for the restaurant comes from the property’s organic garden. The grounds also support chickens, goats, an apiary, and a recently planted truffle orchard.
Executive chef Jason Walls has his own farm in nearby Frankfort and makes good use of Kentucky bounty. His menus nod to local foodways while also introducing global flavors. His Pork Carnitas Rancheros, for example, are served with an organic polenta fritter and his Omelet Sardou is a clever variation on the famous New Orleans dish, Eggs Sardou.
But we were most taken with the Local Chicken Biscuit, a hearty plate with buttermilk fried chicken, bacon-spring onion jam, endive, and chive fingerling potatoes. A flaky, square-cut white cheddar cheese biscuit grounded the dish and pulled all the flavors together.
Chef Walls kindly shared his biscuit recipe to add to our collection.
THE KENTUCKY CASTLE CHEDDAR BISCUITS
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white cheddar, grated
8 tablespoons of butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
Salt to taste
Heat oven to 425°F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cheese. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in buttermilk and knead into dough.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Pat dough 3/4 inches thick and fold over 5 times. Form dough into a flat rectangle 1 1/2 inches thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut biscuits and place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Brush biscuits with egg and sprinkle tops with salt. Bake until golden brown—about 15 minutes. Serve hot from oven.