Kentucky

Keeneland Track Kitchen starts the day right

Posted on by Pat and David
Thoroughbred horses are among the most beautiful creatures to walk the earth, and few places to see them are quite as magical as Keeneland (www.keeneland.com) in Lexington, Kentucky. For us, the defining character of the track is its sheer egalitarianism. Everyone there loves horses, and when you're in the presence of equine majesty, it really doesn't matter whether you're a stable hand, a groom, a jockey, a trainer, an owner, or just an admirer of horses. That's part of why we think breakfast at the Keeneland Track Kitchen is a must for every visitor to Lexington. There are two race seasons at the track: April and October. In fact, this fall's schedule concludes with the 2015 Breeder's Cup on October 30-31. But Keeneland is also...Read More

Off to the races at Keeneland

Posted on by Pat
I was a little surprised when my friend Patti told me that I should wear a skirt or dress, or at least a nice pantsuit, when we went to the thoroughbred races at Keeneland (www.keeneland.com). But Patti knows that my travel wardrobe consists mainly of black jeans and white blouses – not a bad look if I do say so myself, but definitely not the right thing for Lexington, Kentucky's National Historic Landmark track. (Hats, by the way, are optional.) Keeneland, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, was founded in 1936 to serve as an elegant showcase for the Bluegrass thoroughbred horse industry. Live races are held only twice a year (this year April 8-29 and October 7-29) and are quite an event....Read More

Sweet and tart — the Shaker take on lemon pie

Posted on by Pat
The Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, is one of my favorite Shaker sites to visit. Although it hasn't been a working Shaker community for decades, it's the largest preserved Shaker village in the country. Moreover, it is the only one that offers both overnight lodging and a good restaurant. I wrote about it last week in the Boston Globe's Food section in a piece called "A menu that reflects Shaker simplicity." The article deals with the new chef Patrick Kelly's "Seed to Table" program. His menus in the restaurant feature food from his kitchen garden and from farms in the adjacent bluegrass country near Lexington. Not only is the program in keeping with the locavore trends in contemporary dining, it also echoes the Shaker...Read More