The Bourbon Country Cookbook - by David Danielson & Tim Laird (Hardcover)

About the Book

A tour of Bourbon Country and modern southern entertaining through more than 90 recipes developed by David Danielson, executive chef at Churchill Downs, and Tim Laird, chief entertaining officer of Brown-Forman.

Book Synopsis

Bourbon, the first uniquely American distilled spirit, is nearly synonymous with Kentucky, its birthplace. The region conjures images of verdant hills of bluegrass, rolling pastures punctuated like an intricate quilt with horse farms' defining white fences, cold bourbon cocktails sweating in the sun, and hundreds of well-dressed racegoers urging their steeds of choice to the finish line--all culminating into one distinctive southern heritage.

However, bourbon has come a long way since it was first distilled in the late 1700s, and its popularity and refinement have never been greater. At the same time, southern cuisine has evolved to keep up with bourbon's evolution through once unheard-of collaborations between kitchen and bar, a renewed interest in seasonal local ingredients, and the influence of the delicious food traditions of the region's growing migrant populations.

This book distills the spirit and hospitality--both new and old--of great southern food and drink into 90 accessible recipes designed to help you achieve the ease and elegance of Bourbon Country entertaining in your own home. Arranged by the kind of traditional fare you'd find on a Kentucky table--pickles, vegetables, ancient grains, bounties from the barnyard, bourbon cocktails, and more--these recipes pay homage to the rituals and victuals of yesteryear while embracing the new southern palate and the flavors of modern Kentucky bourbon.

Review Quotes

Advance praise for The Bourbon Country Cookbook:

"When the first Saturday in May rolls around and you begin to long for a taste of that Old Kentucky home you may or may not hail from, but surely do revere, The Bourbon Country Cookbook is here to help take you home. Farm fresh and artisanal aren't trends in the bluegrass state, but a long-established way of life. Add the resonant ring of the finest American distillation--Kentucky bourbon--as these brilliant chefs do, and you've created magnificence and memories. In fact, the recipes, stories, and photographs here are so fine, you won't want to wait for a horse race, but use this book year 'round. After all, it's always a fine time to eat and drink in Bourbon Country." --Ronni Lundy, author of Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes, winner of the 2017 James Beard Awards for Best American Cookbook and Book of the Year

"A book that will stand as one of the most essential cookbooks in the history of Southern cuisine." --Edward Lee, chef and author of Smoke and Pickles

"The ultimate guide to modern Southern entertaining." --The Bourbon Review

"Generous Southern hospitality and reverence for the rich, deep history of the food and drink of the rolling bluegrass hills of Kentucky are at the heart of The Bourbon Country Cookbook. Packed with entertaining tips, a host of traditional and contemporary recipes, and evocative photographs of the region and its food, this is more than a simple cookbook; The Bourbon Country Cookbook is a bible on entertaining." --Virginia Willis, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and chef

"This book captures the beauty and pageantry of the Derby and the surrounding Kentucky Bourbon Country. After living in Louisville for seven years, I always get wistful the first weekend in May, no matter where I happen to be. Now I can grab this great cookbook and take my annual Derby party to the next level." --Jerry Slater, restaurateur and coauthor of The Southern Foodways Alliance Guide to Cocktails

"When people ask me what American cuisine is, I say we have many different regional cuisines. Danielson and Laird's book is a perfect example of a famous and specific area with its Derby and Bourbon Country traditions, culture, food, and cocktails. This book is a great guide for planning a festive and spirited party." --Elizabeth Falkner, chef and author of Cooking Off the Clock

"This book radiates Kentucky cuisine better than any book I have read. I am inspired by these dishes, and the bourbon cocktail chapter is amazing!" --Rick Tramonto, executive chef, Tramonto Cuisine

About the Author

Tim Laird is an authority on wines and spirits with more than thirty years of experience in the hospitality industry. He is the chief entertaining officer of Brown-Forman, a major producer of fine wines and spirits (including Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve, and Old Forester whiskeys and bourbons) based in Louisville, Kentucky. Laird hosts two local weekly television shows--Secrets of Bluegrass Chefs and Secrets of Louisville Chefs--and is a featured columnist for Louisville's Food & Dining Magazine. He has appeared on Today, The Early Show, Fox & Friends, The Tonight Show, and World News Now, among many others.

David Danielson is the executive chef at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby. Prior to joining the team at Churchill Downs, Chef Danielson held executive chef positions at the Rockefeller Center in New York with Restaurant Associates, the United Nations Plaza Hotel, and The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. Over the course of his more than 20 years in the industry, Chef Danielson has managed and catered numerous momentous events including the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl, the US Open, the PGA championship, and the Olympics, among others. He was featured in People for the food he cooked for the 2016 Kentucky Derby.