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Adventures in Bitters
The hidden ingredient in your cocktail
Honeywood Cheese Salad
This cheese salad tops the Honeywood Smash Burger but with local tomatoes coming on, we’re a big fan of whipping up a batch at home to spread on a slab of toasted bread under a thick slice of juicy tomato.
Charred Baby Carrots
This dish is as much about philosophy as technique. The best thing about (most) local summer vegetables is their intrinsic sweetness, often missing from supermarket produce. This sweetness is highlighted by the smoky-bitter contrast of grilling and the tangy creaminess of the preserved lemon yogurt, then played up again by the pistachios and golden raisins.
Freda Raglin’s Yeast Rolls
We’ll never be able to duplicate Freda’s expertise or the magic of her touch. But we tried our best to duplicate her technique and measurements in bringing you this recipe for her famous yeast rolls. We hope you’ll proceed with a light hand, an abundance of patience, an acceptance of butter, and friends and family to share the love.
Carrot Top Pesto
Use this recipe as a guide and let your taste buds and crisper drawer inspire your own unique creation.
Strawberry Shortcakes
Is there anything sweeter than a Kentucky strawberry ripened under May’s sunshine? Likely not. Strawberries are hitting the farmers markets this week; and u-pick farms are open, too. Our favorite way to celebrate Kentucky’s all-too-brief strawberry season is to make strawberry shortcake.
The Store Cold Ziti Salad
This Ziti Salad came to us by way of Chris Michel, by way of his mother Joan, by way of their East Hampton beach house, by way of The Store, a legendary takeout shop in Amagansett that catered to the rich and famous.
Snug Hollow Polenta Breakfast Fries
These tasty batons served at Snug Hollow Farm B&B will add a little spice and a lot of crunch to your morning spread!
Snug Hollow Oatmeal Pancakes
One of Barbara Napier’s specialties, these are a welcome treat on cool spring mornings before a day spent in the woods.
Dueling Mint Juleps
Love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion on how to make one (or if it should be made at all). But two things that hold steadfast are the use of Kentucky mint and good Kentucky bourbon (whatever your preference). We present two variations for you to test for yourself.
Benedictine
Our Benedictine recipe comes from former sous chef Lisa Laufer. Named for legendary Louisville caterer Jennie Benedict, this version from Lisa made it into the updated preface of Benedict’s classic Blue Ribbon Cookbook. Benedictine spread is a staple at Kentucky Derby parties but delicious anytime. Not just a great sandwich spread; Benedictine is perfect for stuffing cherry tomatoes or topping hoecakes, especially with a sliver or two of Kentucky smoked trout.
From the Kentucky Governor’s Mansion
Our Kentucky Governor’s Mansion is proudly referred to as the “People’s House”, belonging to all Kentuckians. And it’s one of just a few executive mansions in the United States that are open to the public, as befits Kentucky’s legendary reputation for hospitality. So you can imagine how thrilled we were to receive not one, but two, recipes from the kitchen of the “People’s House.”
Dressed vs Deviled Eggs
It’s the time of year when our fancy turns to springtime celebrations and racetrack tailgating. Holly Hill Culinary Director Tyler McNabb and Events Chef Scott Darnell share two delightfully different takes on how to dress up (or devil down) your fresh local eggs.
Shady Lane Chicken Salad
Chef Ouita named her signature Wallace Station chicken salad after beautiful Shady Lane. They make it in house every day with freshly prepared chicken, crisp celery, toasted almonds and sweet/tart dried cranberries and this is a peek behind the scenes.
Penny’s Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette
One of Chef Ouita’s family salad traditions included her mom’s pumpkin seed vinaigrette. Pam, or Penny as was her childhood nickname, made it every week and kept a small jar of it in the fridge. Enjoy Ouita’s secret tribute to her mom on any lettuce or cabbage salad, or as a dip with crudite!
Earth Apples and Shrooms
The beauty of this dish is that you can make it with whatever is fresh and in season locally; this is what we recently found at the Lexington Farmers Market. Measure with your heart and based on your audience. Cooking for yourself? Maybe two potatoes, a handful of mushrooms and a fried local egg on top for a great meal. Cooking for a group? Go for a couple pounds of potatoes, more mushrooms and serve it as a side!
Lisa’s Étouffée
Former Holly Hill Inn sous chef Lisa Laufer loved New Orleans. Countless cooks in our kitchen learned techniques and dishes at her side but when it came to writing down actual recipes, she liked to keep some things to herself. That’s why we say our recipe for Étouffée was inspired by Lisa. Because we’re pretty sure we’ll never be able to duplicate the secret ingredient she added to every dish ~ her own ineffable touch.
Buttermilk Chess Pie
The Imbolc festival (aka St. Brigid's Day celebration) was a significant agricultural event for Gaelic cultures. Marking the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, it features milk and butter, along with lemon and eggs which signify the sun. And we bring them all together in our delicious Buttermilk Chess Pie!
Bundle of Joy
A quick and refreshing zero proof cocktail named after a rock climbing route in the Red River Gorge that Sean is looking forward to climbing! We highly recommend buying fresh citrus fruits and juicing them yourself. The rind and pith excrete oils and elevate the drink even more!
Qabuli Pulao
Qabuli Pulao is not a dish to be rushed. It’s not a difficult dish to make but multiple bowls and pots and pans will be used! It’s best made on a snowy weekend afternoon while sipping a leisurely cup of tea. Even better, play a little game of Barfi on a friend and have them make it for you!