by Martha Vining

“I have to research and write an article about bourbon!” I gulped to my editor when she gave me this assignment. “Just about cooking with it,” she replied firmly. Wow, sometimes this is a tough gig.

It’s May, that means the Kentucky Derby and there’s no Derby Day without mint juleps and there are no mint juleps without, drum roll please, bourbon.

Bourbon is American. The good Baptist minister Elijah Craig invented it in the mid 18th century in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Nearly all bourbon is still made in Kentucky, home to all things warm and comforting. Though technically bourbon can be made anywhere, Kentucky is the only state allowed to put its name on the bottle and as Kentucky distillers are quick to point out, bourbon is not bourbon unless the label says so. Most of it is made in the middle of Bluegrass Country, home to great music, thrilling horse races and bourbon.

The crazy thing I found out is most of the distilleries in Kentucky that make Bourbon today are located in dry counties, that is, they can make it there but you can’t buy it there, go figure.

At least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn). Bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred or toasted. That charring not only gives the bourbon a rich amber, caramelly color, it also imparts a smoky flavor to the Bourbon and that’s a great flavor addition to many foods. Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color.

Along with the corn and oak barrels required in the making of bourbon there’s another critical ingredient, thewater. Speaking in geologic terms, water in Kentucky has a lot of limestone in it and is pretty much iron-free, it’s also the reason some people feel their horses are special in Kentucky. The limestone gets right up into their bones and makes them run like the wind. What a great place for a horse race. So put on a hat for the Derby Day Parade, fix a mint julep with your favorite branch water and dig into these recipes.

Even though there’s no bourbon in this recipe for Kentucky Burgoo you can start with a glass of good quality bourbon served over chipped ice with a splash of water and cook up this savory meat and vegetable stew. Emeril’s recipe below calls for beef, lamb and chicken. In the past. burgoo has been made with a variety of meats including pork, rabbit, squirrel, and opossum.

The Classic New Orleans Bread Pudding would be great served at a Derby Day Party since it has bourbon in it and is garnished with fresh mint, just like those mint juleps mentioned earlier. Of course this recipe also calls for 5 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 3 cups of half-and-half and should only be prepared and consumed by responsible adults.

Kentucky Burgoo

Classic New Orleans Bread Pudding with a Bourbon Sauce

Filed Under: Food Talk