Kentucky's Best: Fifty Years of Great Recipes

by: University of Kentucky Press

Published by: Linda Allison-Lewis

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

“Nothin’ says lovin’ like something from the oven” is a line from an old commercial. The commercial may be old, but the sentiment hasn’t changed over time. We all love good cooking and even more so during these harsh economic times. Food is comfort.

Kentucky’s Best: Fifty Years of Great Recipes is just what the good food doctors have always ordered. This delicious cookbook combines the best in gourmet dishes with more traditional “down-home” recipes. And for those of you who love to put a bit of the “spirits” in your food, grab the bottle of bourbon and get ready.

What I like about Kentucky’s Best is that the recipes contain things cooks have in their kitchens, the recipes are concise and you know from reading the ingredients that the flavors will be scrumptious.

Allison-Lewis took the best Kentucky recipes and included them in this cookbook. There are recipes from wonderful dining establishments as well as other organizations. The book covers everything from appetizers, then graduates to breads and rolls, side dishes, through main dishes and soups and salads and then goes on to desserts. But the sections I loved were the Derby Favorites, Holiday Favorites and Bluegrass Bounty.

If you love regional food that is simply delectable, Kentucky’s Best is a must have. Don’t loan it to anyone as it will never return to your kitchen. Oh, if you have a sweet tooth, check out the Peanut Butter Pie and the German Sweet Chocolate Pie. They are tasty beyond belief. And if you have weekend guests, try the Cowboy Breakfast Casserole. It’s fun, fast and delicious.

Armchair Interviews says: A must-have cookbook.