“Delectable recipes throughout [and] valuable hints on the fine art of being a good cook. A book to read—as well as to put to use.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Down-home Southern cooking is as much a part of Kentucky’s heritage as fine horses or bourbon whiskey. Known as a skilled hand in the kitchen, Marion Flexner compiled delicious and thoroughly tested recipes of Kentucky specialties, such as the Chocolate Almond Torte, Tombstone Pudding, and the Real Hot Brown, and “sippages” like the Apple Toddy and the Churchill Downs Mint Julep, in this classic cookbook that showcases the commonwealth’s best cuisine. Also included are colorful anecdotes that reflect a century of culinary Kentucky. “Out of Kentucky Kitchens is in the small circle of definitive books on Southern cookery and history.”―John Egerton, author of Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History

Good food is as much a part of the Kentucky heritage as fine horses and bourbon whiskey. And nowhere is Kentucky's traditional cuisine better presented than in Out of Kentucky Kitchens by Louisville's own Marion Flexner. First published in 1949, the book has been popular with cooks and cookbook collectors ever since. A highly skilled hand in the kitchen, Marion Flexner compiled a representative gathering of delicious, thoroughly tested recipes of Kentucky specialties, many of them "heirloom" items given to her by friends and acquaintances. Colorful anecdotes about famous Kentuckians, hostesses, and cooks spanning 100 years accompany the recipes, taking the reader on a journey through Kentucky's culinary history and society. With this authentic Kentucky classic, cooks of older and newer generations can once again have a regional culinary guide that is a delight to use and read.

Over 100 old-time recipes “authentic enough that one can easily cook like grandma (or her ma). A must for every kitchen and a nostalgic delight” (Louisville Courier-Journal). Kitchens aren’t just a place to prepare food—they’re cornerstones of the home and family. Just as memories are passed down through stories shared around the stove, recipes preserve traditions and customs for future generations. The Historic Kentucky Kitchen assembles over one hundred dishes from nineteenth and twentieth-century Kentucky cooks. Deirdre A. Scaggs and Andrew W. McGraw collected recipes from handwritten books, diaries, scrapbook clippings, and out-of-print cookbooks from the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections to bring together a variety of classic dishes, complete with descriptions of each recipe’s origin and helpful tips for the modern chef. The authors, who carefully tested each dish, also provide recipe modifications and substitutions for hard-to-find ingredients. This entertaining cookbook also serves up famous Kentuckians’ favorite dishes, including John Sherman Cooper’s preferred comfort food (eggs somerset) and Lucy Hayes Breckinridge’s “excellent” fried oysters. The recipes are flavored with humorous details such as “[for] those who thought they could not eat parsnips” and “Granny used to beat ’em [biscuits] with a musket.” Accented with historic photos and featuring traditional meals ranging from skillet cakes to spaghetti with celery and ham, this is a novel and tasty way to experience the rich, diverse history of the Bluegrass State.

“A seasonal culinary journey that guides home cooks through a year in a Kentucky kitchen, highlighting the best local dishes of the Bluegrass region.” —Tastings With more than two hundred recipes, this book guides both aspiring and experienced cooks in the preparation of delicious meals using the delightful variety of foods found in Kentucky. Maggie Green welcomes readers with her modern and accessible approach, incorporating seasonally available Kentucky produce in her recipes but also substituting frozen or canned food when necessary. She complements her year of recipes with tidbits about her own experiences with food, including regional food traditions she learned growing up in Lexington, attending the University of Kentucky, and raising a family in Northern Kentucky. The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook acknowledges the importance of Kentucky’s culinary and agricultural traditions while showing how southern culture shapes food choices and cooking methods. Green appeals to modern tastes using up-to-date, easy to follow recipes and cooking techniques, and she addresses the concerns of contemporary cooks with regard to saving time, promoting good health, and protecting the environment. The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook contains a year’s worth of recipes and menus for everyday meals, holiday events, and special family occasions—all written with Kentucky flair. “Green, whose new cookbook reads like notes from a lifelong Lexington friend, finds the best of what is ripe and ready to eat each month of the year.” —Lexington Herald-Leader “The collection of recipes inside, with the author’s notes included, would be a lovely meal to cook for Mom, to serve while watching the Derby, or just to celebrate a beautiful spring day.” —Kentucky/Cincinnati Enquirer