Lexington, KY - Horse Capital of the World

BLUEGRASS FLAVORS AND FEEL: 

Bourbon is not, contrary to stereotypes, merely for sipping on the porch or starring in a cocktail glass. Chef Jonathan Lundy is always pushing the supposed boundaries of Kentucky's foodways and a recent dinner at his restaurant in Gratz Park Inn demonstrated how food-friendly bourbon can be.

http://jagp.info/

In August, his thoughts on pairing Kentucky's great contribution to the beverage--AND food--world were published not by Whisky Magazine, but rather in Wine Enthusiast.

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2012/Bourbons-Perfect-Pairings/

Last Thursday, however, serving guests from Lexington and out-of-state, he designed a five-course menu to pair with vintage bourbons and a rye whiskey from one of Kentucky's oldest and finest bourbon distillers, Old Rip Van Winkle.

http://oldripvanwinkle.com/

It was an opportunity to sample the world of classical cuisine meeting the best of local traditions. Flavors were rich and well-able to stand up to the complexity and high alcohol of the spirits.

There was a duck confit glazed with sorghum on "blini" made with cornmeal and pumpkin, served with a sweet 10-year old bourbon, 107 proof. Tender seared sea scallops and succulent pork belly drizzled with a preserve of vanilla-pawpaw (a quintessentially Kentucky fruit that coastal types like me had only known through folk songs) went with a 12-year old, 90.4 proof. And really special were the sassafras root (another typically Kentucky taste) braised pork cheeks on goat cheese grits with a dab of pomegranate pickled onion jam followed by sips of a rare 20-year old Pappy, mild at 90.4 proof

Skip to the dessert that surprised everyone except me (it's difficult to shock a restaurant critic): the highly appropriate pairing of a rye bread pudding with burley smoked beef with a 13-year old rye whiskey.

While this dinner was unique, it is neither the first nor last of such events. A meal at Jonathan is always a treat, though, and the signature cocktail, available all the time, of course features bourbon. It is named for Belle Brezing, the genteel madam who used to run her business at Gratz Park Inn, upon whom Belle Watling in Gone With the Wind was based.

The Belle Brezing Martini also goes well with the standing menu at Jonathan.

2 oz Kentucky bourbon

1 oz Grand Marnier

1 oz pomegranate liqueur

Splash of cranberry juice

Twist of orange

Pour first four ingredients over ice and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled martini glass. Use the orange side of the twist to coat the rim of the glass. The essence of orange brings bright flavors to the cocktail.