Edible Reads: New Twists on Traditional Fare

The Bourbon Country Cookbook: New Southern Entertaining
By David Danielson and Tim Laird; Contributor: Chef Edward Lee; Photographs by Dan Dry Published by Surrey Books List price $29.95

This book distills the spirit and hospitality — both new and old — of great Southern food and drink into accessible recipes designed to help you achieve the ease and elegance of Bourbon Country entertaining in your own home. Arranged by the kind of traditional fare you’d find on a Kentucky table — pickles, vegetables, ancient grains, bounties from the barnyard, bourbon cocktails and more — these recipes pay homage to the rituals and victuals of yesteryear while embracing the new Southern palate and the flavors of modern Kentucky bourbon. Tim Laird is the chief entertaining officer of Brown-Forman. David Danielson is the executive chef at Churchill Downs.

Toast and Jam: Modern Recipes for Rustic Baked Goods and Sweet and Savory Spreads
By Sarah Owens Photographs by Ngoc Minh Ngo Published by Roost Book Hardcover $30

Bread and butter, toast and jam, scones and clotted cream — baked goods have a long tradition of being paired with spreads to make their flavors and textures sing. As a baker with a passion for plants, Sarah Owens, author of the James Beard Award– winning Sourdough, takes these simple pairings in fresh new directions. Owens offers spread and bread pairings using seasonal selections. The recipes offer fresh sensibility for the comfort found in a simple slice of toast spread with jam.

You can find these books and more at Carmichael’s Bookstores in Louisville or Joseph-Beth in Lexington. These book stores represent locally owned retailers where the benefits of buying local can be experienced. CarmichaelsBookstore.com; JosephBeth.com