Cuisine of Kentucky

Kentucky cuisine throughout most of the state's history before the discovery of coal deposits relied upon substinance farming of corn, beans and pigs. After the discovery of coal in Kentucky this changed radically to the more modern form of factory farming with steam power turning much of the native forest into arable land quickly.

KFC started in Corbin, Kentucky by Harland Sanders and Pete Harman. White Castle and other small hamburgers even though started in Kansas have one of the highest per capita consumption in Kentucky.

Kentucky is a blend of midwestern and southern cuisines. Fried catfish, slaw and hush puppies served with a glass of sweet tea is a typical summer lunch. In the southern and eastern parts of Kentucky burgoo is preferred. In the northern and western parts Cincinnati chili is more predominent with Dixie chili from Erlanger, Kentucky being the only one actually incorporated in Kentucky.

Historical ingredients

Kentuckians used to eat a lot of game animals.

• Possum
• Squirrel, some squirrels can have up to a pound of meat on them.

Ingredients of Today

• Bourbon and Whiskey
• Okra
• Venison, Kentucky has very generous hunting allowances
• Catfish, since the Ohio river became polluted some catfish aquaculture has sprung up but most is imported now.
• Ham, not as much pork. Ham was popular before refrigeration because it was cured.

Trivia

Kentucky is one of the few places in the country that Pace picante sauce sells ultra-mild salsa as many people there cannot tolerate almost any heat from capsaicin. It comes with a blue lid.