Cuisine of Kentucky

Thecuisine ofKentuckymostly resembles and is a part of traditionalSouthern cuisine. Some common dinner dishes arefried catfishandhushpuppies,fried chickenandcountry fried steak. These are usually served with vegetables such asgreen beans,greens,pinto beans(or "soup beans") slow-cooked with pork as seasoning and served withcornbread. Other popular items includefried green tomatoes,cheese grits, corn pudding,fried okra, andchicken and dumplings, which can be found across the commonwealth.
In addition to this, Kentucky is known for its own regional style ofbarbecue.This style of barbecue is unique in itself given that it usesmutton, and is a style of Southern barbecue unique to Kentucky.
Although Kentucky's cuisine is generally very similar to that of traditional Southern cuisine, it does differ with some unique dishes, especially in Louisville where theHot BrownandDerby pie(a variation ofpecan pie, common throughout the American South), originated.
In northwestern parts of Kentucky,burgoois a favorite, while in southwestern parts of the state, regularchili con carneis a typical staple. Innorthern Kentuckyplus Louisville and Lexington,Cincinnati chiliis a popularfast food.Northern Kentuckyand theLouisvillearea are also home to a pronouncedGerman-Americanpopulation, translating into northern-like preferences for beer and Europeansausages. However, the remainder of the state's cuisine tends to be thoroughly Southern, preferring breakfast meats likecountry ham, ground pork sausage and as their beverage of choice, the state's renownedbourbon whiskey. Some common desserts arechess pie,pecan pie,blackberrycobblerandbread pudding.
Pioneer and missionary author Timothy Flintwrote that the Kentuckians atepersimmon,venison,wild turkey,sweet potatoand "pies smoked on the table" washed down with maple beer andMadeira winewhen thegamewas plentiful, and "hog and homily" in lean times.
Food priceswere low and money hard to come by in the intervening years between settlement and admission to theUnion.Saltwas quite costly, but sweeteners likehoneyandmaplewere more commonly available. Prices for staple foodstuffs such asbeef,mutton,pork,geese,chicken,turkey,butterandflourare known fromGilbert Imlay's account.
Homes in the frontier lands of Kentucky were often unfloored, the shelters ranged between humblelean-tosand more sturdy cabins. Only in the better cabins werehearthsmade with stone.Daniel Drake, a Cincinnati born physician, described his 18th-century Kentucky home:
Thomas Ashe mentionssalt bacon,squirrel brothandhominyin his report of a Kentucky dinner. According to Ashe the Kentucky pioneers rarely ate vegetables or fresh meat:  "The Kentuckyan [sic] ate nothing but bacon, which indeed is the favourite diet of all the inhabitants of the State, and drank nothing but whiskey, which soon made him more than two thirds drunk."
Potatoes,corn,carrots,onions,turnips,parsnips,tomatoes,green beans,butter beans,peas,mustard greens,kale,scallions,sweet potatoes,yellow summer squash,zucchini,butternut squash,cauliflower,broccoli,mushrooms,cucumbers,asparagus,bell peppers(called mangoes by older rural Kentuckians),banana peppers,cabbage,beets,eggplant,garlicandavocados.
Blackberries,peaches,apples,watermelon,cantaloupe,pears,plums,grapes,cherries,pawpawsandpersimmons.
Walnuts,pecans,almonds,peanutsandcashews.
Oats,cornandsorghum.
The Ohio River region of western Kentucky,Daviess,HendersonandUnioncounties (the area centering onOwensboroandHenderson) has developed a unique style ofpit barbecue, featuring a heavy dose of vinegar-based sauces, often served with pickles, onions,potato saladandcoleslaw. The three main meats used are chicken, pork and mutton.Burgoois a specialty. Owensboro is home to theInternational Bar-B-Q Festival, which is a sanctioned barbecue competition.
Farther to the west, in thePurchase area, pit barbecue is primarily pork shoulder, with the unmodified word "barbecue" referring specifically to that meat. The other meats used in the Owensboro–Henderson area are generally available as well. Sauces are essentially identical in the two regions.