food | easy entertaining
Bourbon EASY entertaining Country Cooking
BY TIM & LORI LAIRD & DAVID DANIELSON | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY
Not that we need a reason, but
this issue of Food & Dining gives
“Easy Entertaining” a great excuse
to throw a party. It’s our tenth anniversary writing for this fine publica-
tion, and it also marks the release
of our third cookbook inspired by our column, so let’s celebrate!
For years, we have shared our love of entertaining and hosting parties by bringing different groups of people together for festive food and drinks. We began keeping a journal of our parties when we moved to Louisville in 1998, and there have been literally hundreds. These journals are filled with recipes, drinks, quantities served, guests who attended, detailed notes on which dishes were most popular, prep times, shopping lists and details that made the next time - well, easier. We started sharing our entertaining techniques, which then became the column you’re 22 Summer 2018 www.foodanddine.com
reading now and have been reading for the last decade in Food & Dining. In forty columns and more than 200 recipes, we have shared our discoveries while hosting themed parties ranging from grilled pizza to brunch, lobster feasts to shrimp boils, holiday parties to summer picnics and a wonderful myriad in between. Writing for this magazine inspired us to start writing cookbooks, as did working with acclaimed photographer, Dan Dry (who has photographed every column and all of our cookbooks). We published our first book in 2010: “That’s Entertaining! with Tim Laird, America’s CEO - Chief Entertaining Officer.” This was a compilation of some of our best “Easy Entertaining” columns with several additional chapters on a variety of entertaining occasions. Four years later, in 2014, we published our second book, “That’s Entertaining! Cocktails and Appetizers.” Over time, our writings have also featured local chefs and their favorite dishes to serve when they entertain — like David Danielson, Executive Chef of Churchill Downs. While we’ve known David for years, this sparked a discussion that led to a collaboration with him on our third book, “The Bourbon Country Cookbook: New Southern Entertaining.” This book is a guide to modern Southern entertaining and a pure celebration of Bourbon Country heritage, culture and hospitality. It distills both the old and new spirit of great Southern food and drink in 95 accessible recipes arranged by traditional fare one might find on a Kentucky table: pickles, vegetables, ancient grains, bounties from the barnyard, bourbon cocktails, and more. These recipes pay homage to the rituals of yesteryear while embracing the new Southern palate and the flavors of modern Kentucky bourbon. We’re thrilled with the end result and know you’ll enjoy some of our favorite recipes shared here.
The Bourbon Country Cookbook is available in local bookstores and wherever books are sold, including Amazon.
