Reviews
"The boundless beauty of Kentucky cuisine is joyfully captured in these pages by a chef who has defined this region with her cooking. She is a custodian of tradition, a magician of flavor, and her restaurants are the narratives that tell us who we are in Kentucky. This book will be a treasure for generations to come." -- Edward Lee, chef and author of Buttermilk Graffiti (winner of James Beard Award for Best Book of the Year in Writing) and Smoke & Pickles, Just a Few Miles South is a brilliant field guide to the food and culture of the Bluegrass, as embodied by Ouita's family of restaurants. It's a cookbook that feels as dear to me as a family heirloom, packed with the recipes I've treasured most from my time at Wallace Station and the Holly Hill Inn (as both a patron and a chef), scaled down and simplified for the home cook., "With the healthy dose of local history and fare wound into this presentation, it stands out from the crowd as a Bluegrass cultural food guide and cookbook gem." -- Donovan's Literary Services, With the healthy dose of local history and fare wound into this presentation, it stands out from the crowd as a Bluegrass cultural food guide and cookbook gem., This new compendium of recipes from across her empire celebrates the region's historic disheswhile lovingly casting a spotlight on the people who are making dishes like Bourbon Banh Mi and a Wallace Cubano into new Kentucky classics., "Ouita is quintessential Kentucky, reflecting our treasured culinary culture. Her respect for the Bluegrass blends perfectly with her incredible and innovative journey with food. A presentation as delightful as Ouita's authentic hospitality. Food is love, and Ouita delivers this beautiful message on a silver tray." -- Peggy Noe Stevens, founder of the Bourbon Women Association and coauthor of Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon?, " Just a Few Miles South' s traditional Kentucky recipes take me back to my grandmother's table. And I'm delighted that among so many treasures, the recipes for the peerless soup beans and cornbread I've devoured on so many visits to Wallace Station are included. Throughout her restaurants and this book, the use of locally sourced ingredients combined with expert preparations become edible love letters to Kentuckians. Thank you, Ouita!" -- Susan Reigler, coauthor of Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon? and a former restaurant critic for the Louisville Courier-Journal, "This new compendium of recipes from across her empire celebrates the region's historic dishes...while lovingly casting a spotlight on the people who are making dishes like Bourbon Banh Mi and a Wallace Cubano into new Kentucky classics." -- Food & Wine, The boundless beauty of Kentucky cuisine is joyfully captured in these pages by a chef who has defined this region with her cooking. She is a custodian of tradition, a magician of flavor, and her restaurants are the narratives that tell us who we are in Kentucky. This book will be a treasure for generations to come., Ouita champions many of the good things we associate with old and new Kentucky, from lard can burgoo to banh mi with bourbon mayonnaise. In this love letter to her state and her people, her cooking and advocacy entwine, making a strong case for the power of food to make a difference in our daily lives., Ouita is quintessential Kentucky, reflecting our treasured culinary culture. Her respect for the Bluegrass blends perfectly with her incredible and innovative journey with food. A presentation as delightful as Ouita's authentic hospitality. Food is love, and Ouita delivers this beautiful message on a silver tray., "With the challenges facing dine-in restaraunts this past year, this cookbook will offer a springtime solution for Kentucky food lovers who want to re-create the same flavors from Chef Ouita restaraunts at home." -- Ace Magazine, " Just a Few Miles South features next-level fixings... sure to jazz up even the most desultory work-from-home lunch.... Brenna Flannery's line drawings make this a strikingly beautiful book in black and white, but it's also as deliciously down-to-earth as can be." -- BookPage, Michel, the chef and restaurateur behind [seven] Kentucky restaurants, shares simple and satisfying recipes from each of her eateries in this charming cookbook.... Home cooks will enjoy the simplicity and heartiness jam-packed into this collection., Chef Ouita is the undisputed queen of Kentucky cooking. Her understated yet elegant cooking has done more for the region than anyone else I can think of. She is a mentor, an activist, and a force! With Just a Few Miles South , she shares her love for her home and shows us what makes that place and her so special!, "Michel, the chef and restaurateur behind [seven] Kentucky restaurants, shares simple and satisfying recipes from each of her eateries in this charming cookbook.... Home cooks will enjoy the simplicity and heartiness jam-packed into this collection." -- Publishers Weekly, " Just a Few Miles South is a brilliant field guide to the food and culture of the Bluegrass, as embodied by Ouita's family of restaurants. It's a cookbook that feels as dear to me as a family heirloom, packed with the recipes I've treasured most from my time at Wallace Station and the Holly Hill Inn (as both a patron and a chef), scaled down and simplified for the home cook." -- Stella Parks, pastry chef and New York Times -bestselling author of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, "Ouita champions many of the good things we associate with old and new Kentucky, from lard can burgoo to banh mi with bourbon mayonnaise. In this love letter to her state and her people, her cooking and advocacy entwine, making a strong case for the power of food to make a difference in our daily lives." -- John T. Edge, author of The Potlikker Papers, " Just a Few Miles South is a brilliant field guide to the food and culture of the bluegrass, as embodied by Ouita's family of restaurants. It's a cookbook that feels as dear to me as a family heirloom, packed with the recipes I've treasured most from my time at Wallace Station and the Holly Hill Inn (as both a patron and a chef), scaled down and simplified for the home cook." -- Stella Parks, pastry chef and New York Times -bestselling author of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, "Michel, the chef and restaurateur behind four Kentucky restaurants, shares simple and satisfying recipes from each of her eateries in this charming cookbook.... Home cooks will enjoy the simplicity and heartiness jam-packed into this collection." -- Publishers Weekly, Just a Few Miles South features next-level fixings... sure to jazz up even the most desultory work-from-home lunch.... Brenna Flannery's line drawings make this a strikingly beautiful book in black and white, but it's also as deliciously down-to-earth as can be., Just a Few Miles South' s traditional Kentucky recipes take me back to my grandmother's table. And I'm delighted that among so many treasures, the recipes for the peerless soup beans and cornbread I've devoured on so many visits to Wallace Station are included. Throughout her restaurants and this book, the use of locally sourced ingredients combined with expert preparations become edible love letters to Kentuckians. Thank you, Ouita!, "The boundless beauty of Kentucky cuisine is joyfully captured in these pages by a chef who has defined this region with her cooking. She is a custodian of tradition, a magician of flavor and her restaurants are the narratives that tell us who we are in Kentucky. This book will be a treasure for generations to come." -- Edward Lee, chef and author of Buttermilk Graffiti (winner of James Beard Award for Best Book of the Year in Writing) and Smoke & Pickles, "Chef Ouita is the undisputed queen of Kentucky cooking. Her understated yet elegant cooking has done more for the region than anyone else I can think of. She is a mentor, an activist, and a force! With Just a Few Miles South , she shares her love for her home and shows us what makes that place and her so special!" -- Vishwesh Bhatt, winner of the 2019 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the South, The recipes in this book are so good, when you taste them you'll want to--in the words of legendary Southern cook, Ernest Matthew Mickler--'lay down on the floor and scream!', "Ouita champions many of the good things we associate with old and new Kentucky, from lard can burgoo to banh mi with bourbon mayonnaise. In this love letter to her state and her people, her cooking and advocacy entwine, making a strong case for the power of food to make a difference in our daily lives." -- John T. Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance and author of The Potlikker Papers, Just a Few Miles South is an interesting book that should please any foodie who appreciates classic Kentucky dishes. Readers who have patronized some of the Michel Family of Restaurants may of course relate to the authors' comments in a special way, but any cook/baker can profit by the detailed recipes for each dish and enjoy the cultural insights provided along the way., The recipes in this book are so good, when you taste them you'll want to--in the words of legendary Southern cook, Ernest Matthew Mickler--"lay down on the floor and scream!", With the challenges facing dine-in restaurants this past year, this cookbook will offer a springtime solution for Kentucky food lovers who want to re-create the same flavors from Chef Ouita restaurants at home.
Synopsis
For twenty years, diners in the Bluegrass have been able to satisfy their cravings for Ouita Michel's sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine at her many acclaimed restaurants. Each restaurant--from Wallace Station to Holly Hill Inn--features dishes that combine Kentucky's bounty with Michel's celebrated vision. Diners can enjoy traditional southern staples like buttermilk biscuits, country ham, and Po-Boy sandwiches, or opt for unique variations on international favorites and American classics. Now, readers around the country can experience what makes Ouita Michel a culinary and cultural treasure. Just a Few Miles South serves up the recipes that patrons of Michel's restaurants have come to know and love, including the Bluegrass Benedict breakfast sandwich, Ouita's Sardou Panini, Wallace Station's Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup, and Honeywood's Hoecake Burger. Some dishes offer creative twists on classics, like the Inside Out Hot Brown, the Wallace Cubano, or the Bourbon Banh Mi. Throughout, the chefs responsible for these delicious creations share the rich traditions and stories behind the recipes. When you can't get down to your favorite place, this book will help you bring home the aroma, the flavors, and the love of fresh foods made with locally sourced ingredients--and share it all with friends and family., For twenty years, diners in the Bluegrass have been able to satisfy their cravings for Ouita Michel's sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine at her many acclaimed restaurants. Each restaurant -- from Wallace Station to Holly Hill Inn -- features dishes that combine Kentucky's bounty with Michel's celebrated vision. Diners can enjoy traditional southern staples like buttermilk biscuits, country ham, and Po-Boy sandwiches, or opt for unique variations on international favorites and American classics. Now, readers around the country can experience what makes Ouita Michel a culinary and cultural treasure. Just a Few Miles South serves up the recipes that patrons of Michel's restaurants have come to know and love, including the Bluegrass Benedict breakfast sandwich, Ouita's Sardou Panini, Wallace Station's Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup, and Honeywood's Hoecake Burger. Some dishes offer creative twists on classics, like the Inside Out Hot Brown, the Wallace Cubano, or the Bourbon Banh Mi. Throughout, the chefs responsible for these delicious creations share the rich traditions and stories behind the recipes. When you can't get down to your favorite place, this book will help you bring home the aroma, the flavors, and the love of fresh foods made with locally sourced ingredients -- and share it all with friends and family.
