
Featured
David’s Pea Salad —
Crunchy, herby and sweet!

Rhubarb Mostarda
We know the rhubarb in our Holly Hill Inn gardens won't be around for long, so we're always looking for ways to preserve this tart treat. The mostarda comes together quickly but its tangy flavors can be enjoyed for weeks.

Garden Keepsakes
We recently toured the gardens at Holly Hill Inn Inn with staff farmer David Wagoner. Then feeling inspired by all that glorious green, we gathered a bundle of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme to create a bouquet garni vinegar, and played around with the gigantic leaves of an aggressive horseradish plant.

David’s Pea Salad
When we served a Kentucky Proud lunch for the recent Local Food Systems Summit, Chef David's herby, sweet and crunchy salad was the fastest-disappearing side dish on the buffet. You could blanch the peas first, but you don't have to, making the salad perfect for hot, humid days.

Coming Down, Living On – A Barn Razing
Tobacco barns once populated the agricultural landscape across much of Kentucky. Some are gone forever; others survive in new iterations.

Boulevardier Part-ay
Here’s a batched cocktail perfect for early summer parties. Though it’s usually thought of as a winter cocktail, serving a Boulevardier on the rocks lightens it up enough to be refreshing anytime.
Named for the Paris boulevards so well-trod by American expats, the Boulevardier happens to be delicious made with bourbon and also happens to be the favorite drink of our pal Chef Kristin Smith.

Paula Daniels - 2025 Keynote Speaker - Kentucky Local Food Systems Summit
Meet Paula Daniels, 2025 Keynote Speaker for the Kentucky Local Food Systems Summit, presented in partnership with F.E.A.S.T., the signature fundraiser of FoodChain Lexington.

Mother Land
Not all farms grow just food. Some grow flowers too, and we traveled to a flower farm to meet a mother whose daughters are carrying on the family business, each in her own way.
Lisa’s Remoulade
We never run out of ways to use Lisa's remoulade sauce - it's a staple in all our seafood baskets, delicious on crab cakes and hushpuppies, great for dipping potato wedges, etc. etc. We've referenced it many times in our recipes for other dishes; here's how to make it!

A Guide to Holly Hill Namesakes
Ever wonder about the Merv behind Merv's Ham & Jalapeño? Who Betty Ann and Dr. P are, and how our restaurants got their names? We reveal the who, what and where behind our favorite places and most popular dishes.

Southern Heirloom Coconut Cake
Katherine McCutchen’s recipe originally appeared in the Heritage Cookbook, first published in 1998 by the African American Heritage Center of Simpson County, Ky. According to an article at the time of her death, the South Union matriarch was “an influential and driving force behind the creation and preservation of the African American Heritage Center.”
We present Mrs. McCutchen’s recipe almost exactly as she wrote it – in her usual meticulous way, according to her son Keith. It would be perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, Derby or graduation. Really for any spring celebration.

Keith Duncan and His Magic Mushrooms
Culinarily, mushrooms are a rich source of the prized and elusive umami. Like the old saying about porn, umami is hard to describe but you know it when you taste it.
To learn more about these umami bombs, we drove out to Narrow Gate Farm to meet our Holly Hill mushroom supplier, Keith Duncan.

Dutch Lessons
Not all farms grow food in fields. A Dutch family is working to transplant its technical know-how from the Netherlands, a country that has nearly perfected high-yield, small footprint food production, to its first North American venture.

Berries & Cheese
It's a little early yet for garden-grown strawberries but here's a sweet little recipe that works especially well with greenhouse berries like the ones that Bosch Berries grows down the road in Somerset.

Early Spring Garden
Holly Hill farmer David Wagoner dishes a little dirt on what he and the DirtWorks gardening crew have been up to over the winter. We can't wait to welcome you back to enjoy the fruit (and veggies and flowers and herbs) of their labors. And be sure to look for the Spring Beauties; they're popping up all over after a long winter's nap!

Berry Dry-Aged Beef - the back story
It's March and that means the return of our Great American Steakhouse Menu, with an extra-special addition this year. Our friends at Berry Beef have debuted a dry-aged Cowgirl Ribeye and the only place you can enjoy one is at Holly Hill Inn. It's practically perfection on a plate and here's the story of how it came to be.

Traditional Ulster Champ
Chefs Ouita and Tyler taught this recipe in their Luck of the Irish cooking class. It's a delicious variation on the usual mashed potatoes and especially tasty with a beefy steak.

Cover Your Bases
Mirepoix, holy trinity, and sofrito are each composed of a few simple ingredients that in turn form the base of many dishes, especially stocks and soups, sauces, and stews. These bases give it all up for the greater good and once the finished dish is ready, you may not know they’re there but you’d miss them for sure if they weren’t.

Cured with Love
Alvio and Elaisy Lapinet are the young Louisville couple behind Cured Restaurant and Salumeria and Alvio's Cuban Meats. Learn how they're making their American dream come true.

Papas Bravas y Chorizo
Smoky, crispy papas bravas are one of our favorite tapas. We paired them with Alvio's Spanish-style chorizo and whipped up a quick aioli for dipping.
Introduction to Induction
We've spent the last two years cooking hundreds of dishes on the induction burners at our Holly Hill studio. Here's a little of what we've learned along the way, including the pros and cons of induction cooking.