Bourbon Land: The World of Bluegrass Whiskey plus 50 recipes

In his highly anticipated follow-up to the James Beard Award–winning Buttermilk Graffiti, Edward Lee examines his favorite libation—bourbon—with recipes, essays, history, profiles, distillery tours, and more.

Bourbon is more than just a drink. It’s a way of life in Kentucky, a culture all its own, and it’s globally more popular than ever. In this one-stop guide to all things bluegrass whiskey, Bourbon Land celebrates everything you want to know about the libation. In 50 entries, author and James Beard Award winner Edward Lee fills the book with personal reflections, profiles of bourbon’s historical figures and future leaders, process how-tos, histories, maps, distillery tours, and more. Lee also shares 50 recipes that take bourbon from the glass to the skillet with dishes like Mushroom Grilled Cheese with Bourbon Gravy, Roasted Fennel and Bourbon-Burnt Orange Salad, and Pork Meatballs in Bourbon Gochujang Coconut Broth. Readers will learn the ins and outs of the industry, from why corn is used in bourbon, how oak is turned into barrels, how the drink survived prohibition, and even which furry friends stand guard over the warehouses. Boasting colorful photos and illustrations, and easy-to-digest maps, Bourbon Land will make a bourbon connoisseur out of anyone.

About the Author

Edward Lee is the chef/owner of 610 Magnolia and Nami in Louisville, Kentucky, and the culinary director for Succotash Restaurants in Washington, DC, and Maryland, for which he was awarded a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide. He is also the cofounder of the LEE Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to diversity and equality in the restaurant industry. He operates the non-profit restaurant M. Frances in Washington, DC, as part of the LEE Initiative’s overall mission. He was awarded the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in 2021. Chef Lee was the recipient of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award for his book Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting Pot Cuisine. His first book was Smoke & Pickles. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his role as host of the Emmy-winning PBS series TheMind of a Chef. He has hosted and written a feature documentary called Fermented.