Page 171 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL EATING IBERIA

The next morning we had breakfast at the eatery from local favorite chef Ouita Michel, who
Kentucky Castle (thekentuckycastle.com), an im- also heads the Holly Hill Inn in Bluegrass Country
posing,eye-catching propertythathadbeenaban- and Smithtown Seafood in Lexington. Michel is a
doned before completion for some 30 years. true farm-to-table chef who has made support of
Begunin1970byRexMartinandhiswifeafter local farmers her life’s passion. She has been nom-
theyhoneymoonedinEurope,thecoupledivorced inated as Best Chef Southeast numerous times by
before it was finished. Martin abandoned the the James Beard Foundation and is a member of
project and couldn’t seem to let it go for 30 years. Slow Food USA.
Today’s owners, a group of University of Ken- Honeywood is ensconced in Lexington’s new
tucky doctors and other investors, have created a shopping and entertainment mall, The Summit at
beautiful hotel, restaurant and event space. Fritz Farm. Honeywood is a beacon for today’s
Kentucky cuisine.
Christie Eckerline, chief operating officer, told
us the property is trying to become Lexington’s Pursuing that bourbon a bit more, we visited
version of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. the Lexington Distillery District where the James
Pepper Distillery showcases a tiny history mu-
“They are much larger, but this year our or-
ganic garden was certified,” she said. “About 80% seum of the district and the distillery trade that
Kentucky is known for.
of our produce is from our own property. We want
to have cattle and sheep; we have chickens on site “This is the place where it all began,” Marjorie
for eggs and goats for milk and cheese… we have Amon,themanageroftheJamesPepperDistillery
an apiary for honey.” told us.
They have even planted oak trees inoculated While this property had been abandoned for
with black truffles which they expect will produce some 50 years, 10 years ago some local en-
the little gems in eight or nine more years. Their trepreneurs brought the area back to life. Today
quarterly bourbon dinners are always popular. there are two working bourbon distilleries here, a
And sky-high biscuits are beloved here. craft brewery, a lodge-style tavern, a live music
venue, several restaurants including a popular
We had more bountiful biscuits at Honey-
pizzeria as well as Middle Fork, named one of the
wood (honeywoodrestaurant.com), the largest
100 Hottest Restaurants for 2016 by Open Table.

The check-in desk at 21C Hotel in
Cincinnati features an original
painting by Kehinde Wiley,
“Morpheus, 2008.” Wiley is famed
for having painted President
Barak Obama’s portrait. In this
series of works, Wiley recreates
classic Renaissance paintings
with normal people from his
Compton neighborhood,
empowering kids to see
themselves differently.

Opposite: The colorful historic
buildings surrounding Finlay
Market in Cincinnati.

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