As both a Kentuckian and a food blogger, I try to support small, Kentucky-owned businesses as often as I can. Doing this keeps money in the local economy, builds stronger communities, and creates experiences that are unique as well as diverse. You can probably imagine how excited I was when Marie Pullen of Backroad Bluegrass invited me to a dinner party featuring products from local Kentucky businesses!
A few Kentucky bloggers and a product photographer got together to cook a meal together! Fellow attendees included Nicole of Share Lex Kentucky, JC of JCP Eats, and Karrie from Muse Marketing. Marie and Brooks were the gracious hosts!
The evening began with an assortment of appetizers and wine. There was a selection of artisan cheeses by Boone Creek Creamery, specialty dipping olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Stuarto's Olive Oil Company, and wines from Harkness Edwards Vineyard served in Kentucky wine glasses by Forever Lasered Memories. The room was filled with the scent of a sweet bourbon cocktail thanks to Wixology Candle Company.
After spending time enjoying the wine, snacks, and conversation, we moved into the kitchen to prepare dinner! Everyone in attendance helped prepare a part of the meal. It was a fun experience getting to work together in the kitchen. I made the salad dressing, so I also had the opportunity to use an emulsion blender for the first time! (You can bet I put that on my wish list.)
The final product turned out to be a delectable dinner: Caprese Gnocchi with vodka sauce and pesto, Four Cheese Ravioli with meat sauce and Parmesan, and a salad dressed with pine nuts and a homemade dressing.
The fresh pasta was provided by Lexington Pasta, while the hearty meat and marinara sauce came from Triple J Farm. The salad dressing also featured more olive oil from Stuarto's as one of the ingredients! In my opinion, you can never have too much olive oil! ;)
Of course, the night would not be complete without something sweet. A pistachio cake with white chocolate mousse layers and French buttercream was served for dessert. This cake from Martine's Pastries was beautifully decorated and tasted luxurious. Totally Instagrammable, ya'll.
The evening was full of extraordinary food, but as much as I enjoyed the eating (Food is my thang after all), meeting the guests was my favorite part! These bloggers have accounts that I interact with all the time, so it was nice to meet them in person and have discussions about our similar interests. The internet is great, and I'm thankful for the way it allows us to connect, but nothing beats face to face conversations. I'm so honored to know people that are equally passionate about food, local businesses, and the bluegrass state.
This evening proves that you don't need to look past your own state to find ingredients for a lovely dinner party! I hope this inspires you to think about keeping more local ingredients in your kitchen.
(All Photography is by Karrie of Muse Marketing and Design)