It’s not surprising that fall vegetables with a sweet flavor (like sweet potatoes) tie in well with the raisin-y, nutty, fruity notes of bourbon. But you can even pair bourbon with vegetables that have a little more bite, and the end result is quite delicious. Below two vegetables—radishes and brussels sprouts—get a dose of bourbon, just in time for the holidays

Chef Linton Hopkins knows how to cook a steak. Hopkins, one of the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chefs in the Southeast this year (tied for the honor with another Georgian, Hugh Acheson), serves up choice cuts of locally-sourced beef alongside other seasonal dishes at Atlanta’s critically-acclaimed Restaurant Eugene.

This time of year you're bound to find a plentiful supply of muscadines and scuppernongs at farmers' markets and even at your local grocery (the exact harvest time depends on weather, variety, and location). Native to the Southeast, muscadines have a complex, intensely grape-y flavor and are a natural match to the nutty spiciness of another native Southerner, bourbon. The two are combined in this sweet dessert sauce, which is akin to a quick jam or chutney. The inherent flavors of the bourbon and grape are backed up by a little honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cayenne pepper. It’s a versatile sauce, great spooned over ice-cream, spread on a biscuit or toast (or a turkey sandwich), even served on a cheese plate.



A bottle of bourbon goes a long way in the kitchen. It adds flavor when glazed over savory meat dishes like bourbon baked ham, and in desserts like bourbon pecan pie.

 And because bourbon’s flavors are so varied and versatile, the spirit works equally well in vegetable dishes. Sweet potatoes, for instance, are a classic match with ingredients like nuts, cinnamon, raisins, honey and molasses. Bourbon itself is often laced with those same flavors, so it makes sense that bourbon goes well with sweet potatoes, too. 

In this dish, sweet potatoes are baked until sweet, then mashed with warmed bourbon, brown sugar, butter, and cream, then sprinkled with pecans. It’s a simple but hearty side, brimming with warm Southern flavor.