The Deep South

I was actually thinking of saving the Deep South of America for my last series of articles on the US, but I just could not wait any longer, as it contains some amazing locations and one of my favourite places on earth, New Orleans. The Deep South of America as it is known includes the states of Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky & Alabama, places steeped in history, home to legendary cities where music is front and centre all day, every day. The food scene in the Deep South is mind blowing, with mouth-watering Creole cuisine, the best BBQ you are ever likely to taste, incredible seafood, awesome sandwiches and regional dishes aplenty.

Kentucky is known as The Bluegrass State and probably most well known as the home of bourbon - there are over 5 million barrels of bourbon in Kentucky, which is more than people who live in the state! Kentucky is home to one of the worlds most famous horse races, 'The Kentucky Derby’, so horses are a major part of the state, with over a quarter of a million horses grazing on over a million acres of rolling Bluegrass. You would most likely have lived in a hole in the ground for the last 50 years if you have not heard of (and paid a visit to) one of ‘The Colonel’s Places” - Kentucky Fried Chicken! However, whilst KFC is known as fast food over here, fried chicken is legendary throughout Kentucky and a completely different and delicious proposition when eaten in the right place, be it bar, diner, dive or top class restaurant.?

Arguably the most famous city in Kentucky is Louisville, home to one of the most famous sportsman ever - ‘The Louisville Lip’, Muhammad Ali. It is home to The Kentucky Derby, KFC, Louisville Slugger baseball bats and one of the best known spirits on earth, bourbon. If bourbon is your tipple, then The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is an absolute must. There are over 2500 restaurants in Louisville, offering everything from international fine dining cuisine to upmarket local specialities. There a couple of experiences you should not miss, namely sampling some mouth-watering fried chicken or the ‘Hot Brown’ sandwich, whilst washing it down with a craft beer or Louisville’s official cocktail, the bourbon-based Old Fashioned. Don’t forget, no trip to the Deep South is complete without sampling some delicious Kentucky BBQ - I am working my way through the Deep South to find which place has the best BBQ, it is a chore, but I feel it is important someone does it! Lexington is the second largest city in Kentucky and is ‘The horse capital of the world’. A cosmopolitan city with a lively atmosphere, surrounded by over 450 horse farms and the famous rolling Bluegrass hills. Abraham Lincoln was also born in Kentucky, near to the city of Louisville.

Kentucky is the home of Bluegrass music, a music genre whereby artists play acoustic instruments rather than electric. The state has a huge country music scene along with a strong blues prescience, so something for everyone. Live music venues are everywhere, from small intimate venues to legendary music halls and theatres.?

In Eastern Kentucky, the rolling Bluegrass hills merge into the rugged Appalachian Mountains. This is an area of stunning natural beauty, where deep canyons, rock cliffs, narrow ridges and spectacular foliage, especially in the spring and fall seasons will leave you awe struck. For outdoors lovers, this area offers world class hiking, caving, fishing, paddling, golfing, boating and the opportunity to sample traditional Appalachian cooking. Don’t forget to look out for the legendary ‘Bigfoot’ that is said to inhabit The Appalachian Mountains!