The flavors of fall are truly spectacular. We find so much cozy inspiration from fall recipes, maybe because some of our standout Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon barrel-aged gourmet favorites really shine in these recipes. There's just something about the signature and natural sweetness of our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pure Maple Syrup that lends itself to fall baking and cooking.
You’ve got the ingredients that are practically synonymous with fall itself: pumpkin being at the top of that list (and yes that includes the somehow controversial “pumpkins spice” of it all), but of course, you’ve got rustic root vegetables, turkey, chili, and really anything that includes the terms, maple, cozy, toasted, warm…you get the idea.
Perhaps its because fall happens to include a true powerhouse food holiday, that being Thanksgiving, which has evolved over time to become a day almost entirely dedicated to food, gratitude, family and tradition. Since those just happen to be a few of our favorite things - it’s easy to see why we love Thanksgiving (and the spread) so much!
Beyond the classic Thanksgiving dishes, we love to experiment with fall flavors and recipes that belong on the table all season long. As sweet and savory tends to be a favored palate combination (after all as fourth-generation members of a bourbon family we know a little something about a combination of earthy flavors that are infused with notes of vanilla, caramel and charred smoky sweetness), we tend to gravitate towards recipes that embrace that as well.
That brings us to another essential fall ingredient. Two words. Butternut squash. Honestly, that’s it - on its own, butternut squash is a delightfully and naturally sweet decadent root vegetable. Kind of like the revered sweet potato, you don’t need to do much to enjoy the inherent flavor of roasted butternut squash, but boy can you really go places with this versatile powerhouse of a veggie.
Especially when slice it Hasselback style and drizzle it with decadent bourbon maple butter made with our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pure Maple Syrup, and finish it with butter fried sage and a crispy and rich pangrattato breaded topping.
Chef’s hint: Butternut squash is easy to cook and enjoy, but tough to cut. We recommend a sharp chef’s knife, like our custom Middleton Made Knives chef’s knife with a custom handle crafted from genuine Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon barrel staves.