A Food Tradition

Everyone remembers some form of a tradition that dealt with food. Whether it was someones foodopoolza at some relatives house at Thanksgiving, or the worse meal ever celebrating a holiday at someones house. Some people remember what they were wearing, who they were dining with, the wine, the music, it's everything within that special food memory.

Easter was a few days ago and I have to admit that I never really was a big Easter celebrator when I was young. I always remembered the new outfit, the white patent leather shoes, always coins in the eggs. We would go to church (the over/under of church visits per year 3). After I had my 2 boys and knew we were going to be in the Bahamas, Easter became a fun holiday. We would have Easter egg hunts on the beach or around the condo. Also the thrill for Easter in the Bahamas was the food I would smuggle down.

My first son was maybe just a year old when I smuggled in my suitcase a boneless leg of lamb but in his diaper bag, asparagus and strawberries. You can't have Easter dinner with out those menu items. I even knew that.  We were in Miami waiting to board a small Saab Turbo Prop plane. My son then decided to have a major blow. I really had no time to organize the diaper bag, so I just shoved the stained outfit he was wearing on top of the produce. Now I started through customs, they asked if I was carrying anything like that food or plant objects while the guard started to unzip my bag. I explained that I had really bad dirty clothes on top because of the major blow out by this baby. The guy stopped, zipped it up, and a way we boarded the plane. It was a great dinner in the Bahamas that year. Celebrated with friends and family who are no longer living.

That is the tradition of food.  The warm fuzzies of a good memory that involve food.

For the past 7 straight years we have been having a food memory tradition. The tradition started because we were not going to the Bahamas that year. My father had become ill so the trip was cancelled.  My Mother's best friend had just recently moved to Louisville, Kentucky. So we went to Louisville for Spring Break. We went to the Louisville Slugger Museum, Churchill Downs, the home of the greatest 2 minutes in sports, and we went to the Brown Hotel for Hot Browns. If there is anything steeped in tradition it is the town of Louisville. From Derby Hats on Derby Day to Mint Juleps at the track, and then there is the Hot Brown at the Brown Hotel. The dish was created by Fred Schmidt, Chef of the Brown Hotel, circa 1926.

A Hot Brown is an opened face sandwich. It starts with toast points. They cut the crust off the thick slices of bread. Then they place sliced, roasted turkey breast. They sauce it with a morney sauce made with heavy cream and some parmesean cheese; 2 slices of bacon and 2 tomato wedges finish the dish. They place the earthenware dish under the broiler and broil till the sauce begins to bubble. Garnish with some chopped parsley and serve. It is so rich and oh so good. For the past 7 years we always have spicy Bloody Marys with the Hot Brown. Then for dessert we have Derby Pie. (That's for another day)

The pictures published are from the last 7 years. I love this tradition! I love to visit Louisville, see the grandeur of the Brown Hotel, and even the tradition of sitting at the same table for 7 years straight. If you ever get a chance to get to Louisville, stop at the Brown and enjoy a long standing food tradition.