zilla369

Okay, here’s some quick pictures from yesterday, since I’m running behind again and have to leave in a few minutes. I should have more time to post tonight than I did yesterday, because – good news: I found out I’m going to get off at 5 pm today – hooray! About my full-time job: It varies wildly, from the very fancy to the extremely mundane. For instance, one day I might have to make these: …and the next day I might have to make these: Heh. Reality check: It’s not all tableside flambé and brulee torches, folks. Breakfast yesterday: See? I told you I drink a lot of water. I fill that thing up several times a day. Luckily our tap water in Louisville is fantastic-tasting. When people visit from out of town they almost always comment on it. It must be awful to live somewhere where the tap water is unpalatable. When I got to work yesterday, I found out I needed corn muffins for 7 people in 20 minutes (along with dessert). Wait until you see this. LOL! What the hell is going on here? It looks like some sort of muffin rebellion – or as if they were baked in a high wind. I swear I had the convection oven’s fan on low! Ah, well, good for a laugh. I managed to make them look somewhat edible, anyway: Then I plated some apple pie: Mmm. My apple pie will make ya jump up and say “Damn!”. And since I only needed seven pieces….that left one for me: Damn!

Hard to believe, I know. But true. The julep-cup lackers are simply underpriveleged. The powdered-sugar crowd, on the other hand, are lazy slackers that should be beaten soundly.

So sleepy.... I'll try to get up early enough to catch up on photos. It'll have to be really early, though. Never fear, race fans. You'll get the full effect of my photos this week no matter what day I post them. I'm envisioning a couple of "here's all the photos i didn't post earlier" entries. Thanks to everyone who's read my blog so far. Stay tuned!

So...first of all, i forgot to post yesterday's lunch: Steak 'n Shake is an institution around here. It's open 24 hours - a distinction it shares with very few restaurants in Louisville. I love their motivational mantra, though. All over the store, all over the condiment labels, is the phrase: "In sight, it must be right." And they had "Heather" from the Blair Witch Project as their spokesmodel for a while. So they get brownie points from me for that. If you've never experienced Steak 'n Shake...well... they cook their burgers ("Steakburgers") on the griddle. You know that little edge-of-a-tiny-bit-overdone part of a grilled burger? Well, steakburgers are basically a whole-bun-sized version of those crispy bits. The grill cooks smash the hell out of the square-form burger patties. That would normally be a big sin - but in this case it's integral to to process. So I had coleslaw: And a double steakburger with mayo, mustard, pickles and ketchup...shoestring french fries , and a "bean crock" (baked beans) on the side: Afterwards, I just had to have a side-by-side shake, as did the roomie. This is his vanilla/orange side-by-sider, along with my mocha/vanilla side-by-sider. Best hand-made fast food shakes on the planet. Make your head collapse upon commencement of straw-sucking.

That would be cool. But yeah, it won't happen. HST isn't exactly a beloved character among the old guard that coordinate All-Things-Derby around here. Damn. I wanna visit Canada. I've never been!

Well, you can definitely enjoy mint juleps without them. Just substitute a frosted glass for the silver julep cup. It's just that the silver julep cup maintains the cold a little longer. Get ready for more pictures!

Interesting. You're not the first person from those parts I've heard say that. Perhaps it's because of the whole tourist thing. Or because they're generally so poorly made in tourist situations. And it's a shame, because it's really a great drink. And it doesn't always have to be bourbon either (I know some people from Kentucky will gasp at hearing this, but from a historical standpoint it's true). And, of course, you don't have to stop with mint (basil is a nice addition from time to time). Rye whiskey is good, and I like Dave Wondrich's julep recipe using cognac and a float of high proof rum. Lately I've been enjoying "New Jersey Juleps" made with Laird's 100 proof bonded applejack. Believe it or not, a gin julep is pretty good, too. ← Blasphemer! A 1936 copy of Irvin S. Cobb's Own Recipe Book (written for Frankfort Distilleries) states: "But my grandfather always insisted that a man who would let the crushed leaves and the mangled stemlets steep in the finished decoction would put scorpions in a baby's bed." He goes on to further state,"...well, down our way we've always had a theory that the Civil War was not brought on by Secession or Slavery or the State's Rights issue. These matters contributed to the quarrel, but there is a deeper reason. It was brought on by some Yankee coming down south and putting nutmeg in a julep. So our folks just up and left the Union flat." "New Jersey Juleps". For shame, Sam.

I'll definitely take a picture of a hot brown for you later this week. I must warn you, though...a hot brown's not a naturally photogenic subject. It's broiled in a rarebit dish, and a photograph will only show the top of the open-faced sandwich slathered in mornay sauce and browned. But I'll include it, nonetheless!

Oh, yes. So large a part that day after tomorrow we'll visit the Derby-Pie production facility, and you'll also see examples of my Derby-Pie food-styling.

Thanks for the kind words about my pictures, TMus. If you only knew how many dozens of shots I have taken and discarded to get just those few acceptable ones I'm posting in this blog, you'd laugh. Move to Kentucky? I highly recommend it. I was a military brat and have lived in many parts of the country, but settled here 24 years ago and I've really enjoyed it.

Yes, the mint julep recipe is definitely coming later this week. I'm even going to make "mint julep butter" for breakfast at the Inn on Saturday. Bread pudding is a beautiful thing. It's a great way to utilize leftover bread to make a fabulous dessert that is almost universally loved. My favorite is the eggnog bread pudding I make every holiday season. Just substitute eggnog for the cream in any bread pudding recipe.

Nah, you don't need to start more than a couple hours ahead. But if you want to be well-prepared, you can make your simple syrup the day before (equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves). Some people muddle a few mint leaves in the syrup, or make a mint extract by steeping mint leaves in a few ounces of bourbon for about 15 minutes, rinse, repeat. The main rule of my blog is: if you try to put powdered sugar in your mint julep, or buy a "pre-mixed" bottle of juleps (even the Maker's Mark brand!) you're off my "A" list. Any purists out there might want to make sure they have a couple of sterling silver julep cups in the freezer in preparation for the big day.

"These beaten biscuits are making me thirsty!" - Kramer at the Derby

Thanks, touaregsand! And, yes I can. The natives pronounce it "Loo-uh-vull" - accent on the first syllable. While I'm a local, (lo, these 24 years), I'm not a native. So I still commit the sin of pronouncing it "Loo-ee-vill".

Great questions. I would say that, as far as food goes, tradition is the way. The tourists want the traditional preparations, and the locals that are hosting out-of-town guests want their friends to get the traditional experience. Although I'm sure that somewhere in town, some swelled-headed recent culinary graduate is putting their own spin on things. It's tempting. As a matter of fact, you'll see me coming at it from a different direction later this week. I'm going to prepare a traditional dish and give it a Derby spin at the bed and breakfast I work at part time. But that's not as much of a sacrelige as the other way 'round, if you see what I mean. As for cocktails, a good Louisville bartender has the traditionals down pat, but they also create all sorts of crazy "Derby-themed" drinks. I'll try to document some of them later in the blog. Hmm....country ham on a stick. Interesting idea....

Lexy, I understand not wanting to try mint juleps in the middle of winter. But it's spring again! You know what's odd, and I know I'm not alone here... I never, ever drink, order, or even consider wanting a mint julep except during Derby Week. I'll be posting the proper recipe later this week. The poor mint julep gets abused all the time - even at Churchill Downs, they make a hideous bastardized quickie version to serve to the masses. I don't know anything about Ascot, but it sounds exactly like Derby. The hats and the outfits and all. Luckily I know what I'll be wearing Saturday. Chef's whites. And a toque - so that makes me technically legal, hat-wise.

running out the door to the bus, but - Michael, I love burgoo! I'm not making it this week (far as I know, anyway), but I'd sure like to have some to eat. Maybe I can work in the consumption of it, if not the preparation. Have good days, all!

therese, I'll definitely be preparing a meal using country ham on the big day. But it's a breakfast, and the bread will be an english muffin. I think beaten biscuits are overrated, don't you? Dry, mealy anemic little disks of so-what. Right again. Although Hot Browns aren't necessarily related directly to Derby, all the tourists that are in town for the race want to try them. We have them on our lunch menu. We also make a casserole version for show buffets and catering. What's not to like about bread, bacon, turkey, tomatoes and mornay sauce?

Did someone say “bourbon?” Kentucky’s famous for bourbon. The Maker’s Mark Distillery is a mere 60 miles southeast of Louisville. It’s the oldest continuously operating bourbon distillery in the United States. There are quite a few other bourbon distilleries within a 50-mile radius of Maker’s, but since Maker’s is my favorite, that’s what you get a tour of: The water used in the production of Maker’s Mark is taken from a 10-acre limestone spring-fed lake on the property. Maker’s Mark is a “handmade bourbon” – that is, every step of production involves some human handling. It’s also a small batch bourbon, in that it’s made in batches that are maximum 19 barrels, never more. In addition, they only bottle their whisky “to order”. So all the bourbon sitting in warehouses on the property is in barrels. Bottled whisky goes out on a truck the same day it comes off the line. Note the vats of melted red “wax” (actually a plastic polymer of sorts) in the foreground. This is the still house – well, the first floor of the still house. This is a shot of the upper stories of the still house. That’s right, that copper still is over four stories tall. Visitors only get to see the bottom of it in the still house: Sorry for the blurry shot. I dunno if you can tell, but that stream of distilled whisky there is completely clear. It’s the new, charred, white oak barrel that gives bourbon its rich amber color. The torching of the inside of the barrel carmelizes the tannins in the oak: Barrels of whisky are stored in large, barn-like warehouse structures that are somewhat open to the weather. It’s the movement of the whisky (as it expands and contracts in response to summer heat and winter cold) into and out of that carmelized tannin layer that colors the final product. Note the nifty shutters on all the buildings (in case you’re unfamiliar, that’s the unique shape of the Maker’s Mark bottle): Here’s a bad photo of one of the fermenting vats: I wish I’d gotten a perspective shot. That vat is two stories tall and about 20 feet across. If you look very carefully, you can see the bubbles around the edge of the sour mash raft. We were encouraged to stick our grubby fingers in and taste the fermenting mash. Tasted sorta like, well, beer – at this stage, anyway. That room was very warm and humid and smelled very, very yeasty. Maker’s Mark uses an heirloom strain of yeast that’s been in the Samuels family for umpteen years. They also flavor their whisky with soft, red winter wheat (also sustained by the limestone springs) rather than rye. I think that’s why I prefer it above all other bourbons. Gift shop had some cute cheese boards made from flattened empty Maker’s bottles. Also in the gift shop, you get to purchase a bottle of whisky to dip in the red wax yourself! Mine turned out well, I’ll post a photo of it tomorrow. I’ll have to sign off in a little while and get my butt to work. If you don’t see me posting until late tonight, never fear, foodblog fans. I’ll be back.

Farmer’s market. So far this year the farmer’s market (only open for a couple weeks now) is fairly slim pickings. I imagine it will pick up in the next week or two. It’s still just a bit chilly and we had a frost advisory last night. Anyway, here’s what hit my eye: Tender sweet white radishes Mild baby garlic Artisanal goat cheese from nearby Capriole Farms. I had really planned to get to the farm and take a tour for the blog, but I fear it’s not to be. Not this week, anyway. The dark-colored cheese you see there is a blend of chocolate and goat cheese (and something else, can’t remember) called “Fromage a Trois”. Now, I’m not a big chocolate fan, but I was intrigued (by both the ingredient combo and the name!), so I asked for a sample taste, and it was amazing. Very “tiramisu” on the tongue. Finally: Kentucky limestone bibb lettuce, aka butter lettuce. Isn’t it beautiful? We have some of the finest-tasting bibb lettuce on the planet because of the prevalence of limestone springs in the area. Water from cold, deep limestone springs is very instrumental in Kentucky history and cuisine. It’s credited with giving Kentucky thoroughbred horses their legendary strength of skeletal frame, which explains in part why a lot of championship bloodlines originate here. It’s also quite useful in making bourbon…

This wouldn’t be a Kentucky Derby blog without a nod to Kentucky’s most famous food personality: I always laugh whenever I ride past this banner. It reminds me of news footage of small dictatorships, where there are always big banners with the main dude’s image on them hanging from all the buildings. He looks pretty benevolent, doesn’t he? Unfortunately… No amount of benevolence will save one from the march of time. And your little wife, too. Yesterday was my only day off this week, but did I slack? Nope. I got out and took some pictures. Now, about these pictures. I’m using a FujiFilm Finepix S3000, (3.2 megapixels 6x zoom). I beg your patience in advance; you’re going to see some pretty badly lit and blurry shots from time to time. Alas, it can’t be helped. While I do have some eye for composition, I am by no means a good photographer. So please bear with me, and if anything’s too poorly photographed for you to tell what it is, please ask!

Good morning, race fans. You’re about to discover that I don’t eat very well when I’m busy. Lots of times I survive just by grazing, tasting and munching my way from dawn to dusk. I will usually try to get in at least one sit-down meal per day, but during a crazy week like this one, all bets are off. I am, however, a big fan of beverages. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), coffee is not one of them. You’ll be noticing that I drink a lot of sugary, caffeinated soft drinks and juices. Please know that although I’ll be posting pictures of those, I also drink massive amounts of water. I have a 32-ounce thermal cup that’s always filled with ice and water (both at work and at home). I’d estimate I drink about a gallon of water every day, at least. This morning’s beverage is: Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice. If you’re not familiar with Pom, you might want to read this thread in the Beverages and Libations forum. It’s pretty strong (and pretty expensive), so sometimes I mix it with ginger ale or a lemon-lime soft drink. Today I’m drinking it straight, the better to feel the effects of its cleansing anti-oxidant powers. Okay, let’s get the obligatory pet photo out of the way. This is Timmy, aka Tiny Tim. He’s named after one of the characters on South Park, but he’s not nearly that bright.

The lore about the "official or not" Derby Pie is a big part of what I found out when I visited the factory. Later in the week, you'll see pictures of the factory as well as some shots of Derby Pie platings I did for a food show. Long and short of it is, if it didn't say "Derby-Pie TM" on the menu, well...it wasn't exactly Derby Pie!

Pan: Sorghum is great as a base for dessert sauces. I have made a sorghum/creme fraiche sauce for bourbon bread pudding many times. It's also a great marinade and a great bass note for barbecue sauce.

I am so with you on this one. However, their bourbon is produced in batches of only 19 barrels or less, and they only bottle to order. More about the distillery tomorrow! (warning to future foodbloggers: obviously this "I'm going to bed" thing is sort of optional)