A couple years ago I “kidnapped” Himself and we headed out
on a 4 day ‘Southern Adventure’ that he had no idea where we were going or what
we would be doing. We had so much fun I
decided to do it again.
I plotted and schemed for months to plan an “Adventure in
Americana” to be done over Memorial Weekend.
Because of my timing, reservations needed to be made and tickets
purchased well in advance. Last time we
headed southwest… this time northeast.
We were up and out early since we had the 3 hour drive ahead
of us…and we were crossing into Eastern time zone so we’d lose an hour on the
way.
Our first destination?
Bardstown, Kentucky… aka “My Old Kentucky Home” …also aka “Bourbon
Capital of the World”.
By the time we arrived it was lunch and the GPS was programmed
to take us straight to The Old Talbott Tavern.
http://www.talbotts.com/
This tavern has been in operation since 1779!!
It was a stagecoach stop and Daniel Boone stayed here when
in 1792 he was summoned to give a court deposition.
It’s fantastic looking with the stone walls and open
beams.
But we weren’t there for the history and architecture. We were there for lunch… a very specific “Kentucky”
meal.
That is a “Hot Brown”.
"A
Hot Brown Sandwich is a hot sandwich originally created at the Brown Hotel in
Louisville, Kentucky, by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926. It is a variation of
traditional Welsh rarebit and was one of two signature sandwiches created by
chefs at the Brown Hotel shortly after its founding in 1923. It was created to
serve as an alternative to ham and egg late-night suppers.
The
Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich of turkey and bacon, covered in Mornay
sauce and baked or broiled until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to
brown. Many Hot Browns also include ham with the turkey, and either pimentos or
tomatoes over the sauce.
The
dish is a local specialty and favorite of the Louisville area, and is popular
throughout Kentucky."
~~Wikipedia~~
I also came for the Kentucky Burgoo.
"Traditional
burgoo was made using whatever meats and vegetables were available—typically,
venison, squirrel, opossum, raccoon or game birds," and was often
associated with autumn and the harvest season. Today, local Kentucky barbecue
restaurants use a specific meat in their recipes, usually pork, chicken, or
mutton, which, along with the spices used, creates a distinct flavor unique to
each restaurant.
A
typical burgoo is a combination of at least three ingredients: a combination of
beef, pork, chicken, and mutton, often hickory-smoked, but other meats are seen
occasionally; vegetables, such as lima beans, corn, okra, and potatoes; and a
thickening agent, such as cornmeal, ground beans, whole wheat, or potato
starch. Traditionally, soup bones were added for taste and thickening.
The
ingredients are combined in order of cooking time required, with meat first,
vegetables next, and thickening agents as necessary. A good burgoo is said to
be able to have a spoon stand up in it."
~~Wikipedia~~
Himself opted for the pot roast… but he did try the Hot
Brown and burgoo.
It was all very good, with good service too. My only negative is that they charge you .80c
to have a very normal biscuit to go with your meal. It should come with the meal! (Corn bread was offered free but seriously…
even Cracker Barrel gives a choice of breads!)
Then it was on to our next stop…
