This year, the first week in May will mark the 144th running of "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports,” The Kentucky Derby. This race is the first in the "Triple Crown" of thoroughbred racing for 3-year-old horses, the others being the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in Elmont Park, N.Y.
Each of these races has their own set of traditions and customs, but the race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., has developed an entire culture of its own. Probably the two best known components of the Kentucky Derby - besides the horses - are the spectacular hats and the delicious food. Some food items associated with the Kentucky Derby, also known as the “Run for the Roses” are:
• Hot Browns - a sandwich created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, composed of turkey, creamy cheese sauce and bacon
• Deviled Eggs - the fillings vary from shrimp to garlic, but an old-fashioned deviled egg is always on the menu
• Baked Ham - a whole ham, usually glazed with a sweet syrup, often containing bourbon, served with tiny biscuits
• Beer Cheese served with soft pretzels - this typical bar snack had its beginnings in Louisville in the 1930s
• Bourbon Balls - introduced in 1936 by Ruth Booe, co-founder of the Rebecca Ruth Candy Company in Frankfort, Ky., is an unctuous blend of premium chocolate and Kentucky's finest bourbon
• Kentucky Burgoo - this meat stew dates back to the early days of Kentucky settlement. Made with a combination of chicken, beef and lamb, in the early days often contained squirrel, rabbit or other meats which could be easily killed by hunters. Most renditions contain tomatoes, corn, lima beans, vinegar and spices. In the old days, a burgoo was stirred in a cast iron pot over an open fire for at least 24 hours.
• Chocolate Bourbon Nut Pie (Derby Pie) - a scrumptious combination of chocolate fudge, bourbon and pecans in a flakey crust.
• Benedictine Spread - I think this may be the only food I have even written about that has a Pinterest page! Jennie Carter Benedict, a caterer and restaurateur in Louisville, created the spread in the last part of the 19th century. There is no anecdotal record of how Ms. Benedict created this recipe, but it has been printed by dozens of magazines, covered on radio and the Food Network, NPR and other varied news outlets.
Benedictine Spread is a delicious concoction of cucumber and cream cheese and is extremely versatile. The recipe I am enclosing in this column is not Mrs. Benedict's. Her actual recipe is really bland.
This version is based on my mother's jazzed up rendition of Ms. Benedict's. During cucumber season in my childhood, Mama must have made a 55-gallon drum of it. We loved it on Saltine crackers, as a spread for cucumber sandwiches, and slathered on fresh garden tomatoes.
Mrs. Benedict used an ingredient that Mama never used - green food coloring. Mrs. Benedict's Benedictine Spread was a lovely shade of pale green. Her cream cheese was flavored only with some cucumber and onion juice, salt and cayenne pepper.
Mama was reluctant with three small children around to even have food coloring in the house (we loved to play with food coloring in water pretending to be mad scientists). She used the pulp of the cucumber and onion rather than just the vegetable juices. The bits of cucumber gave the cream cheese flecks of green.
We didn't care about the color; we just cared about the taste.
Benedictine Spread was a very localized food product in the early days. Gradually different markets in Louisville offered the spread in take-out containers. In 1902 Mrs. Benedict published “The Blue Ribbon Cookbook.” The initial printing did not contain the recipe for Benedictine Spread, but subsequent editions include it.
Mama's Version of Benedictine Spread
(Serves 8-12 as a spread)
• 2 8 oz. bricks of cream cheese
• 1 European or burp-less cucumber, washed but not peeled
• 1/2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped before adding to mixture
• Dash of salt
• Dash of finely ground black pepper
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp of Crystal Hotsauce (or your favorite brand)
Set bricks of cream cheese on the counter to come to room temperature.
Using either a grater or a food processor, shred the cucumber and onion together. CRITICAL STEP. Place the shredded vegetables in a clean kitchen towel - don’t use paper towels or a terry cloth towel - twist the towel several times until all of the excess water is removed from the vegetables. The pulp left in the towel should be almost dry.
Using a fork, begin to mix the vegetables and seasonings into the softened cream cheese. (If cream cheese is over-mixed in a food processor the stabilizers in the cream cheese can become heated and change the texture of the cream cheese.) The paddle attachment to an electric stand mixer can be used. If the consistency of the spread is too thick, a bit of mayonnaise can be added. Taste and correct seasonings if needed.
Serve any was which pleases you. One really delicious way to serve Benedictine Spread is on a piece of cocktail rye bread with a good quality smoked salmon. n
Fran Ginn is former chef/owner of The Back Door Café, who retired after 31 years in the food industry to be a grandmother. She can be contacted at fran@franginn.com.
