The Kentucky Derby is often called "the most exciting two minutes in sports". I was watching Saturday as "I'll Have Another" came from behind to take the Garland of Roses right out from under Bodemeister. It was exciting, but the great part about the Derby is that there's so much more to it than the race itself.
I learned a lot about the Derby and its traditions while in Louisville for two days prior to the race. Take the hats, for example. One of my stops was at Dee's—a craft store right across from Mall St. Matthews. For about 25 years they've also offered custom hats for the Derby, Oaks or any other occasion. And let me tell you, they take their hats seriously. The entire right wing of the store is full of hats and just about every kind of accessory you could think of to adorn them—like ribbons, flowers and feathers.
Dee's owner, Kathy Olliges, told me they started designing hats because there just wasn't enough product out there. So customers can come in and pick a finished hat from a rack, buy accessories to decorate their own or work with the staff to get just the right look to compliment their outfit. While I was at the store, several women came in with the dresses they would be wearing at the races to make sure they got the perfect headpiece.
It was definitely a fun atmosphere, but apparently things can get a little crazy as it gets closer to Derby Day! Even a week and a half out there was a sign in sheet to help things move more smoothly!
Of course, I tried on several hats and fascinators while I was there. (Fascinators, by the way, are the little hats usually made with feathers that are either on a headband or comb. They've been made extremely popular by the beautiful Kate Middleton!)
The hats at Dee's definitely range in price. Anywhere from $30 for an undecorated hat to more than $400!!! That's a lot of money, but I guess if you've got it, why not??
Kathy, the owner, did have a few tips about how to best wear a hat. Apparently a big mistake is not wearing it low enough on the head. It should only be a few fingers' width above the eyes. I'll be sure to remember that for next time!
Another huge part of the Kentucky Derby is the mint julep. To learn more about its history with the Derby I headed to the Seelbach Hilton Hotel in Downtown Louisville and spoke with Michael R. Anderson. He told me the mint julep didn't really become the official Derby Drink until the 1930's. I asked Michael to walk me through the preparation of a mint julep. I loved the way he made it. I'd only had one mint julep before, and it was a homemade variety. Let's just say it wasn't very tasty. Michael's was much better! To make it, he used just four ingredients: crushed ice, bourbon, simple syrup and fresh mint. I found out the classic pewter Derby cup really comes in handy for keeping the drink nice and cold!
Michael used what he called the "snow-cone" technique. First, he used a muddler to rub some of the fresh mint all around the inside of the cup. Then came the crushed ice, which he piled up like a snow cone (hence the name!). Then he poured the bourbon (any kind and any amount is ok), simple syrup, and a garnish of mint right next to the straw. That was a key part. Since mint is all about the aromatics, putting it right next to the straw let's you smell it as you sip! Thanks for the lesson, Michael!
From the Seelbach, I ventured just a few blocks over to another historic downtown Louisville hotel, the Brown Hotel. The Brown is famous for the "Hot Brown" open-faced turkey sandwich. And after eating one, I understand why. That thing probably has enough calories in it to last a week, but man was it delicious!!
Executive Chef Laurent Geroli let me go inside the kitchen as he prepared a Hot Brown. First, he cut the edges off some Texas Toast and put them in a bowl. Next, he added some huge chunks of oven roasted turkey and some sliced tomatoes. That went into the oven for a little while. When it came out, he added the hotel's famous Mornay sauce—which is a creamy, yummy cheese sauce. He added two strips of bacon and finished things off with some grated cheese, paprika and parsley (at least, I think that's what he topped it with!).
One thing I found interesting was that there is just one cook who makes all of that creamy sauce. Executive Chef Geroli says they do that to keep things consistent. Judging from my experience, the guy who makes it does a heck of a job!
And, by the way, did you know how the Hot Brown came to be in the first place? Apparently 86 years ago the chef at the Brown created it to please hungry guests who wanted more than just a sandwich or eggs. All these years later, it is still a favorite. In three days around Derby time, they'll make about 800 of them!
I made two other food stops while in Louisville. I'll write more about those later, along with what I learned about the Garland of Roses!
