Laurel Loibl McKee, one of two '58s living in New York City (the other is George Bunn) writes enigmatically, "The big town has made the big time." She refers to a travel story about Springfield that ran today in that pinnacle of journalism, the New York Times.The writer, Ann M. Morrison, describes the Lincoln sites, Route 66, Cozy Dogs, Horseshoes (the sandwich), Mel-O-Creams, the Thomas House, Maldaner's (see above), Oak Ridge, and a few other places and meals new to me: Charlie Parker's on North Street? Sammy's Sports Bar? Time is passing me by.
From the top of "the flashlight," the 30-story Hilton Hotel, Ms. Morrison sniffs a bit at "the pancake-flat landscape," but then the lady has food on her brain. Had she visited any of Springfield's grand old parks, from Lincoln and Iles to Washington, she would have found hills, stream-cut valleys, and even a pond or two. Also, she omits Lake Springfield and its handsome parks, drives, and golf courses.
Anyway, nice publicity for the old town. My one concern: hordes of tourists from Noo Yawk looking for bagels and egg creams. Let them drink black cows, I say.
5 comments:
Tried to get to "travel story" and got Blog Not Found. Any help here?
Lee
Lee,
Sorry, that was a bad link. I have fixed it now. To get the latest version of the story, click on the "Reload" button on your web browser.
I'm looking for the Leland horseshoe recipe!
Will
Will...here's the recipe from SJ-R a few years back. When I'm back home in Springfield, I gotta have one!
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Horseshoe Sandwich
Source: Burt Wolf's Local Flavors, Springfield
Serves 4
The signature food of Springfield, Illinois is a sandwich known as a horseshoe. It has been credited to a chef that worked at the Leland Hotel in 1928 and has become Springfield's most famous contribution to the world of food. It consists of two hamburgers on two slices of toast, covered with cheddar cheese sauce and buried beneath a mound of French fries.
For the Welsh Rarebit Sauce:
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup beer
2 egg yolks
3 cups grated Old English or other sharp white cheddar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt
For the Sandwich:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices toasted thick white bread
2 pounds cooked French fries
TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Set up a double boiler or set a medium-sized stainless-steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. Check to make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Melt the butter in the double boiler and then add the beer. While constantly whisking, slowly incorporate the egg yolks. Add the cheese and stir constantly until melted and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon: this should take 5 to 8 minutes. Add the Worcestershire and mustard. Season the sauce with salt to taste. To avoid a stringy sauce, it is important to constantly stir the cheese and be sure that the water is not boiling, but rather simmering.
TO COOK THE BEEF: Season the beef with the salt and pepper and form it into eight 6-ounce patties. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat or set up an electric grill, and cook the patties, a few at a time, 5 minutes per side for medium.
TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH: For each serving, place two slices of the toast on a large plate and top each with a patty. Pour the rarebit sauce over the beef and top the sauce with French fries. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy the Leland Hotel, Springfield, Illinois
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Nutrition Facts
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Serves 4
Facts per Serving
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Calories: 1295 Fat: 73g Carbohydrates: 84g
Cholesterol: 288mg Sodium: 1137mg Protein: 71g
Fiber: 7g % Cal. from Fat: 51% % Cal. from Carbs: 26%
enjoy,
Marty
Danke Marty und Will,
I DO have a residual memory of the taste. Super. Have had some very bad "clones" in central Illinois. The worst was Velvetta Cheese melted.
Next time....make the calories SMALL! :-)
Lee
One more comment on the Leland Horseshoe. In the cookbook Honest to Goodness: Honestly Good Food From Mr. Lincoln´s Hometown, published in 1990 by Junior League of Springfield Illinois....a side bar to what is purported to be the Leland recipe (no beer): 1928 is listed as the date of the Horseshoe. Recipe has had "endless variations over the years ---and ... beer is a hotly contested ingredient. But the original recipe called for ham and a fried egg. The shape of the ham prompted the ´horseshoe´name, with the fries representing the nails and the heated steak platter an anvil."
STILL sounds very good. :-)
Lee
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