The Land of Lincoln's Signature Dish

Momma Dishing Up a Home-made Horseshoe

I can't believe that I have never blogged about the horseshoe before. Between all the time I try explaining them and the rest of the time I spend yearning for one. I should have found the time to blog about it. It really is an experience and to everyone who doesn't know I will explain the concept. 

The horseshoe originated in my hometown of Springfield, IL. The exact origin is unknown, but this doesn't keep people from staking claims on the idea. The actual recipe though is pretty basic, but everyone has their different adaptations. The base for the horseshoe is toast, either Texas style or really any bread of your choosing. Then you layer on the meat portion. This is where people get creative. I have seen everything from the very traditional hamburger patty to chicken, turkey, pastrami, roast beef, chorizo and tofu. I really enjoy the chicken patty at Bernie and Betty's, but everywhere else I try and stick to hamburger just so I can adjust to the nuances of the different styles. After you have the meat decision taken care of next comes the fries. For some people styles of fries are very important. I personally just enjoy fries with good seasoning. No plain-jane salt for me please, but others go off the styles like crinkle, steak, or any other distinction you can surmise. After the fries are piled on then it is time to add the CHEESE. To me personally this is what makes or breaks a horseshoe. Everything can be so-so about the horseshoe, but when you add a great cheese sauce it all just falls into place. Personally I prefer an yellow cheddar. This blasphemy to those who love the white cheddar sauce of D'arcy's Pint. D'arcy's has been featured on the FoodNetwork for their famous shoes. Don't get me wrong the white cheddar is tasty there is just something about that yellow cheese that gets me. 

Anyways the horseshoe is a Springfield delicacy. Other places may have something similar or try and imitate, but there is only one original. I suggest you either make your way up I-55 to get one(God knows it's the only reason I go home), or you head out to Schnuck's and gather up the ingredients to make your own unique horseshoe. 

Recipe Review: Soft Pretzels by Bobby Flay

So a few weeks back I caught an episode of Throw Down with Bobby Flay on the Food Network. Bobby was challenging the Pretzel King of Philadelphia and his signature cheese sauce. I was so taken by the episode it left me jonesing for a pretzel. Just watching those fortunate people on TV enjoy both competitors creations spurred me into action. It didn't take me but 2.5 minutes to find and print the recipe on Foodnetwork.com.
The next day instead of doing the right thing and replicating the magic I saw on television, I unfortunately made the trip to my local Auntie Anne's. This quelled my craving for the time being and about 3 weeks later I finally got around to making my own. I kind of scrimped on the ingredient list. Where Bobby calls for "light brown muscovado sugar", I employed the brown sugar I had around the house. I also flaked on buying unsalted butter and had to use the margarine I already had. All seemed to be well with the rather complex directions until I got to the point of rolling out my dough.
At this point the smell of dough had intoxicated me and there was no obstacle big enough to keep me from enjoying my finished pretzel. I had seen the employee's of my local Auntie Anne's knead and work the dough a million times. I always thought it looked fun, but I was sorely mistaken. The frustration overtook me after my first few failed attempts. My father who had once worked in a donut bakery actually had to come in and save the day before I had a total melt down. The results of all of this were extremely fat pretzels that looked nothing like the models of perfection I had seen on TV. I finished out the rest of the directions and patiently waited for them to bake.
Upon seeing them out of the oven I was amazed. The egg-wash amazingly had turned them to a beautiful golden brown. I also recommend using the parchment paper that is called for. I did not and had to scrape the cookie sheet in order to remove them. The egg-wash during the baking binds quite thoroughly to the pan and makes the task of removing the treats rather difficult. After this tribulation I finally got to taste the fruits of my labor and it was definitely worth it. The dough is rich, sweet, and salty. It is paired brilliantly with any form of cheese. Bobby used a queso poblano and I ended up with a Velveeta concoction my sister created on the fly. I am sure both were amazing additions to the pretzels.
Overall I rate this recipe very tasty. The directions are very thorough and when followed closely it yields great results. Like I stated before there is a little wiggle room with some of the ingredients I just wouldn't take too many liberties. The only part I found extremely difficult was rolling out the dough and creating the signature pretzel shape. If you are like me and struggle with most basic motor skills it might challenge you, but the pretzels are worth it. I settled for huge rotund pretzels and the only down side was that in some cases the middle was a little chewy. However don't let this deter you from this creation. There is a definite reason Bobby Flay overthrew the Pretzel King.

(Below: My Mother and I basking in the amazing pretzels we had just created.)