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. 

Panera, NOT Pantera.

When all my friends went away to college a couple of years ago there was one thing that went missing from some of their normal diets. This absence was more than the homemade fair their mothers made or the representation of all of the food groups. It was Panera Bread. All throughout high school (and for some of us college) Panera was a staple in our lives. For those of you in St. Louis who only know it as Bread Co., there isn't the fear of living in a place sans the scrumptious delights found at your neighborhood franchise. St. Louis is home to this national chain that now reports over 1,100 stores in 40 states. Panera is quickly becoming one of the nations leading franchises and this year it became a publicly traded company on NYSE. With this exponential growth in the past few years there is some fear that the quality we have grown to expect will dwindle. There is a fight to combat this possibility by tightening the criteria of owning a Panera franchise. The laundry list of requirements can be found on the company's website. With this said it is important to remember why we frequent the establishment to begin with. The food.
There is hardly a break from college where you can't find me or my friends enjoying the offerings of our 2 Paneras in my hometown of Springfield, IL. Most people are drawn to there economic "you pick 2" option. At least this seems to be the clear winner when it comes to those I dine with. There are just so many options on the menu and with ability to pick 2 among them makes for seemingly endless combinations. There are however favorites among the menu. The soups they produce are just in one word, delectable. Whether it be the staples like Broccoli Cheddar, French Onion, and Chicken Noodle or the rotating daily choices of Tomato Bisque, Baked Potato, and Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice. They all have there own unique flair and make you feel like you are getting a steal when you order them. The sandwiches, which they offer cold or hot (Panini style), are also quite tasty. The sandwiches showcase the variety of bread, which is also produced in each stores bakery. The salads are the other anchor of the menu. They generally rotate with the season. This is dismaying to those of us who pick our favorite and are upset when it is gone until next summer (i.e. the glorious tomato and mozzarella salad that I live off of in the summer). The salads generally combine some rustic lettuce with a heavy amount of toppings and dressing. Another aspect of Panera is their bakery section. It is too amazing for words and I could even devote a whole other blog specific to it. The amount of items that they prepare is amazing and makes you feel like the it is unique to the store. However this not the case, but  there is something to be said about the ability to go to a restaurant and expect what will be there, that is why each store carries perennial favorites. Panera is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the food world. It is this idea of upscale bistro style sandwiches, salads, and soups coupled with the Parisian inspired bakery that has propels Panera into its own catagory of dining. 

(Below: Tomato Bisque and French Baguette.)