What's the NEXT Louisville food tradition?

[Robin Garr]

Your suggestions are invited for yet another wacky story idea!

A century ago, when Jenny Benedict mashed cucumbers into cream cheese and called it "Benedictine," who would have known that this green-tinted spread would become a local tradition? Same goes for the caramel confection that Busath's Candies renamed "Modjeska" in honor of a visiting ballerina in 1883. Or the Hot Brown sandwich, created in the 1920s to satisfy late-night munchies after dinner dances at the Brown Hotel.

So, gazing into our crystal balls and looking into the future, what <i>modern</i> local treats seem likely to become future Louisville food traditions?

I'm thinking that shrimp and grits, a Low Country favorite imported to Louisville by Jack Fry's and now turning up on menus all over town, might be one such, although it loses style points for lack of originality.

How about other modern signature dishes, memorable culinary treats that are innovative, good enough to inspire replication and to stand the test of time, becoming synonymous with Louisville in the 21st Century and beyone? The mocha dacquoise, maybe? Let's hear your nominations, with extra credit if you can make a specific case for your favorites.

Although not new, I feel that breaded "Whitefish" fried and served on rye bread is as much of a dish unique to Louisville as any of the others.
I think Joe at Bluefin once told me that outside of Boston, Louisville has the highest per capita consumption of cod. Most of which, I would safely assume is fried.

I've been all over the country and haven't seen a fish sandwich anywhere, like the one we have here.

[Robin Garr]

Although not new, I feel that breaded "Whitefish" fried and served on rye bread is as much of a dish unique to Louisville as any of the others.
I think Joe at Bluefin once told me that outside of Boston, Louisville has the highest per capita consumption of cod. Most of which, I would safely assume is fried.

I've been all over the country and haven't seen a fish sandwich anywhere, like the one we have here.

Good one, Dan. I'm not sure if it's new enough to qualify, but I can testify that when we lived in New York City, one of the few foods that I really missed was a proper Louisville fish sandwich.

Even though it's hard to find in the northeast or midwest, isn't fried fish commonplace across the south, though?

"Louisville style" or casserole pizza?

Even though it's hard to find in the northeast or midwest, isn't fried fish commonplace across the south, though?

Yes, fried fish is everywhere in the South but I'd say 85% of it is catfish. And catfish definately is not that popular here. Most people don't care for it because of the "muddy" flavor. Heck, thats why most people in our fair city won't eat anything other than fried cod because they think every thing else tastes "fishy".

Louisville has the HIGHEST per capita consumption of cod in North America. This is a statistic from Coldwater Seafood the largest exporter of Cod out of Iceland. This company is now Iceland Seafood, but the statistic remains the same. When you add in other breeds like pollock, haddock, sole and flounder the per capita number begins to decline.
This will not be the next great tradition only because of the limited availability. Canada is all but fished out on Cod and Iceland goes on allocation every year. At the current rate of consumption Coldwater Cod could be history as soon as 2012.

Something that I have come across at the club that I had never heard of anywhere else is "Schmerecase".
It's basically cottage cheese, cream cheese, chives and a little Worcester Sauce all mixed up in a proccessor.
The members here (espessally the older ones) love this stuff. They usually get it on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes and eat it with crackers.
Anyone else heard of this? Is it unique to Louisville?

I would like to see "Kentucky" fried chicken reclaim its original incarnation as a dish prepared with high-quality, "slow"-farm-raised poultry, traditional (or more inventive) seasonings and well-honed frying skills.

Most people don't prepare this dish at home because it is fairly complicated to do well. And its reputation has been dragged through the drive-thru mud. But it's well within the capabilities of chef-run restaurants.

I also think it would be a popular menu item as a quintessential Kentucky dish. To tourists, it has far more name recognition than a Hot Brown.

Something that I have come across at the club that I had never heard of anywhere else is "Schmerecase". Anyone else heard of this? Is it unique to Louisville?

In German it's known as "Schmierkase", pronounced "shmeer-kay-zuh", and it must have come here with the German immigrants. I've had it in Germany, and it's a basic soft uncured cheese that you spread on bread (literally, "smear-cheese"). Sometimes herbs and seasonings are added. The kind available here that is closest to the German version is the "Alouette" spreadable cheese you can find at most grocery stores. In Germany, it's a popular breakfast item that you spread on your fresh-baked morning Brotchen ("little bread"/roll).

Well, we could have bagels and SHMEAR! Louisville style.

It doesn't take a GENIUS to figure that out!

Which franchise that is due to come to louisville am I referring to?

The person with the right answer gets a free dessert at Meridian!

What is Einstein?

DING DING DING!!!!! We have a winner!!!!

Correct Einsteins it is!

Just thought I would have a little fun with the Shmear thing!

Yay for me!

I've been wanting to try your place for ages anyway. Thanks for the deciding incentive!

I think that a better idea may be focused upon the local "ingredients" that chefs around town are using, and how they are using them within their respective styles of cuisine.
I could name several local farmers or producers that fly under the radar to most people.

I thought long and hard about the original topic. Even though we have an abundance of culinary talent here in Louisville. I'm hard pressed to think of anyone around here that is "re-inventing the wheel" with a certain dish that hasn't been lifted from somewhere else.

Possibly the neatest idea I heard about lately, is Jay Denham's "Ballpark Menu" at Park Place.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to sample any of his ideas, so I don't know if any of those would become worthy to stand the test of time to become a "classic" with Louisville's dining public.

Sorry to say, I think that some of us professionals are sometimes so consumed with pleasing our patrons, that we revert to the "statis-quo" with the development of our dishes.

I can think of alot things I enjoy at certain resturants but none of them are "distinctly Louisville".(Except for the tried and true like the Hot Brown)

I once came up with an up-scale version(and what I thought was very good) of the rolled oyster with limited success; However, it's hard to compete with crab-cakes when they are on the menu.

I would like to see "Kentucky" fried chicken reclaim its original incarnation as a dish prepared with high-quality, "slow"-farm-raised poultry, traditional (or more inventive) seasonings and well-honed frying skills.

Most people don't prepare this dish at home because it is fairly complicated to do well. And its reputation has been dragged through the drive-thru mud. But it's well within the capabilities of chef-run restaurants.

I also think it would be a popular menu item as a quintessential Kentucky dish. To tourists, it has far more name recognition than a Hot Brown.

I have to agree. At the club we go through as much as 160 lbs. of fried chicken a week. I do think that this has become something of a lost art. No one really cooks it at home any more unless its a special occasion. Cholestorol be damned. I'd almost be willing to share our "secret recipe" if any one else is....