Out of towners want Hot Browns

FWIW, I do not recognize anything that utililizes country ham, croissants, mushrooms, etc., as a 'Hot Brown'. Not to say that there arent variations out there that are delicious and have merit, but a 'Hot Brown' is what it is.

So, nothing about that statement strikes you as inflexible or elitist? Alright then.

I'm not sure what peanut butter and jelly have to do with malolactic fermentation, but ok. Don't know about you, but I like my PBnJ with creamy PB and strawberry preserves.

I'm also confused as to why substituting croissants for texas toast is considered molecular or haute cuisine, two different culinary styles.

Out of curiosity, if I were to make an Old Fasioned by squeezing the cherry and orange between my fingers and then dropping them into an iced shaker, finishing the process with the ice, would you consider that an Old Fashioned? Or if I used simple syrup instead of the sugar?

Although The Brown tops the list of places to get hot browns, I still feel many restaurants offer great selections that can honestly call themselves 'hot browns.'

(I'll throw to you for the last word)

I'm not sure what peanut butter and jelly have to do with malolactic fermentation, but ok. Don't know about you, but I like my PBnJ with creamy PB and strawberry preserves.

Stephen, as you could tell from my previous posts I'm on his side for this issue. Your example above proves our point. If you took the proverbial PB&J and added marshmallows, raisins or whenever we'd still be a PB&J? Of course not, it would be something very different which is exactly our point. When you add a radically different item to a classic it becomes something different. The new creation may be very good, even better than the original in some cases but it's not the original. I believe the definition of a Hot Brown is "an open face Turkey sandwich with mornay sauce, topped with bacon and tomatoes or pimentos" or something very similar to that depending on where you look. In my and Matt's opinion anything that doesn't meet this criteria is it truly a Hot Brown.

I don't care what you call it....but adding country ham to anything dish can only be good. Variation is part of the joy of eatting out IMO.

Stephen, as you could tell from my previous posts I'm on his side for this issue. Your example above proves our point. If you took the proverbial PB&J and added marshmallows, raisins or whenever we'd still be a PB&J? Of course not, it would be something very different which is exactly our point. When you add a radically different item to a classic it becomes something different. The new creation may be very good, even better than the original in some cases but it's not the original. I believe the definition of a Hot Brown is "an open face Turkey sandwich with mornay sauce, topped with bacon and tomatoes or pimentos" or something very similar to that depending on where you look. In my and Matt's opinion anything that doesn't meet this criteria is it truly a Hot Brown.

That's ok, Mark, I enjoy a good intellectual debate and don't mind debating two. We all learn and grow from these exchanges. I do get a retort to your last response, though...

Croissants for the texas toast, a radical change. Are you serious? KT's and Austin's have been selling thier hot brown for as long as I can remember. The Brown tradition it is not, but a fine tradition it is.

I have never seen nor heard of pimentos on a hot brown, does that mean that I have never had a hot brown? Or that I wouldn't call it a hot brown? No.

I like bananas on my PBnJ, and I still call it a PBnJ. And don't lose any sleep over it. Go to Philli, and you will find different variations of the cheesesteak. The 'true' recipe for Ragu Bolognese is still hotly debated, and it's one of the worlds oldest regional dishes. I don't think I have ever had the same bowl of Burgoo twice. Hundreds, if not thousands of Ruebens out there, same with Bloody Marys. Some Forumites recently have been having a ball about wether it's appropriate to put pasta in chilli. Honestly, I'm sitting here and trying to think of a recipe that doesn't have variations and I'm drawing a blank. Ciaopino, denver omeletes, chille rellenos, paprikash, bourgignon, grilled cheese? No... ah, got it! The hard boiled egg!

Should a hot brown police be instituted?

The point is that what makes a particular recipe 'true' is in the eye of the beholder, and we should all keep that in mind when making restaurant recommendations to out-of-towners. Louisville has much too diverse of a scene to do otherwise.

(Last word to you as well)

Since you brought up pasta in chili......never mind we won't go there.

[Robin Garr]

Since you brought up pasta in chili......never mind we won't go there.

Hey, that's Louisville comfort food! No, it's not Tex-Mex, but it doesn't have to be ...