Henry Bain/Pendennis Club

I'm sure most of you know about the history of both Henry Bain and the Pendennis Club, but for those of you who do not, here you go. I had never even heard of the Pendennis Club.

I came across all this while researching a recipe for Henry Bain Sauce and found it quite interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Bain_sauce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendennis_Club

http://www.pendennisclub.org/services.html

I've had a few "business" lunches there over the years. A bit too stuffy for my tastes.

Never had it. From what I understand from a friend it's available in local shops.
I'm a real sucker for sauces so I'll give it a try.

I have been fortunate enough over the years to have been invited to several family gathering at the Pendennis. It's what I consider classic old school tradition steeped in the mostly forgotten style of a past era. I've always found it a very memorable place for it's elegance, style and history.

As for the Henry Bain Sauce, I never have not had it in my pantry. While there are several major food processing companies who attempting to "improve" on the original (some better than others), I have found that the one you can get at Fresh Market to be the closest to dear Mr. Bain's original that I've found on a retail level. Also, the Pendennis has licensed the original to be produced and sold on a speciality level.

The recipe I use when I make it is from Cissy Gregg's cookbook. Although it is professed to be based on Mr. Bain's original, it is a version "perfected" by another Pendennis head waiter, Livingston Whaley, and is as close to the real thing as you can get.

We carry Henry Bain's sauce at Fresh Market.

Been making it for years. Could not be easier to make, and the many variations all work. Pickled walnuts can be a little hard to find. As a side, Leaving my first wedding reception at the club, going on my Dads boat to Cincy, I changed from my tux and wore a nice pair of shorts and polo shirt. Big no-no! I was later informed that I was the first person to ever wear shorts in the club. I've never been back and because of the long standing racist policies I will probably never will.

Been making it for years. Could not be easier to make, and the many variations all work. Pickled walnuts can be a little hard to find. As a side, Leaving my first wedding reception at the club, going on my Dads boat to Cincy, I changed from my tux and wore a nice pair of shorts and polo shirt. Big no-no! I was later informed that I was the first person to ever wear shorts in the club. I've never been back and because of the long standing racist policies I will probably never will.

I was a member for years and I can honestly assure you there are no "racist policies."

Club membership was long open only to white males, although that policy has been relaxed (the club has a handful of female members). However, the image of an elite, restricted club still is common in the minds of Louisvillians. In 1999 it was one of several private clubs named in a discrimination lawsuit, and was eventually forced to turn over its membership records, though no investigation was ever conducted by the state Human Rights Commission. In 2006, club officials said there had been black members for several years.

When I was married in 1976 I was told that I was not allowed to invite any Black Friends. Lets get real.
I am well aware of all the Non Spoken rules. great sauce though, and I'm glad the club is so open now. Really good news

William Loran Smith
Shady Lane Cafe

I worked with a black male in the late ninties that also worked there part time as a waiter and he told me that the entire wait staff consisted of black males. Pretty sure that's rascist. Thanks for the history, Bill. I'm glad they finally stopped getting away with the bigotry.

Racism is such a touchy matter. But i feel that it can't really be understood unless you have been a victim of it.

I agree with you Becky. We, as a nation, would like to think we are beyond discrimination in terms of race, sex or age but the hard numbers bear the truth. No black guests as late as 1976? I'm sorry but that's just too many years after the civil war war to NOT be a prevailing attitude.

[Robin Garr]

Both of my grandfathers were members of the Pendennis, so I had occasional opportunities to eat there as a little boy as a guest of one or the other, and of course I didn't think anything at the time except that it was classy and fun to be out at a fancy place with either of my grandfathers all dressed up like a grownup.

My father didn't follow in their footsteps, though, and as an adult, I ate there exactly once, when I was assigned to interview former Louisville Mayor Charlie Farnsley in his very old age. I wanted to be properly liberal and refuse to go, but it was an assignment, and that was the only place he would meet me.

While we were there, Mayor Farnsley gestured expansively - and knocked his crystal goblet of water right into my lap!

You really haven't lived until you've been patted down with linen napkins by a squadron of about five very attentive waiters.

My recollection is that the setting was very attractive, the food was certainly passable but nothing to write home about - typical luncheon fare - and that this was into the '80s and the clientele was about as non-diverse as you'd expect of any gathering of upscale business types in Louisville.

Many decades ago, a business friend of my father's invited the family to dinner at the club. We were one of 2 or 3 tables. I was a teenager. Only place I can remember seeing finger bowls.
At work, the Henry Bain sauce is on the Bourbon Street Cafe buffet everyday.
Happy New Year