Like bluegrass, basketball and black lung, the Hot Brown is a Kentucky classic. Fred K. Schmidt created the sandwich at Louisville’s Brown Hotel in 1926 and it’s been a culinary favorite in the state ever since. But eating it the same way every time can get dull. Here are five ways to add more flavor to the dish.
- Black Pepper – Keep it simple with this little known flavor enhancer. Use of black pepper dates all the way back to the early 20th century. Many prefer this spice freshly ground, but we recommend stealing a black plastic pepper container from your favorite local restaurant.
- Allspice – This spice, native to southern Mexico and Central America, will add just the zing your Hot Brown needs. If you don’t have any Allspice at home you can make your own by combining all the spices you have in your spice cabinet.
- Grains Of Paradise – A species of the ginger family, Grains of Paradise will give your Hot Brown a peppery flavor with just a hint of citrus. The spice itself is native to West Africa because nothing says paradise like West Africa.
- Scary Spice – Nothing is more hot and brown than this former Spice Girl. If you Wannabe experiencing the finest cuisine the state of Kentucky has to offer, have a Hot Brown with the one and only Mel B.
- Horseradish – The Hot Brown is a staple of horse country, so why not enhance it with this horse related spice? Horseradish is made from the simple process of having horses stampede over a field of radishes. If you can’t find the real thing, a packet of Horsey Sauce from Arby’s™ will work fine as a substitute.