A thousand miles from Churchill Downs, home to the 133rd Run for the Roses, Coloradans displaced from bluegrass country will celebrate locally, almost the same as they would were they still in their old Kentucky homes.
Scattered across the metro area, they will gather Saturday to watch the Kentucky Derby, often called the crown jewel in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. Paul and Theresa Cook of Parker are among them.
The Cooks threw their first Derby party a decade ago, when they moved to Denver from Louisville.
“When we first moved here we invited all our neighbors,” Theresa Cook says. “They enjoyed it so much that one year someone had a Preakness party and someone else had a Belmont party.”
It’s almost as though the Cooks were destined to host Derby parties. When they moved to Colorado they had just three days to find a house.
“Our Realtor told us about this new subdivision they were starting to build,” she says. “When we saw the streets were all named for Derby winners, we decided this was where we wanted to live.”
In the best race day tradition, the Cooks will serve of a range of traditional dishes, from appetizers of sausage rolls to burgoo – a stewlike mix of meats, vegetables and tomatoes similar to Brunswick Stew – and Derby-Pie, which must be called “Kentucky Pie” because “Derby- Pie” is officially assigned as a registered trademark of the Melrose Inn in Prospect, Ky., where the pie originated.
“We once ordered a Kentucky ham, but it was too salty for some people, so now we just have a regular ham and biscuits,” Cook says. “And we don’t put bourbon in the pie because children come to the party.”
Appetizers include finger foods, sausage rolls, fresh fruit and, of course, mint juleps. Cook concedes they are an acquired taste, and consumption of more than one justifies the abundance of food, if not a designated driver.
“We have a big Kentucky Derby print we hang, and the house is always decorated for the derby,” she says. “We even have a set of Derby glasses. It all gives us a little taste of home.”
The same goes for Don and Terry Nelson of Longmont, who have hosted a Derby party for 13 years. Both were born in Lexington, although they have lived in the West for 30 years.
“What a fun day Derby Day is for us,” she says. “We couldn’t imagine not celebrating Derby day and honoring those beautiful thoroughbreds we love and miss so much. We build the mint juleps in our collection of mint julep glasses early that morning so they are ready to finish quickly as guests arrive.”
Guests, dressed in their Derby best, contribute Southern dishes of appetizers, salads and desserts. Key lime pie and Kentucky pie are favorites. Their mint juleps will feature Wild Turkey – and this year they will pour margaritas too, in a nod to Cinco de Mayo.
Over in Westminster, Doug and Cedra Goldman are preparing for the Derby party they’ve held since the mid- ’90s. He too grew up in Lexington, Ky., where most of Kentucky’s horse farms are.
“I grew up with parties my parents and their friends had,” he says. “Having one here is a way to reconnect with home.”
His wife, however, grew up in New Mexico and California, so this year they are doubling their fun. She’s more attuned to Cinco de Mayo.
“We’re combining the party theme since both are on the fifth,” he says. “We’ll have a piñata and my wife will do Mexican foods. This year I’m using the burgoo recipe from Keeneland (Racetrack in Keeneland, Ky.). We usually make it Friday night so it has a full day for all the different flavors to get together.”
“A lot of people come to the party because it’s a unique event,” Goldman says. “We spend a lot of time explaining what the Derby is all about, and they end up screaming at the TV like everybody else.”
Kurt and Connie Holfelder of Littleton have wanted to have a Derby party for years. This is the year. She’ll make her own version of the Derby-Pie, and already has ordered a box of Ruth Hunt Bourbon Balls, the official Derby candy, from Mount Sterling, Ky.
“My friends won’t be wearing frilly dresses but I have plenty of hats I’ll put out so they can pick one to wear,” she says. “According to superstition, a great hat might help you choose the winning horse. Kurt will handle the julep-making – we use Maker’s Mark.”
Denver’s biggest Kentucky Derby party has been sold out for weeks. Held previously at the boat basin in Washington Park, it was moved this year to the Denver Botanic Gardens in response to its popularity. The Denver event is a fundraising tribute to Sean “Ranch” Lough, a Colorado State University student who died following a mountain biking accident in Virginia.
Caitlin Sullivan, who lives in the Washington Park neighborhood, went for the first time last year. She had heard of the Derby, but was really more into the party than the horses.
“I thought it would be a fun something to do,” she says. “And I really liked the idea of dressing up. I bought my hat at Macy’s then put ribbons on it to match my pink sundress. Everyone was into the spirit of it. The guys dressed up and the ladies wore hats. Then we watched (the race) on screens in the tents.
“The party went on all afternoon; the race … what? Twenty seconds?”
RECIPES
Spicy Barbecue Shrimp
For years this dish has been a Kentucky Derby favorite at Churchill Downs. Serves 6.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and de-veined, tail on
Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter with paprika, sugar, salt, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, white pepper, cumin and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly on medium speed, approximately 2 minutes. Set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Spoon in the butter mixture. Add shrimp to butter as it melts. Sauté shrimp for several minutes until cooked. Pour shrimp into a shallow serving bowl. Garnish bowl with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Bourbon Mint Julep
Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon was inspired by President Abraham Lincoln’s childhood home in Kentucky. Bottled at 100 proof and aged nine years in wood, it takes its name from Bourbon County, where it originated.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons hot water
Finely crushed ice
Fresh mint, washed and patted dry
Directions
In a highball glass, dissolve sugar hot water and allow to cool. Fill glass with crushed ice, and add bourbon. Stir contents until glass becomes frosty, adding more ice if necessary. Use a straw to push stemless mint leaves into the chilled julep mix. Garnish with mint sprigs.
Kentucky Pie
Theresa Cook of Parker makes this pie annually for her Kentucky Derby party. The recipe is from the “Cooking With the Bulldogs” cookbook, compiled by parents of Middletown Elementary students in Louisville, Ky. Serves 8.
Ingredients
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Using an electric mixer, combine eggs, butter, sugar and flour. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow pie to cool. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Burgoo
Doug Goldman, burgoo master at his annual Kentucky Derby party in Westminster, usually pulls from several different recipes, then includes a few shots of bourbon for good measure. This year’s stew recipe is based on one from Keeneland Racetrack in Lexington, Ky. The track’s concession stands serve more than 300 gallons of burgoo – which has been served at the track since it opened in 1936. Goldman omits the pork and increases the lamb. Some recipes include okra. Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
1 pound pork shank
1 pound beef shank
1 pound breast of lamb
1 pound veal shank
Half of a 4-pound fat hen (about 2 pounds chicken)
4 quarts water
1/2 bunch parsley
1 cup cabbage
1 green pepper
2 carrots
2 onions
2 potatoes
1 pint tomatoes
1 cup corn
1 dried red pepper (whatever type you prefer)
1/2 cup lima beans
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Cayenne pepper and salt to taste
Directions
In a large pot, boil meats in water until tender. Remove from broth. Cool meat and remove from bones. Dice meat. Chop parsley, cabbage and green pepper. Peel and dice carrots, onions and potatoes. Combine remaining ingredients in meat stock and cook until thick (about 2 hours).
Serve with cornbread or crackers.
Angel Biscuits
Theresa Cook’s husband’s aunt gave her this family favorite. Dough can be made ahead of time and kept, refrigerated, in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks. Tested at high altitude, makes 6 dozen.
Ingredients
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 cups buttermilk
1 package yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
Directions
Sift flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and sugar together. Cut in shortening until mixed thoroughly. Add buttermilk and dissolved yeast. Blend with large spoon until all the flour is moist. Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough on a floured board to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into biscuits. Bake on a shallow baking sheet for 12 minutes.
Beaumont Inn Corn Pudding Recipe
This dish originated at the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, Ky. The three-step cooking process and the use of white corn makes this a unique version of a Kentucky classic. The Beaumont is the oldest family-owned inn in the state. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups whole kernel corn
4 large eggs
4 cups milk
Directions
In a lightly buttered casserole dish, combine flour, salt and sugar; mix in butter and corn. Beat eggs and add to milk. Stir into the corn mixture.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove and stir with long-prong fork, disturbing the top as little as possible.
Return to oven for 10 more minutes. Repeat stirring. Return to oven for 10-15 minutes. Top should be lightly brown and pudding firm.
Hot Brown Sandwich
The Hot Brown, traditional component of any Kentucky Derby weekend, originated at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. It was created at the historic Kentucky hotel in the early 1900s and is still served throughout the Bluegress State. This recipe from brownhotel.com serves 4-6. The adaptations are from the May Southern Living magazine.
Ingredients
4 ounces unsalted butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 to 3 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
1 beaten egg
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) whipped cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound roast turkey, sliced
8-12 slices toast (crusts removed)
8-12 strips fried bacon
Sliced tomatoes
Directions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add enough flour to make a reasonably thick roux (enough to absorb all of the butter). Add milk and parmesan cheese. Add egg to thicken sauce. Do not allow sauce to boil.
Remove from heat. Fold in whipped cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. For each Hot Brown, place two slices of toast on a metal (or flameproof) dish.
Cover the toast with a liberal amount of turkey. Pour a generous amount of sauce over the turkey and toast. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of bacon on top, garnish with tomato slices, and serve immediately.
Note: A lightly greased 15-by-10-inch jellyroll pan may be substituted for individual baking dishes. Arrange bread slices evenly in bottom of pan. Top evenly with turkey and sauce; sprinkle with parmesan cheese and broil.
Biscuit Hot Browns: Bake 4 large frozen biscuits according to package directions. Split biscuits in half, and toast. Substitute biscuit for bread, and proceed with recipe as directed.
Southwestern Hot Browns: Substitute 4 large, thick cornbread squares, split and toasted, for bread slices. Sprinkle 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles evenly over turkey before adding cheese sauce. Sprinkle 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly over sauce. Proceed with recipe as directed.
Hot Browns with Fried Cheese Grits: Prepare 1 cup regular grits according to package directions. Stir in 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese until melted. Pour hot cooked grits into a greased 9-inch square pan. Cover and chill 8 hours or until firm. Invert onto a cutting board, and cut into 4 squares. Cut each square into 4 triangles.
Fry grits, in batches, in 2 tablespoons hot vegetable oil in a large nonstrick skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes on each side or untl golden brown. Remove from pan, and set aside.
Cook 2 large diced sweet onions and 1 tablespoon sugar in 2 tablespons hot oil in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Arrange 4 grits triangles in a single layer in a lightly greased individual baking dish; top with turkey, sautèed onion, and cheese sauce.
Repeat with remaining grits triangles, turkey, onion, and cheese sauce.
