In which Erin and I go to Bourbon & Beyond to see our two favorite bands!
The Brown Hotel
Our first stop was the Lobby Bar at the Brown Hotel for their Hot Brown and the first of many Mint Juleps that weekend.
THE WORLD-FAMOUS HOT BROWN
Recipe
(Makes two Hot Browns)
2 oz. Whole Butter
2 oz. All Purpose Flour
8 oz. Heavy Cream
8 oz. Whole Milk
½ Cup of Pecorino Romano Cheese
Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish
Pinch of Ground Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast, Slice Thick
4 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)
4 Slices of Crispy Bacon
2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
Parmesan Cheese
Paprika
Parsley
In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium?low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream and whole milk into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2?3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
For each Hot Brown, place two slices of toast with the crusts cut off in an oven safe dish – one slice is cut in half corner to corner to make two triangles and the other slice is left in a square shape – then cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and two toast points and set them alongside the base of the turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place the entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.
Fourth Street
After The Brown Hotel, we wandered down to a revitalized Fourth Street, which features a massive pavilion covering a public space for art, live music, and other performances, as well as numerous shops and restaurants (though mostly of the chain variety.)
Nulu: Garage Bar
One of my favorite drinks of the weekend was Garage Bar’s Basil Gimlet: New Amsterdam Gin, fresh squeezed line juice, and basil.
Bourbon & Beyond Festival
I’m not a huge fan of festivals, but when it’s called “Bourbon & Beyond” and has our two favorite bands playing back-to-back, it is worth the stretch. It also helps to spring for the VIP tickets.
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton, famous for starring in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill, performed a short set for the crowd. Even in the heat of the afternoon, Newton looked cool in a crisp tuxedo. The pipes were gone, but in every other way – the smile, the charm, the charisma, and the expert playing of several different instruments, Newton exercised his licence to kill.
Duran Duran
Stuff about Duran Duran
The Killers
Stuff about the Killers
Churchill Downs
Stuff about Churchill Downs
La Bodeguita De Mima Cuban Restaurant and Rum Bar
We had seen La Bodeguita De Mima Cuban Restaurant and Rum Bar on Thursday night and I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so we returned on Saturday for dinner. We did not regret it. This was the best dining experience I had had in a long time. The food, the service, and the vibe were all impeccable. Our server, Allia, was a vibrant and knowledgeable guide, navigating us around the menu and even beyond to off-the-menu secrets.
Big Four Bridge
After dinner, we decided to try and walk off our heavy meals by walking across the Big Four Bridge, which spans the Ohio River and connects Louisville, Kentucky with Jeffersonville, Indiana. Despite only being a few blocks away from the restaurant, Allia gently cautioned us from walking to the bridge. “Did you bring pepper spray?” she asked.
