It’s all about horseshoes in Springfield, Illinois this weekend, from the sport of horseshoe pitching to the judging of the best horseshoe sandwich at the World Horseshoe Cook-Off. WORLD winners will be announced right here in Springfield this very weekend. Not local, or state, or even national winners, but WORLD WINNERS! This is extremely big news for Springfield! Horseshoes are one of my favorite subjects and one of Springfield’s most love it/hate it foods. So which restaurant will win the title of “World’s Best Horseshoe Sandwich”? My question is who are the judges for this world competition, who may have certain biases that will skew their choice of best horseshoe sandwich? I hope the judges are all impartial out-of-towners and not locals for that reason. They should be from around the world based on the WOLRD title being on the line here, including a Canadian, a European, an Asian, a middle Easterner, an Australian, a South American . . . . I’m sure you get the picture I’m painting here.
I know who I’m rooting for based on my own personal horseshoe preference, limited as it is with my allowance of eating a horseshoe only once or twice a year at most. The winner will be announced at 4 pm today. Good luck to everyone, oh and also those participating in the World Horseshoe Pitching Championships at the Prairie Capital Convention Center this weekend too!
For more information about the horseshoe sandwich, see my previous post on the subject here:
http://www.stingfield.com/blog/2008/04/12/the-horseshoe-sandwich-another-springfield-tradition/
According to today’s State Journal Register, here are the winners in the World Horseshoe Cook-Off. I must say I’m disappointed there is not one definitive horsehshoe champion named, but instead winners in five different categories, with no explanation provided as to what the differences are between the winning “classic”, “overall” or “crazy horse” shoes? Figures, it’s politics as usual in Springfield! Here is the link to the State Journal Register article, also copied below:
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x154261412/Horseshoe-contest-competitors-say-it-s-all-about-the-cheese
Horseshoe contest competitors say it’s all about the cheese
Nine restaurants face off during tourney for other kind of horseshoe
Two types of horseshoe competitors came together at the Prairie Capital Convention Center Saturday.
What was billed as the city’s first horseshoe cook-off was held in conjunction with the 100th Annual World Horseshoe Tournament, which has drawn more than 1,300 pitchers and their families from around the world, according to Lara Stremsterfer, event coordinator for the PCCC.
Nine local restaurants competed, and six of them sold their versions of the Springfield culinary favorite to the public, while the versions submitted by the other three were for the judges only.
A local tradition, the horseshoe is an unlikely menu item for out-of-towners, Stremsterfer said.
“When you explain it to someone who’s not from here, they’re like, ‘Wow, that sounds really gluttonous and ridiculous,’” she said. “It’s just a good, hearty, Midwestern thing to eat.”
“You can order open-faced sandwiches everywhere, but just the combination of the bread, the meat, the cheese, the fries, all piled high. … You just don’t see that every day.”
For Top Cats Chill & Grill owner Rich Brockschmidt, the competition was a good way to get some public exposure. Typically, the restaurant at 1822 Stevenson Drive serves about 900 to 1,200 horseshoes per week, he said.
“We sell them a lot, so we might as well come out here and try to push them,” he said.
So what sets apart Brockschmidt’s horseshoes? It’s the cheese, he said.
“They’re all different, but they’re all similar,” he said of the melted cheese sauces. “Ours is not overbearing. I consider ours the best.”
Another competitor, American Legion Post 32, served up a new twist on the old favorite with a Mexican horseshoe.
“Usually it’s a traditional chicken one, but it’s been going pretty good today,” chef Will Hupp said of demand for the Legion’s version.
The Mexican horseshoe included a spicy cheese sauce, taco meat, tortilla chips and fixings that included diced tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa.
In keeping with a summer that’s been unusually cool and rainy, horseshoe samplers braved a steady drizzle throughout the early afternoon to try out the different varieties.
Rick Begando said the horseshoe’s appeal comes down to one key ingredient.
“I think it’s the cheese sauce,” he said. “Growing up in Springfield, I’ve had them my whole life.”
Stremsterfer estimated about 600 to 800 people had attended the event by 3 p.m., adding that she hoped a couple thousand would turn out by the 8 p.m. closing time.
Rhys Saunders can be reached at 788-1521.
Horseshoe history
The horseshoe originated in 1927 at Springfield’s Leland Hotel.
The original horseshoe sandwich was two slices of toast placed side-by-side on a hot metal platter with a horseshoe cut of ham on one side and a fried egg on the other. The open-faced sandwich was surrounded by french fries, representing the nails in the horseshoe.
It was then covered with cheese.
The Leland’s chef, Steve Tomko, joined Wayne Coombs when he opened the Red Coach Inn in the early 1970s, and they began serving the type of horseshoe sandwiches that are best known today — a combination of bread, meat, fries and cheese sauce.
Contest winners:
Best Breakfast Shoe – Lindsay’s Restaurant
Best Desert Shoe – Amber Jack Alehouse
“Crazy Horse” Shoe – Lindsay’s Restaurant
Best Classic Shoe – D’Arcy’s Pint
Best Overall Shoe – Lindsay’s Restaurant: