A warm and bubbly open-faced layering of roast turkey, tomato, bacon, and a cheesy Mornay sauce, the Hot Brown has its origins in the Prohibition-era party scene. The thousand-plus guests who came to Louisville’s Brown Hotel for dinner and dancing each night during the 1920s grew tired of the ham and eggs the hotel served as a late-night snack. So Chef Fred K. Schmidt unveiled the Hot Brown, a sandwich hearty enough to keep dancers on their feet until the wee hours of the morning.
Brown Hotel chef Laurent Géroli’s Hot Brown Quiche is a fresh take on the sandwich that’s easy to bake and serve come Derby day. With all the rich flavor of the original but less day-of hassle, it’s a fun party snack with serious Kentucky roots.
