Derby-Pie®
Perhaps the most iconic of all Kentucky Derby dishes is the Derby-Pie®; in fact, Derby is right there in the pastry’s name! Served warm or cool, with ice cream, whipped cream, or all by itself, Derby-Pie® is one of those treats that you just can’t pass up. The signature mix of chocolate chips and walnuts, the oh-so-light filling, the flaky pastry. Every time you take a bite, you feel like a cross between an amateur chef and a detective: Is that a taste of bourbon? Or maybe vanilla? No, it’s got to be a high-rye bourbon; the tartness will offset the sweetness of the chocolate…
Of course, the secrets of Derby-Pie® are closely guarded by Kern’s Kitchen, a family-owned company here in Louisville. The story goes that, in the early 1950s, George Kern was managing the restaurant at the Melrose Inn in Prospect, KY, just outside of Louisville. With the help of his parents, Walter and Leaudra Kern, George came up with a signature dessert for the restaurant. Once the recipe was perfected, the Kerns needed a great name for their creation, which combined the flavors of a chocolate chip cookie and a nut pie. So, they wrote several suggestions on slips of paper, and threw those into a hat. The winning name was, of course, Derby Pie, a reference to the big horse race just a few miles down the road. Soon, the Kerns were met with so many copycats of their delicious dessert that, in 1968, they filed for federal trademark protection of the term Derby-Pie®.
The Melrose Inn is long gone, having closed its doors in 2000, but the Kern’s Kitchen company is going strong, selling their delicious pies in restaurants and retailers throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. For over fifty years, Derby-Pie® has been the taste of the Kentucky Derby for Kentuckians who are way too young to place a bet or order a mint julep, who miss their Old Kentucky Homes, or for those attending parties en route to the Derby. We may not know exactly what’s in a Derby-Pie®, but we know it tastes like Derby Season!
This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book blog. Special thanks to the folks at Kern's Kitchen for Derby-Pie® photos!}
Kentucky Derby Beauty with Primp Style Lounge
Tips to help you look your best on Derby day!
Kentucky Derby Day is, from a fashion standpoint, the most important day of many Kentucky ladies' year. The perfect Derby ensemble takes planning: the hat has to complement the dress, as Hat Girls Kate and Rachel reminded us last week, and the hair and makeup have to complement the hat. I sat down with Shannon Kessler, the founder of Primp Style Lounge, Louisville's premier blow dry lounge, and Cathy Shircliff, the Sales and Marketing Director for Shircliff Publishing (who also served as our model for this blog post!), to talk Derby Day beauty.
Heather C. Watson: What suggestions do you have for Derby Day beauty?
Shannon Kessler: Derby weather is unpredictable. Don’t overglam it; you could very easily wind up with raccoon eyes. Rather, take your normal look and glam it up. Enhance your daily routine, because you’ll be taking lots of pictures!
As for hair, the hat or head piece determines the hairstyle. If you’re doing a fascinator, think of your hairstyle as a trusty sidekick. Beachy waves are always a great option. If you’re wearing a big hat, let that remain a focal point. Choose a low, messy side bun, or a boho chic side braid, which can be worn up or down.
The most important tip for hair is to use the right product! You wouldn’t put the Thanksgiving turkey in the oven without seasoning it, would you? Use a memory locking product to season the hair. If you’re using the right product, you can go from Oaks to Derby without a new blowout. At Primp, we use Eufora products to properly prep your hair for a blowout that lasts several days. We do most of the prep work while the hair is still wet, and finish with hairspray once it’s dry for a finished look.
HCW: What beauty trends are you seeing for spring and Derby season?
SK: We're seeing a movement toward natural and texturized hair, not something that looks too polished or overly “done.” The look is more boho, so you don't seem so finished and fussy for the track.
As for makeup, start with a natural glow; you can transition to a more polished look for evening galas. Some of the trends we’re seeing this year are lips in soft yet bright pink shades; a lot of pink lips with smoky, neutral eyes.
HCW: What beauty tips would you provide for ladies who want to look their best on Derby Day?
SK: Set your makeup with a primer or a finishing spray for all day coverage. Of course, use waterproof mascara. For lips, use a locking color or stain so you aren’t constantly having to stop and reapply. Having a great lip gloss on hand is always a great idea!
Use the right products to prep hair, but having a 2oz hairspray on hand (if your bag allows) never hurts! Keep bobby pins in your bag! You never know when you’ll ned to secure your hat or your hair (or even your dress!) Always take a stack of band-aids; even if you don’t need them, there may be out-of-towners around who didn’t know to come prepared!
Use the right products to prep hair, but having a 2oz hairspray on hand (if your bag allows) never hurts! Keep bobby pins in your bag! You never know when you’ll ned to secure your hat or your hair (or even your dress!) Always take a stack of band-aids; even if you don’t need them, there may be out-of-towners around who didn’t know to come prepared!
Cathy Shircliff: What happens when clients come in with ideas that won’t work for them?
SK: I stress that shorter hair needs to stay down working with a full style; lots of volume. This style highlights the hair that you have – it simply won’t go into a ponytail or a low, messy bun. Often, clients come in with looks from Pinterest that are hard to replicate – their hair is often different in structure or texture from the hair used in the photo. I’ve learned to say with brides “Tell me what you like about that photo” so that we can incorporate elements into a look that works for them. For Derby, we stress making sure that the client’s hat or fascinator works with her hair type; a lot of times, short or fine hair can’t be revived for an evening look if it’s been under a heavy hat or fascinator all day.
Call Primp Style Lounge or visit their website today to book an appointment! Derby weekend appointments are nearly all booked up at Primp's St. Matthews Lounge, but the Middletown Lounge may still have some availability. Special thanks to Shannon Kessler and Samantha Stewart for providing Cathy's look, and to Merci Boutique for loaning gorgeous hats for the photo shoot!
This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book blog.
Kentucky Derby Glasses
Kentucky Derby Glasses are a favorite with collectors and racing fans!
Nearly every Kentucky home has a Kentucky Derby glass tucked away in a cabinet – or a full collection of the colorful glassware on display. Kentucky Derby glasses are a Derby tradition and a great souvenir of a day at the racetrack. Some are even highly desirable collectors’ items!
Kentucky Derby glasses date back to the 64th running of the Derby in 1938. The specially-produced water glasses, Churchill Downs management noticed, were so popular that they “disappeared” from the track dining rooms in large quantities. The following year, the track contracted the Libbey glass manufacturing company to produce a highball glass with color print, suitable for serving a mint julep. The rest, as they say, is history.
Many racing enthusiasts and Kentuckians have created a market for collectable Derby glasses, with the 1930s designs carrying price tags in the thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. Derby glass enthusiasts often divide collections into pre- and post- 1974. That year, the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby, was when Derby glasses were first available for off-track sale. These days, you can pick up a Derby glass well in advance of the race at Louisville-area retailers, but the real fun comes in bringing home a souvenir of the Big Race.
While collectors pore over the variations and misprints in Derby glass runs, others use Derby glasses as daily glassware, a fun reminder of the Big Race. Nevada District Court Judge Nancy Allf is a London, KY native who moved to Las Vegas in 1982. Judge Allf’s Derby glass collection is a fun reminder of her home in the Bluegrass State. She says, “We use Derby glasses every day. It is a fun reminder of home, and always a conversation piece when we have guests over. For dinner parties, especially when introducing new people, I make sure each guest has a different year. It is an unusual but effective conversation starter.”
Whether you’re storing your Derby glasses as part of a collection or using them for cocktail hour at home, they’re a lovely Kentucky tradition that serve as a reminder of Derby all year long!
Five Fun Facts about Kentucky Derby Glasses:
· Nearly 120,000 mint juleps will be served over the two-day period of Oaks and Derby. That’s a thousand pounds of freshly harvested mint and sixty thousand pounds of ice and, of course, enough Derby glasses to hold them all!
· Derby glasses sold at the Kentucky Derby hold Old Forester Mint Julep, a ready-to-serve cocktail made with Old Forester Straight Bourbon Whisky.
· In 1940 and 1941, Kentucky Derby glasses weren’t made of glass, due to concern about the broken glass found on racetrack grounds or possibly the World War II era shortage of glass. . Aluminum tumblers held the storied mint juleps, and a limited number of glasses were distributed for backside use only. Bakelite or Beetleware glasses were issued from 1941-44.
· Since 1949, all previous Derby winners have been listed on the Derby glass, with the exception of the 1950, 1952, 1958, and 1969 glasses.
· The 1946 and 1947 Derby glasses are not recognized by collectors because mint juleps were served at those runnings of the Kentucky Derby in blank undecorated glasses.
This post was brought to you by the Kentucky Derby Book, an interactive coffee table book about the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.
The Hat Girls
Kentucky Derby hats are a tradition as old as the race itself. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. organized the race in 1875 based on the Epsom Derby, and Kentucky ladies looked to their British counterparts for fashion inspiration, including the formal hats of the day’s fashion. Over a century later, the tradition remains.
The Hat Girls, the Official Hat Designers of the Kentucky Derby Festival, put a hip couture spin on the traditional Kentucky Derby hat. The Hat Girls’ creations are stunning and unique and often unpredictable, but what can you expect from a duo who cite Lady GaGa as an inspiration and who debate the merits of the color pink? I caught up with the Hat Girls – Louisville natives Rachel Bell and Kate Welsh – to talk about their design inspirations and the best looks for Kentucky Derby 142.
Kate Welsh and Rachel Bell. Photo via The Hat Girls.
Heather C. Watson: How did The Hat Girls get started?
Rachel Bell: We started off making hats for ourselves, and people liked them. We incorporated as a business in 2013 and here we are.
Kate Welsh: 60% of our business is custom work, which wasn’t in our original business plan. We find that, typically, a lady wants to pick out her clothes around the hat. Others want a custom design made from dresses they’ve already picked out.
RB: And, then we have the customers who have an eye for design, and they want us to be their hands.
A customized Hat Girls creation.
HCW: So, it’s a lot of interaction with the customer, and a lot of customization?
KW: A lot of times, we get into a text chain with the customer, and we give them ideas. This year, we’ve gotten really good at reading the customers to see what they want and what will flatter them. When we don’t have to work around a strict vision, those hats usually turn out the best.
HCW: How long does it take to make a Hat Girls hat?
RB: It depends on the day and the hat. It can be anywhere from one hour to thirty hours, depending on the level of customization. If we’re sewing on individual beads or sequins, it can take a while. But, on a good day, each of us can make two to three hats.
HCW: I always feel so bad for those women you see at the track who chose a hat that’s too big and drooping in her eyes. You know they’re going to have Facebook profile pictures that completely block their faces.
KW: And they’re miserable at the Derby because they couldn’t see the race. We’re very honest with customers about what works for them. People try the hats on, and they don’t always realize that an adjustable hat brim only helps them so much.
RB: You go into a department store, and you only see the pretty hat, not how it’s going to work for you.
KW: As designers, we try to limit how many feathers or sequins we add to the hat so thatit’s not sagging down into the customer’s face.
RB: But, at the same time, the hat usually is the focal point of the outfit.
KW: And, a lot of people go for the goofy, big hat look!
Hat Girl Kate demonstrates a custom order
HCW: What trends are you seeing for the 2016 Kentucky Derby season?
KW: People ask us all the time “Are fascinators still in style?” Yes! Of course they are; look at the styles in Europe! We love fascinators for three reasons: your face isn’t shadowed when you wear one, you look great, and a fascinator is light and comfortable to wear.
RB: We always tell people who are scared to try a fascinator, “Put it on the side where your hair parts.” Fascinators don’t always sell as well in retail stores because people don’t always know how to wear them. We put photos of a lot of our fascinators on social media so that people know how to wear them.
KW: Also, about 90% of our fascinators are adjustable, to accommodate deeper partlines.
HCW: What colors do you predict for this Derby?
KW: Yellow
RB: People want a lot of navy.
KW: And light blue!
HCW: Right, fitting in with the Pantone Color of the Year, serenity?
RB: Absolutely. We overstocked rose quartz, the other Pantone Color of the Year for 2016, but we just aren’t seeing people choose it.
KW: We do always know to have a lot of pink; it’s like black and white. So classic, and so feminine. Plus, we need a lot of pink for Oaks hats.
RB: I’m the wrong one to ask; I hate pink. It’s just not my thing.
A wall of feathers at the Hat Girls' studio.
HCW: What makes a hat a Hat Girls hat?
KW: At first, we only wanted to do funky, Lady GaGa types of hats. We’ve had to tone that down over time, sticking to our aesthetic, but knowing what sells. We’re both such perfectionists. We know how we want things to be. For us, we work better with a higher-end, custom vibe.
RB: Each hat is a work of art!
Learn more about the Hat Girls’ custom works of art on their website, and visit their Facebook and Instagram pages for daily millinery inspiration.
This post also appears on the Kentucky Derby Book Blog. Check out The Kentucky Derby Book for an interactive look at the Greatest 2 minutes in Sports!
2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pin
The 2016 Pegasus Pin goes on sale today at Louisville-area banks, stores, and PARC parking garages. The Pegasus Pin costs $5 and provides admission to several Kentucky Derby Festival events, including Thunder Over Louisville, Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, U.S. Bank Kentucky Derby Festival Great BalloonFest, Great Balloon Glimmer, Great Balloon Glow, Great Balloon Race, Thorntons Great Bed Races, and Republic Bank Parade Preview Party. Each Pegasus Pin is eligible to win weekly prizes, as well!
This year's Pegasus Pin design commemorates the new Abraham Lincoln Bridge, and is sponsored by the new electronic RiverLink tolling system, which will operate on that Bridge connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana.
The Pegasus Pin program is such a great reminder that the Kentucky Derby is so much more than a horse race for those of us who live in Louisville. Everybody may not have the means or interest to attend Derby, but they may have the an opportunity to enjoy the fireworks of Thunder Over Louisville, the delicious food trucks of the Chow Wagon, or the beauty of the balloon glow. Derby Festival really does try to have something for everyone in Louisville, and the moderately-priced, highly collectable Pegasus Pin is the ticket to fun!
The Kentucky Derby by Bill Doolittle
There are a whole lot of great things about springtime in Kentucky. There's basketball and beautiful weather and spring festivals, but absolutely nothing else compares to Derby! The Kentucky Derby puts Louisville in the international spotlight every year on the First Saturday of May. For Kentuckians, Derby is everything -- it's pageantry, it's history, and it's a whole lot of fun. And, as we all know, it's Decadent and Depraved!
I just got my copy of The Kentucky Derby -- Derby Fever, Derby Day, and the Run for the Roses, a fabulous new coffee table book by Bill Doolittle, and I couldn't be more excited about Derby, even though it's still 67 Days away! Mr Doolittle is a longtime track writer and Derby Historian, and his book delves into the history of the race itself. I love the book's message that the Derby didn't grow into something big; it's always been planned as the premier event for American racing, patterned on the huge horse races of England.
Of course, no book about Derby can leave out the traditions that surround the race -- the mint juleps, the roses, and the festivities. It's all there: Mr. Doolittle covers the blanket of roses, the bourbon cocktail we traditionally only drink on Derby Day, and the participants from the Infield to Millionaire's Row.
The coolest thing about Mr. Doolittle's book is that the experience isn't just limited to the pages of text. You can download the Digimarc app on your smartphone, scroll over photos that feature the Digimarc logo, and instantly pull up associated video and blogs! I love this interactive feature that takes you straight to the track to experience races and interviews.
The Kentucky Derby Book is available for purchase online and in Louisville at Dolfinger's and Carmichael's. It's the perfect way to get ready for Derby season, and would make a fantastic gift for the Derby fan in your life!
{Disclosure: The Kentucky Derby Book has an advertising relationship with HerKentucky.com, and I was provided a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own. I truly do love this book, y'all.}
Derby Celebrations for the Entire Family
For the past week or so, we've given you tips about all the special events and observations that make the Kentucky Derby such an incredible and unique event. As we bid you a Happy Derby Day, I want to reflect on my very favorite aspect of Derby: the sense of community that unites Kentuckians, especially Louisvillians.
The Kentucky Derby can be, as the gonzo genius Dr. Thompson wrote, Decadent and Depraved. Of course it can; there's bourbon to drink and bets to be made. Things can get really weird in a hurry.
But, the thing that is so very magical about the Kentucky Derby is that it isn't just a horse race. It isn't merely a day, or a single occasion. It's Louisville's very own two-week Carnival Season. There's something for folks of every age and income bracket, from parades and firework displays and food trucks to galas and private parties.
Ensley O. with the Derby Princesses on the Fillies Float at Pegasus Parade
My favorite part, though, is the way that the youngest residents of the Commonwealth aren't excluded from the festivities.
Heidi P. Walks the runway at the Derby Princess Tea
Throughout Louisville, there are opportunities for kiddos to celebrate Derby. Of course, they can watch the Pegasus Parade, but many local preschools and elementary schools also put on parades of their own. Last year, I even saw some little girls in my neighborhood dressed up in their Sunday best on Derby morning, running a Mocktails stand. (They had non-alcoholic mint juleps and everything, y'all. Cutest. Thing. Ever.)
Madison and her dads watch the Pegasus Parade
Foster K. at a school parade
Eloise and her classmates at a preschool parade
Eloise's sisters Anne-Miriam and Bea take in the parade
Brayden S. gets some tips at the track.
I love that these kiddos get to have fun with Derby week in their own way. If it teaches them a little bit about tradition -- and maybe even the words to our state song -- then that's even better!
Sam C. at Keeneland's Derby Party
Katherine Belle F. in a Derby-themed Lilly dress and a Beaufort Bonnet.
Happy Derby to your entire family from HerKentucky!!!