A Pony Shoe

This is what I cooked for dinner tonight - a Pony Shoe. Here's the backstory on this unique open-faced sandwich.

The Leland Hotel was built in Springfield, Illinois in 1867 and sported 235 rooms. In 1928, the hotel's chef, Joe Schweska, created the "Horseshoe Sandwich," which consisted of two pieces of toasted bread, sometimes Texas Toast, with hamburger patties on each piece of toast, covered with french fries and the whole thing smothered in cheese sauce. It's a popular item on the menu of many restaurants around mid-Illinois to this day.

Now, what I cooked is technically not a Horseshoe sandwich, but half of one, which is called a "Pony Shoe." A horseshoe sandwich is a lot to eat and many people who can't each so much go with the half-sized Pony Shoe. That's what I had tonight, and boy, was it delicious! The fries must be deepfried and it has to be smothered in the cheese sauce for it to be authentic.

Now you know all about horseshoes and pony shoes.