Real Quick
“The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”—maybe ever
Before the event is a full week old and relegated to the dusty annals of time, I’m taking a moment to call out last Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. The winner, Golden Tempo, ridden by Jose Ortiz, was groundbreaking in many ways, and not just by the pounding hooves.
If you missed it, catch a short NBC video of it here.
What does it sound like when 150,415 jaws drop? Fernando Villena, a friend from LA who was in the crowd, answered my question with a video of that moment. It was an eruption. Fern is in the background at the end of the vid holding a big camera to the left of DeVaux as she melts down.
The lightning bolt trajectory of coming from dead last to the winning position was a victory for more than the horse and the righteously proud owners, the Phipps family, of Phipps Stable, and co-owners of the horse with partner St. Elias Stable. The win thrust Cherie DeVaux, the horse’s trainer, into the spotlight as the first female horse trainer to win the Derby. The jockey, Jose Ortiz, whose pantalones were emblazoned with the words “Horse Whisperer”, beat out his older brother, Irad Ortiz, by a neck. Big bro was riding Renegade, the favorite with odds of 4-1, the morning of the race. Golden Tempo was 23-1.
Jose’s emotional interview with Donna Brothers after the race, in which he called out his family, especially his grandpa, moved me to tears, mirroring his. Donna Brothers expertly encouraged him to share tips with kids in Puerto Rico who aspired to become jockeys, as he had when he was a child. His words ring true: have a good attitude, try to learn English, learn more every day, and respect people. “Dream, but dream big.”
This year I was invested in the race after interviewing several students and the chef instructors from The Pennsylvania College of Technology who were headed to Churchill Downs for food service support. You can read the Centre Daily Times article here. I thought of them and their mission throughout the week and enjoyed watching the Kentucky Oaks 3-year-old fillies race on Friday night before the Derby. Jose Ortiz was the victor there as well, on Always a Runner, trained by Chad Brown. Jose was having a big weekend.
Our Centre County Kentucky Derby celebration is always with friends Bob and Kim, who live nearby and are diehard fans. Bob and John handle the making of the Mint Juleps, and Kim and I wrangle dinner to the table—after the race. Kim is always coming off a busy Spring Saturday with her hands in the dirt at Tait Farm Harvest Shop. She brings the perfect Julep mint, freshly harvested.
When we arrived a half hour before the race, she was busy washing herbs for Green Goddess Dressing and slicing radishes. The washed greens were a vibrant mix that included Miner’s lettuce. The pretty, round succulent leaves mixed well with other leafy greens to create the perfect spring blend for the creamy dressing. We deflowered chive blossoms, and she assembled the salad masterpiece.
We started dinner with a Thai Curried Squash and Red Lentil Soup with a generous dozen ramps thrown in at the end when I was searching for some green to brighten the earthy potage. Topped with Musser Dairy yogurt, chile crisp, and chopped cilantro, the first course jolted our palates and then eased once the yogurt was blended.
A rustic tart followed to put out the fire. John had provided a bowlful of morels that I sauteed, reserving one oversized one for a garnish. Prepared earlier in the day, the dish made for a ready-to-eat dinner.
We all like our salad at the end, and it proved a delicious counterpoint. Wine choices tended to be light and bright after the Mint Julep, and Kim magically conjured up mini bites of dessert from Dolce Vita—a lemon bar and a chocolate brownie, each cut into small squares—that are sold at the shop.
The Derby is over for another year, but this race will not be forgotten. The culinary students who watched the show from the rooftop after a week in the trenches will be forever changed. And many children around the world may have caught a spark that could start a fire.
Morel and Ramp Tart
Serves 8 (or 4, if people have seconds)
Piecrust for a 10-inch tart shell
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6-8 ounces of cleaned morels, cut in half if large (a medium-sized bowlful). Feel free to substitute with any other kind of mushroom.
6-8 ounces of trimmed ramps, chopped (about 2 dozen). Substitute leeks if ramps are unavailable.
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Gruyere
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the pie crust and line a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with the pastry. Dock the crust by piercing with a fork, and prebake for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
Heat the butter in a saute or cast-iron pan, and when it is smoking hot, add the morels. Season with a little salt and pepper while cooking, and stir them around to get them a bit seared. When cooked, transfer to a bowl and add the ramps and additional butter if needed. Cook until they are wilted and bright green. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the morels.
Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl with a whisk, then add the heavy cream and the grated Gruyère and Parmesan. Season the custard lightly with salt and pepper.
Place the parbaked tart shell on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Lift the morels and ramps out of the bowl, leaving any liquid behind. Place the vegetables on the pastry crust and pour the liquid that drained into the custard mixture. Mix the custard until combined, then pour it over the vegetables. If you have a showpiece morel, make sure that’s on top. Place the tart into the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean.
