Uniquely Springfield

You haven’t truly experienced Springfield until you’ve eaten a horseshoe (or at least a ponyshoe). Springfield originated this concoction, consisting of thick-cut slices of bread topped with meat, then potatoes, and cheese sauce over the top. Chef Joe Schweska of the Leland Hotel created the horseshoe in the late 1920s. The Leland Hotel, now an office building, was located on the corner of Sixth and Capitol Streets. The original horseshoe was made with ham cut in the shape of a horseshoe, wedges of potato (the nails), a Welsh rarebit type cheese sauce and was served on a hot metal plate (the anvil). Today’s horseshoe typically has two slices of Texas toast, your choice of meat (hamburger, ham, turkey, chicken or shrimp), French fries, and a rich cheese sauce smothered over the top. Most people believe the secret is the cheese sauce. A smaller version with just one slice of bread is called a ponyshoe. You can find horseshoes on many menus in Springfield; however, a frequent winner of Best Horseshoe in the Illinois Times Best of Springfield competition is D’Arcy’s Pint, 661 West Stanford Avenue, 217-492-8800.