I always enjoy learning about regional cuisine, from the special way Chicago makes its hotdogs, to the Philly steak sandwich. I didn't even know that Springfield had it's own unique culinary delight called the "horseshoe" sandwich. Here's the scoop on that:

Horseshoe Sandwich – The sandwich is considered the signature dish or Springfield, Illinois, the home of Abraham Lincoln. This sandwich will make your arteries cringe and your taste buds rejoice. The sandwich starts out with two to three slices of thick toasted bread. On top of that you have two traditional choices: a thick fried ham steak or two large hamburger patties. Then a large amount of freshly made French fries are placed onto the top of it. The secret to this sandwich is the sauce that is poured over the top. Every restaurant and chef seems to have his or her own secret cheese sauce recipe. 1928 - The sandwich was created in 1928 by the chefs at the Leland Hotel in Springfield. The name of the sandwich comes from the shape of the ham with the fries representing the horseshoe nails, and the heated steak platter as the anvil. If you order a Pony Shoe Sandwich, it is the same thing, but a smaller or half a Horseshoe portion (usually one slice of toast).

by Linda Stradley