IN BARDSTOWN, SOUTH OF LOUISVILLE, TO LEARN more about the production of bourbon whiskey, I was
utterly puzzled when my host began talking about a local dish called cheese pudding and insisted on taking me to a family-style restaurant to sample the strange casserole. I loved it, but it was not till sometime later that I read about this being the dish that President Eisenhower was once served for lunch and raved about when he went to visit Abraham Lincoln’s childhood home over in Hodgenville. Apparently, he even asked for the recipe to give to Mamie, and when the press got wind of the request, cheese pudding was added to the Southern culinary pantheon. In western Kentucky, it’s usually served as a main course at supper with country ham biscuits and a salad. I think it also makes a great brunch buffet dish.

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 11⁄2 cups crumbled soda crackers
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup drained, chopped pimentos

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. In a saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over moderately low heat.
3. Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
4. Add the half-and-half, salt, and pepper to the saucepan.
5. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat.
6. Spoon about 1⁄2 cup of the sauce into a greased 11⁄2-quart casserole dish.
7. Sprinkle a few cracker crumbs over the sauce in the casserole dish.
8. Arrange successive layers of chopped eggs, grated cheese, and chopped pimentos in the casserole dish.
9. Repeat the layering process until all the ingredients have been used, ending with a layer of cracker crumbs on top.
10. Dot the top with pieces of the remaining butter.
11. Bake in the preheated oven until the dish is bubbling and golden, approximately 30 minutes.
12. Serve hot.