devonshire – THE DUDE OF FOOD

Clicking on these photos will lead the viewer to the various recipes.

The Hot Brown sandwich (also known as a Louisville Hot Brown or Kentucky Hot Brown) is a variation of a traditional Welsh rarebit in which early variations can be traced back to the Welsh caws pobi or ‘baked cheese’ sandwich from back in the 1500’s. A Welsh rarebit blended with tomato makes a sandwich called the Blushing Bunny.

The Hot Brown was created to serve as an alternative to late-night ham and egg dinners by the chefs at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY which opened in 1923. By 1926 these Hot Brown sandwiches were a huge hit for hotel patrons and locals alike and quickly became the meal choice for 95% of the Brown Hotel’s restaurant customers.

The original Hot Brown included sliced turkey stacked on the open face of white toast with Mornay sauce covering it and then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and broiled until the top bubbles. Pimento and bacon strips were then added on top before serving. I like adding a slice of tomato on mine. Some folks make this with sliced ham instead of turkey which is a tasty alternative.

Q: After the Welsh rarebit which came next, the Hot Brown or the Turkey Devonshire?

A: A few years after the Hot Brown was created Frank Blandi, former owner of the Park Schenley in Pittsburgh, created the Turkey Devonshire. It was 1934 and Frank was running a restaurant by the name of the Stratford Club located on Devonshire Street in Millvale, PA and the name of his edible creation was secured.

The Turkey Devonshire and a Hot Brown are basically the same hot open-faced sandwich on white bread with turkey, bacon and tomato. The key difference is that a Hot Brown uses a rich Mornay sauce made with Gruyere cheese, while a Turkey Devonshire uses a cheddar cheese sauce. The Hot Brown tastes richer and more creamy compared to the Devonshire due to the cheese sauce ingredients.

Other variations from around the globe include :

In 1891 the Croque Monsieur sandwich was written about.

Khachapuri – a Georgian dish probably dates back to the 1100’s and may be a cousin to pizza which came later in history.

Savoury toast from Tasmania is a similar creation but wasn’t mentioned until 1865.

Whatever you sandwich preference, there are many good options available to enjoy.

Bon Appetit, the Dude of Food

Have you ever heard of a Turkey Devonshire sandwich? Well I hadn’t until Christmas 2024 when I found myself looking for a recipe for Turkey ala King and discovered the Devonshire sandwich recipe. The photos looked good and hearty and the sauce reminded me kind of eggs benedict, which I love.

The photos I saw featured layers of freshly sliced turkey, bacon and tons of cheese sauce delicately layered over some toasted sourdough bread. Some of the photos had sliced tomatoes jammed in the cheese sauce. None had onion which I think I’m gonna add as a side to my west coast version along with adding a couple of thin slices of ham. The traditional version is excellent but you are welcome to try my version and let me know what you think.

I’m still thinking about a name for my version of this classic as I tweak this recipe. (The Venician, a Cheesy Bird Sandwich, Turkey Lava, Cheezy P, the Gobbler, the Boardwalk, etc.) It’s possible I may even create a version served in a roll or over macaroni or one with eggs and/or potato’s on the side.

The Turkey Devonshire sandwich originated in 1934 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is typically served as a hot open-faced sandwich on toasted bread with hot turkey, bacon, tomatoes and a cheese sauce. The sandwich is similar to a Kentucky Hot Brown, which it will be compared with in a future post.

The Devonshire is credited as being created by Frank Blandi (1907-1999), a Sicilian American, who first served them at the Stratford Club located between Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield and Shadyside neighborhoods. The sandwich was named after Devonshire Street, located one block away. This sandwich was the local ‘go to’ in the 1960s and still remains a favorite 65 years later.

Some say this sandwich design was borrowed by the 21 Club’s popular chicken hash, which was a dish of diced chicken covered in Mornay sauce and then browned which leans towards the Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich.

Frank Blandi’s Original Devonshire Sandwich Recipe

Cheesy Cream Sauce

3/4 stick butter, melted
1 cup flour
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
1 pint chicken broth
1 pint hot milk
1 tsp salt
a splash of Sauv Blanc      (optional)

Melt butter in deep pan and add flour, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and then hot milk, stirring all the while. Add cheese and salt. Bring to boil, then cook slowly for 20 minutes, still stirring. Cool to lukewarm. Beat with wire whip until smooth before using. This makes enough sauce for 6 Devonshire sandwiches.

For each sandwich:

1 slice toast, crusts trimmed off
2 slices crisp bacon
4 thin slices cooked turkey breast
2 thin ham slices         (optional)
thick tomato slice        (optional) 
thin white onion slice    (optional)
sliced or shaved sharp cheddar
Cream Sauce
Melted butter 
Parmesan cheese and paprika

Preheat oven to 450.

In an oven-proof casserole dish, place slices of toast and top with bacon slices. Add thin slices of cooked turkey breast. Cover completely with cream sauce. Sprinkle with a little melted butter, Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

An alternate version could be prepared as follows;

Layer slices of white toast at the bottom of a casserole pan. Layer Turkey, ham and/or crab meat. Cover that with tomato, bacon crumbles, diced white onion and slices of cheddar cheese and stick it in the broiler to melt together.

Have fun with this versatile and creative comfort food dish and don’t be afraid to experiment and make it your own creative feast.

Bon appetit.

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Directions;

Fry bacon and remove from pan.
Drain.
Set aside.
Melt ¾ stick butter and add flour while stirring.
Add chicken broth.
Stir.
Add hot milk.
Stir.
Add cheese and salt.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat.
Cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
Cool to lukewarm.
Whip cheese sauce with wire beater until smooth.
Place 1 slice toast in a casserole dish and top with sliced bacon.
Add slices turkey.
Cover with the cheese sauce.
Sprinkle with a melted butter, Parmesan cheese and paprika.
Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown

Most writers who tried it with tomatoes recommended the addition, so I included them. I also took the liberty of adding sliced ham and onion and could possibly considering adding a few capers to this mix of flavors.

It wouldn’t be weird to prepare this dish on toasted English muffins or oven pop up rolls either.

Enjoy, the Dude of Food

Tag: devonshire

Like Melted Cheese Sandwiches? A Welsh Rarebit, Hot Brown or Devonshire may be what you need.

Turkey Devonshire: An awesome Pittsburg comfort food.