Henry Bain (1863-1928) was one of the first employees and eventually a legendary head waiter at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, which was founded in 1881. He created his famous sauce for both steaks and local game animals. Club members liked it so much that they would bring their kills to the club after a day of hunting in the nearby woods along with potential members as a recruiting tool. To this day, it is served at the Club and enjoyed by its members and guests.
It is believed to have inspired the concept of dealing with "gamey" tastes by using strong vinegar, tomato and unique fruit overtones. The fruit in the current version is from a peach chutney recipe allegedly made by one of the second generation member's wives. Pickled walnuts are also rumored to be an ingredient.
Until 2009 the general public only had access to imitations, but in that year the original sauce was made commercially available for the first time by the Pendennis Club, and can be found at local gourmet stores in the Louisville area.
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