Full Sandwich, Half Dome
December 30th, 2007Filed Under: cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, turkey with 0 Comments
“Hunger,” Benjamin Franklin is alleged to have stated, “is the best pickle.” There are a few different things that might mean — a few of the dictionary definitions for the noun pickle are: a cucumber, or other vegetable or foodstuff, preserved in brine or marinade; a liquid usually prepared with salt or vinegar for preserving or flavoring fish, meat, vegetables, etc.; Informal. a troublesome or awkward situation. So which of those makes sense? [1]
- “Hunger is the best [preserved cucumber]“? That’s just silly, and doesn’t seem to carry any meaning, even as a metaphor.
- “Hunger is the best [predicament]“? Hunger certainly can be quite a predicament — and an extremely troublesome (even lethal) one at that. But is it really the best predicament? Seems a rather unfortunate predicament to me.
- “Hunger is the best [flavorful brine or marinade]“? Finally, we appear to be getting somewhere. If hunger is the best spice, why can’t it be the best brine, too?
Anyway, whatever Benjamin Franklin had in mind, this much is clear: hiking four miles and 3000 vertical feet in Yosemite Valley makes you hungry. And that hunger makes an already-delicious sandwich taste even better.
[1] Interestingly enough, all of these meanings were in use by Franklin’s time: “brine or marinade” dates from c.1440; “cucumber preserved in brine” was first recorded in 1707; and the figurative sense of “sorry plight” was first recorded in 1562.
Black Forest
December 8th, 2007Filed Under: cheese, ham, mustard with 0 Comments
In Europe, “Black Forest ham” is a protected term indicative of a particular geographical origin and method of preparation: the name is applied only to those hams from Germany’s Black Forest region that have been cured and cold smoked with a distinctive flavoring.
In the United States, on the other hand, there are no such restrictions on the use of the term—but it’s still delicious.
Pepper-ham
October 18th, 2007Filed Under: ham, mustard, provolone with 1 Comment
This is another sandwich precipitated by the purchase of the rye loaf mentioned previously. In this case, the meat was a similar impulse buy. I like ham [1] and I really like pepper [2], so pepper-encrusted ham seemed like a natural choice. Can’t say I regret it in the least.
[1] And who doesn’t like ham? Besides Jains, Jews, Muslims, Seventh-day Adventists and Rastafarians, I mean.
[2] I’ve pissed a lot of people off by indulging in one of my favorite beverages, piprapiim (‘peppermilk’). I came up with it myself, and nobody else likes it. Which is fine, because there’s more for me that way.
Roast beef sandwich
October 13th, 2007Filed Under: beef, mustard, provolone, toasted with 0 Comments
I was at the grocery store when a beautiful loaf of rye bread caught my eye and began begging and pleading for me to make a sandwich with it. I tried to avert my gaze and continue down the aisle, but it was no use—I couldn’t get those shapely slices, those gorgeous caraway seeds, out of my mind. I went back and apologized for even considering being so heartless and cruel, proudly gave the bread the seat of honor in my shopping cart, and made my way over to the deli department to pick up some other ingredients of a similar caliber. No cheap stuff today; both the roast beef and the provolone (sharp, never mild) were Boar’s Head™.
And it was delicious.
Mass-produced love
May 31st, 2007Filed Under: ham, lettuce, mayonnaise, onion, provolone, tomato with 0 Comments
A perfectly competent sandwich, if nothing particularly special. Made on an assembly line.
“On the Grill”ed Cheese Sandwich
May 28th, 2007Filed Under: cheddar, mustard, tomato with 0 Comments
Because this is a massive grilling weekend, grilled cheese made on a bbq grill with mustard and tomato.
Is a burger a sandwich?
May 28th, 2007Filed Under: beef, mayonnaise, tabasco chipotle pepper sauce with 0 Comments
Is a burger a sandwich? I’m going to say sure, if it contains two types of lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo, sweet relish, and chipotle tabasco sauce. Thankfully, this fits the bill.
Inauguration
May 27th, 2007Filed Under: ham, mustard, provolone, toasted with 0 Comments
Now that we finally have this long-anticipated blog up and running, it’s only fitting to christen it appropriately. Shown above is a ham and cheese sandwich I made to commemorate this momentous occasion. It was tasty, but unfortunately it’s been a while since I refilled my bread supply and I had to use one of the ends of the loaf.