PEC Challenge: Holmdel Bagel Market

We just made it through the most anticipated weekend of entertainment in our lifetimes.  Starting Friday with perhaps the best sandwich at Taliercio's, Avengers: Endgame did not disappoint and was just about as epic as expected. (More on that later this week.) But by Sunday, I was drained and needed a big-time pick me up.  I wouldn't say I was disappointed by the PEC I ate (I was), just like I wouldn't say I was disappointed by what was touted as the most epic battle scene ever put on film.  While the Battle of Winterfell was definitely a huge scale battle episode spanning almost 90 minutes with some very cool visuals, there were definitely some writing decisions that had me scratching my head. Here are my takeaways:

-First things first, WHY WOULD YOU JUST SEND THE ENTIRE DOTHRAKI HORDE CHARGING INTO THE ARMY OF THE DEAD.  Of course, the visual of the scythes on fire was awesome as each one quickly burned out until totally quiet.  But was that the only reason they made that decision; because it would look cool?  

-Seems everyone had the same complaint throughout that you couldn't see anything.  I guess that's the point they wanted to make?  To show how chaotic and shitty it is to fight a battle during a "blizzard" at night.  (The episode is called "The Long Night.") Good thing the dragons (and I guess Melisandre) were there to provide some firelight. 

-The scene with Arya sneaking around zombies in the Great Hall of Winterfell was like something out of a horror movie.  As spotty as the writing was in this episode, the directing in the entire series has been incredible (except when they light scenes terribly and you can't tell what's going on).   

-Night King had an overwhelming lead in this battle, with almost every extra and secondary character being killed.  Him surviving the dragon fire with a smile and then reviving every person who died to his army gave him an exceptional edge and provided high drama for the remaining survivors.  

-And then he blew it.  After Theon made a valiant piss-poor effort at the Night King (he did mow down a lot of undead with his bow), Arya came from the clouds with a knife hand switch move for the ages while Bran sat there like a Duntz. That's it, White Walker storyline finished. 

Look, there's no denying the accomplishment of this episode and how spoiled we all are as viewers to witness a TV show on this scale.  It's just incredibly obvious to me how the quality of writing differs between the man (George RR Martin) who brought us this incredible, incomplete story, and the showrunners (who brought classic writing accomplishments such as the screenplays to Troy and X-Men Origins: Wolverine).  So what we're left with are two seasons of essentially fan-fic with very cool scenes but incomplete or incoherent writing in regards to the rest of the series.  Where does this leave us with the final three episodes? I hope we will return to the political drama that made Game of Thrones in the first place. And there better be a better explanation for the Night King in one of the hopefully many twists remaining in the final three episodes.  There's about a total of 15 people left alive in Winterfell (all main characters) and Cersei has an army of 20,000.  How will they succeed in taking the throne?  

Holmdel Bagel Market is located on 35 in the same plaza as suburban mainstays such as Chilis, Texas Roadhouse, and TJ Maxx.  Its a cute little nook of a storefront that has, you guessed it, bagels, though the placement of a Rook Coffee next door might have taken away their clientele only wanting a morning coffee.  Let's get into how they stack up:

Bread Rating: 5.8/10 (Pretty underwhelming bagels for a place with "bagel" in their name) 

Pork Roll: 5.5/10 (I'm not sure what brand of pork roll they used but it tasted a bit like bacon.  In fact, it might have been "Canadian bacon" which is just inexcusable. It was cut thin and they did put a good amount of meat on there I guess is the positive here.)

Egg Rating: 5.2/10 (Eggs were scrambled which just does not work on a breakfast sandwich.  Trust me I've made that mistake many times!)

Cheese Rating: 6.5/10 (Average, at least it was melted.)

Sandwich Composition: 5.5/10 (It's already tough to nail the breakfast sandwich on a bagel but it's even harder to do when the egg is off.  After the first bite, the egg was off the sandwich completely and I had to put it back on with each bite.) 

Overall Rating: 5.7/10 

Price: $4, cash only.

Holmdel Bagel Market is located at 2102 NJ-35, Holmdel, NJ 07733.

Sandwich Challenge: The Capolino

This is it.  One of the most anticipated movies ever is coming out TONIGHT.  A cumulation of twenty-one movies, eleven years, six infinity stones, two Hulks (shoutout Ed Norton), and one giant Disney franchise all come to its #endgame.  There's a lot of investment in the MCU considering I was still a teenager when these things started the great Downey Jr. Comeback Tour with Iron Man back in 2008.  To prepare, I've put my MCU Blu-ray collection to good use (yes, I've collected each of these on Blu-ray as if I'm The Collector, RIP) and will now be ranking each film just like every other blogger in the country.  Quick takeaway on the rewatch is that they really do get better the deeper you get into it.  Please feel free to argue with me in the comments, fellow nerds. 

21. Thor: The Dark World, 2013

This one was by far the roughest film to re-watch.  The Dark Elves are the lamest villains ever and frankly kind of remind me of the Night King in Game of Thrones.  Oh, cool you like the dark, GTFO.  Everything about Thor's time on Earth in this movie just sucks, his relationship with Jane Foster sucks, Jane Foster's friend sucks, the after credit scenes on Earth suck.  Also, they do a really shit job of explaining THE REALITY STONE. One pro: the music during the funeral scene is incredible. (Shoutout Brian Tyler, solid soundtrack).

20. The Incredible Hulk, 2008 

Edward.  Norton. Is. Distracting.  He gets replaced later in The Avengers and I'm kind of glad he was.  I get it, they were just starting to figure out what they were doing. (This was the 2nd film to come out in the MCU.) As a stand-alone, it isn't terrible but this might just me talking myself into it.

19. Thor, 2011 

Again, everything on Earth is so lame, although it's a little more interesting seeing how people would react to a literal alien coming from the clouds.  (Spoiler alert, it seems like people don't really care?) People always comment about how Marvel was able to turn around Thor but Hemsworth was never the problem. (Looking directly at you, Natalie Portman.)  

18. Iron Man 2, 2010

"I want my bird," in Mickey Rourke's terrible Russian accent will always be funny.  So glad they replaced Terrance Howard with Don Cheadle.  Black Widow intro and Garry Shandling (RIP) as a douchebag politician are the best parts of this one. Ok and the Peter Parker cameo during the pretty cool fight scene at the end.  Your basic character development chapter. 

17. Iron Man, 2008

I know, I'm upset too.  This movie just does not hold up very well.  It's, of course, an incredible introduction to Tony Stark and the MCU.  But I don't know if I was distracted by the way they displayed tech in 2008 or if Jebadiah Stane is just a boring villain, either way, I by no means dislike this movie.  Also, Terrence Howard just doesn't seem to fit as future War Machine, and honestly we probably get him killed off completely in the series if they hadn't recast to Don Cheadle.  

16. Ant-Man and the Wasp, 2018

I saw this movie as simply filler.  Yes, I can guarantee that the quantum realm will be a big part of Endgame and they explain most of it in this film.  And maybe I'm just lashing out that this one followed Infinity War.  I think the way they brought in the Wasp was very well done, but unless the "secret organization" Walton Goggins' character is working for ends up to be OsCorp, what was the point of him even being there. 

15. Captain Marvel, 2018 

I wanted to like this more, I really did.  Maybe it's unfair that I only have seen this once but it just seemed like Carol Danvers wasn't exactly tested in this movie.  Like at all.  She discovers her origin and that the Kree might not be so great and then almost just destroys Ronin's fleet immediately with no problems.  I understand that she's one of the most powerful heroes in the universe but you'd think she would be put into a little more peril than hand to hand combat with Jude Law on Earth.   

14. Captain America: First Avenger, 2011.

In 2011, I thought this would by far be the worst of the "new" Marvel movies.  Nearly a decade later, this one holds up the best of the phase one movies and maybe it's because Chris Evans as Cap has the best character arch in the entire series.  It's hard not to get emotional when he sacrifices himself in the end despite having a date with Peggy Carter. 

13. Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015

Look, it's tough to have the task of following up The Avengers with something fresh, I mean they just defeated an alien army for fuck's sake, how could anyone on Earth challenge them.  They did what they could with mutants "miracles" Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch and I actually could mess with the origin of all mutants (thanks for selling, FOX) going forward in the MCU getting their powers through some sort of Infinity Stone manipulation.  We see Thanos gearing up in the end credits here so you know shit is about to go down.

12. Iron Man 3, 2013

You might think I'm crazy but this is the best Iron Man film.  Is Extremis kind of a weird flex?  Sure.  But what we see in this film is the beginning of Tony Stark's obsession with protecting the world, which he ends up fucking up royally in Age of Ultron.  I know people were upset with the Mandarin swerve but guess what? The real Mandarin is still out there somewhere (unsure if this will ever be explored after Endgame), and I thought Ben Kingsley crushed it both in the fake Mandarin videos and as the pathetic drugged up actor hired to portray him.  Also, this doubles as the only MCU Christmas film.  

11. Doctor Strange, 2016

These are going to start getting really tough.  I thought this was a fine introduction into the mystic arts and sorcerors, it just didn't grab me as much as the others did.  Although Doctor Strange may be one of the best parts of Infinity War. I think the shallow, at best, relationships we see in this one kind of took me away from liking this more. 

10. Ant-Man, 2015

From the outside looking in, Ant-Man for sure would seem like the lamest of the MCU heroes.  But they absolutely nailed this one by casting Paul Rudd as Scott Lang.  He has genuine chemistry with everyone from the get-go, which was apparently tough for Marvel to nail down in the earlier movies.  

9. The Avengers, 2012

This movie rules, there's just no way around that.  For the first time ever, we get to see The Avengers come together and they do so spectacularly.  It's also the first time we really witnessed just how great movies in the MCU could be.  While the rest of phase one was fun, this is really what everyone was waiting for and did it ever deliver.  

8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 2017 

Sure, you can look at this as a pure filler film and character development.  It doesn't exactly advance the main MCU story at all.  But that still doesn't make it a bad movie.  What James Gunn has been able to do with fringe Marvel characters (as far as pop culture goes) and turn them into their own franchise on their own is nothing short of impressive.  The soundtrack in this film might actually be better than vol. 1, and we do get major setups for the future of the cosmic side of the MCU (what's up, Adam Warlock). 

7. Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2017 

You will never find a better person to play Peter Parker than Tom Holland. (Sorry Tobey but you were 30 when you played a high schooler and it was weird.) Nerds everywhere rejoiced when we found out Spider-Man was finally going to be included in the MCU and his "homecoming" did not disappoint. 

6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, 2014

Things are going to get VERY tough to rank from here. After two Thor movies failed to show us how cool space could be in the MCU, GOTG brought us a vibrant, funny space adventure that could rival Star Wars (I'm not joking).  This was a pretty big gamble by Marvel and they hit big time with pretty perfect casting throughout.  Not only do we get amazing music but also an ACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF INFINITY STONES and why everyone in the universe could be after them.  

5. Thor: Ragnarok, 2017

What an absolute turnaround.  And we really have GOTG to thank for it.  Ragnarok was the perfect way to close the book on Asgard (RIP) while also being one of the funniest MCU films ever. Thor has better chemistry with Valkyrie in 5 minutes than in 4 combined hours with Jane Foster. Also, anytime you feature Jeff Goldblum you will be in the top 5 of any list, let's be honest. 

4. Captain America: Winter Soldier, 2014

This is the point in MCU watching where I turned from simply having fun watching a comic book movie, to thinking "holy shit, these are actually good movies."  Thrilling from beginning to end (I think these might have my favorite credit graphic of any MCU film), we see the end of SHIELD as infiltrated by Hydra and Captain America on the run as a fugitive (not the 1st time it turns out).  Even if you knew Bucky Barnes was the mysterious Winter Soldier, the reveal still captivates you.  This also has the best movie score in any of the movies, which is kind of a big deal for me. 

3. Black Panther, 2018

This movie only got better the 2nd time I watched it.  The visualizations pop, you have a sympathetic villain (played excellently by Michael B. Jordan), and Wakanda is presented as a real-life place.  The way the soundtrack moves from traditional African themes to more American themes as scenes shift from T'Challa and Erik Killmonger was expertly done.  I hope we continue to see Ryan Coogler's work in the MCU because that dude can really make a movie.  

2. Captain America: Civil War, 2016

How do you get an Avengers movie without it being an Avengers movie because no one on Earth could possibly stop them?  Well, you make them fight each other. From introducing the Sokovia Accords, Black Panther, and amazingly Peter Parker to revealing a Helmut Zemo as trying to unravel the Avengers by revealing the secret of Winter Soldier; the entire premise is so well executed.  This, of course, is only the beginning of the end.

1. The Avengers: Infinity War, 2018 

Anytime you can make nearly three hours fly by for a viewer, you have succeeded as a filmmaker.  This film brings (nearly) every character you have met so far who is still alive together for one purpose, defeating Thanos. Serious question, is Thor's arrival at Wakanda the greatest scene in film history? Makes you think. And the ending still has me a little shook.  Where do we go from here?  

The Capolino: Roast Beef, Pepperjack, Hot Peppers, Horseradish Sauce

As soon as The Russos (all the movies they directed are in the top 5) took over for the Captain America movies and Infinity War, you have to figure Endgame will be the end of the Captain America arch, which makes me want to cry a little bit.  So in honor of the Cap, I bring to you The Capolino. Let me tell you something, this sandwich is the real deal.  I mean these are four of my very favorite ingredients in ANYTHING all put together in a sandwich. JUST LOOK AT THAT PEPPER JACK CHEESE.  Hot peppers and horseradish was a combination I never knew I needed but now I'll never stop thinking about it.  If this isn't an omen of what's in store for us in Endgame I don't know what is.*

Overall: 9.4/10 

*This weekend will undoubtedly be the ruin of me, mentally and emotionally.  Starting it off this high only to have to go through both Endgame and the Battle of Winterfell within a 72 hour period would be enough to break anyone.  See you all on the other side.  

PEC Challenge: AJ's Deli

(GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS BELOW)

Here we have it.  The great Battle of Winterfell is upon us.  And while we were left with another "set up" episode this week, something tells me it was really a "goodbye" episode for pretty much every character on the screen.  So, this week, I've set up another battle.  AJ's Deli sits directly across the street from last week's PEC, Dom's Cherry St. Deli.  You may be thinking, "Why would there need to be two delis across the street from each other?" Especially when you live in a place where each deli is 10-miles away from each other.  (Looking at you DC, Panera Breads and Cosi's don't count.) Because, NJ, but also because Shrewsbury Ave is a four-lane hell-scape of suburban planning and you might just want to go to the place on your side of the street.  AJ's and Dom's are very similar places with almost identical PEC's and as we learned on this week's GOT episode, maybe the Lannisters, Starks, and Targaryans are more alike than they think.  Here are this week's takeaways: 

-This entire episode was like watching people live out their last day alive and frankly I was sweating the entire time from anxiety.  Probably a very rational reaction to a TV show. 

-Happy to report that Bran is still creepy AF but also pretty forgiving considering he kept his mouth shut about Jaime pushing him out a window in Season 1. 

-Brienne and Jaime might have the best relationship arc on the show. 

-After all of this, Bran and Jon Snow's big plan is to "Home Alone" the fucking Night King?! A little weird and I hope the Night King has a more complex motivation than just killing Bran to erase history.  

-Speaking of all-time bad plans, that one might be Jon Snow's 3rd dumbest of the episode behind: Telling everyone that the crypt (where dead people are) is the safest place to be when fighting against the White Walkers (who raise the dead as killer zombies), and telling Khalessi they've been engaging in incest literal seconds before they have to fight for the survival of the world. 

-Is Khalessi turning heel? She was way more concerned about Jon Snow taking her throne than having an incestuous relationship. (I understand her entire family history is incest so she definitely doesn't care but still)

-Missande wanting to go straight back to her beach home after fighting the White Walkers is the most relatable comment made on this show.

-Everyone should have seen that Arya scene coming, she's a bad bitch. 

-I've listened to Florence + the Machine's rendition of "Jenny of Oldstones" no less than 100 times in the last 24 hours and get goosebumps every time (link below to full song).  Get ready to have your hearts ripped out next week, again just a TV show, or is it.  THRONES. 

Bread Rating: 8.1/10 (Bread was almost exactly the same bread at Dom's except it was toasted.  Fluffy and light.)

Pork Roll Rating: 7.3/10 (Little light on the pork roll, two slices, but it was very good)

Egg Rating: 8.1/10 (A very excellent fried egg)

Cheese Rating: 8.2/10 (Exactly the same amount of cheese as Dom's, very good cheese output, real melted cheese)

Sandwich Composition: 8.5/10 (Perfectly constructed, no mess, and very light and eatable.  An "every day" breakfast sandwich.)

Overall Rating: 8.04/10 (This is very comparable to Dom's and Brennan's and therefore deserves to be in the 8's.)

Price: $4.25, credit cards accepted.

AJ's Deli is located at 555 Shrewsbury Ave, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702. 

Sandwich Challenge: Cheech and Chong

*Editor's note (me): I ate this sandwich on 4/20 but was too hungover to even contemplate writing anything.  Probably should have just sparked up.


I have a confession to make.  I have never seen a single Cheech and Chong film (unless you count their triumphant acting reunion voicing characters in FernGully).  Yet, their influence on pop culture transcends time, starting what will become known as the genre of stoner comedy.  Their first feature film Up in Smoke (1978) inspired such classics as Clerks (1994), Friday (1995), Bio-Dome (1996), Half Baked (1998), The Big Lebowski (1998), Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Grandma's Boy (2006) and Pineapple Express (2008).  (And yes, these are the best of the genre, don't @me).  Did you also know that Cheech and Chong are Grammy Award winners?  In 1974, they won Best Comedy Album for Los Cochinos which included collaborations with George Harrison and Carole King.  You've probably heard one of their songs, "Basketball Jones" featured in the movie Space Jam.  (It was covered by Barry White and Chris Rock for that movie's album).  

Cheech and Chong: Mesquite Smoked Turkey, Cheddar, Bacon, Red Onion, BBQ Sauce

The Cheech and Chong was one of my first go-to paninis from Taliercio's and an all-time favorite of my friends.  And just how I've likely disappointed my mother by celebrating stoner culture (legalize it), I too was disappointed to learn that my go-to sandwich was not the best one at Taliercio's.  (I have 57 sandwiches to go until I declare a winner).  If you're into smokey BBQ flavor, this is the panini for you.  The smoked turkey, bacon and BBQ sauce compliment each other perfectly and you'll be sure to appreciate the amount of melted cheese this panini has to offer. (After repeatedly using the verb "smoked" I finally understand why this panini is named the Cheech and Chong, I swear I'm not high right now.) But it seems either my taste might have changed a bit since high school for better or worse, or I've just had this one a bit too often in my life to really appreciate it fully for the first time.  Regardless, it still remains a solid choice and one I would recommend to any first-timer.  

Overall: 7.2/10

Anyway, here's a clip of Cheech and Chong performing Basketball Jones on The Simpsons in 2011. 

Welcome to Day Game Dogs: Windmill Red Bank

After last night's embarrassing 14-3 defeat, the New York Mets need to turn around today to keep the title of worst 1st place team for the 2nd consecutive April.  I couldn't think of a better way to turn the team around than to eat a #daygamedog during their 1pm game today.  I just know the combination of trans fat meats and overprocessed vegetable toppings are just the motivation elite athletes need while playing a World Series favorite Philidelphia Phillie team.  If they have a terrible showing today, #daygamedog blog series will be canceled.  (They are on a shorter leash than Jason Vargas.) You'll be surprised to know that there is quite the hot dog market in Red Bank.  Today I will begin this series with a Jersey Shore classic, The Windmill. 

WindMill got its start in 1963 in Long Branch, and you couldn't possibly miss the windmill-shaped building on Ocean Ave.  Did you know that hot dog styles are regional? DC rocks the half-smoke and Michigan sports the Coney dog. I'll be sure to explore these further when I finally get around to my epic "30 Baseball Stadium Trip." Well, at WindMill, they are called "Jersey Shore flat-grilled dogs."  Other notable New Jersey-style hot dogs include Italian hot dogs, Texas wieners (lol), and rippers*.  Of course, all claim to be the favorite of Bruce Springsteen, but which one is my favorite?  Let's find out. (There are only 9 more Mets day games during the week and as soon as they lose one, it's over, so we may actually not find out.) 

WindMill uses Sabrett (based in NJ) hot dogs which have an iconic crunch when biting into them. WindMill rocks a very boardwalk vibe to all of their locations, so don't go in expecting gourmet.  They do have a free topping bar so don't be shy. (I might have gone overboard with the hot relish but we are not soft on this blog.)  Overall, I would say this is a solid, average hot dog. #LGM 

6.6/10

*The famous Ripper is at Rutt's Hut in Clifton, NJ, which will appear on my "64 NJ Defining Foods" series inspired by this article. I have some history with that place and can't wait to share it so stay tuned!

PEC Challenge: Dom's Cherry St. Deli

(HEAVY GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS AHEAD)

After nearly two years, the greatest show ever made its return last night for its final run.  Yes, Game of Thrones is the greatest TV show ever made even with ridiculous scenes that could be a trailer for Disney's live-action Aladdin movie. Here are the big takeaways from last night's set up episode: 

-The guy who creates the opening credit sequence was really feeling it when making the location title sequence for this season.

-Bran is creepy as fuck and also the funniest character to ever show up on-screen during GOT.  I laughed out loud every time someone turned around and he was sitting there, creepily.  Need a horror movie supercut of these scenes when the season is over.

-The North is super racist against people who aren't descendants of the First Men.  Can't wait to see that hard-hitting headline in the NY Times this week.

-Cersei gave an all-time quote that's sure to be used in every sorority girl's Instagram for the next decade.  I really hope she gets to see the elephants she desperately wants to see in battle. 

-I can't get "A Whole New World" out of my head after watching Khalessi and Jon Snow's little dragon jaunt.  

-Jon Snow almost exclusively has sex with his girlfriends in caves behind waterfalls. 

-Big time payout for anyone who took Mac from Always Sunny as 1st death of the season.  (He was the first dude shot in the face by an arrow during Yara's rescue.)   

The episode ended what was a Sunday for the ages.  Other notable events included; a huge 2-0 win by Liverpool over Chelsea to remain one point behind Man City for the EPL title, and Tiger's triumphant Masters win after an 11-year Major win drought.  I started the weekend with an amazing PEC from Dom's Cherry St. Deli on Shrewsbury Ave.  By all appearances, Dom's is your typical NJ deli (it's been there for 30 years), but their PEC is very good.  They also have specialty sandwiches (not as many as Taliercio's) that I'm looking forward to trying.  

Bread Rating: 7.9/10 (Very light roll)

Pork Roll Rating: 8.7/10 (Three slices, expertly grilled)

Egg Rating: 7.8/10 (A very solid fried egg, smothered with cheese)

Cheese Rating: 8.2/10 (Melted cheese here enhanced the sandwich rather than causing a distraction, it was the correct amount and real cheese.)

Sandwich Composition: 8.7/10 (It reminded me of Brennan's in Rumson, excellent SPK ratio, not messy despite all the melted cheese, and the perfect amount of food for a breakfast sandwich.)

Overall Rating: 8.3/10

Price: $4.50, credit cards accepted and they will deliver for free ($10 minimum). They are, however, closed on Sundays.

Dom's Cherry St. Deli is located at 530 Shrewsbury Ave, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701 

(You guessed it, the cross street here is Cherry Street and unfortunately, it's not the Cherry Street from the song "Ocean Avenue.")

PEC Challenge: Colts Neck General Store & Deli

As some of you may know, I am a huge history nerd.  During my time in Virginia, I spent a lot of Saturday mornings in the Spring looking for nearby Civil War battlefields to visit.  Last weekend, I reignited the Spring battlefield tradition by visiting the only battlefield around, the site of the Battle of Monmouth. (The Battle of Monmouth was during the Revolutionary War for the "history is boring" crowd out there).  No matter how many of these I go to, I'm always in awe at how big these battlefields are.  Anyway here's a quick recap of the battle for all my history people out there (if you hate history scroll down to the pork roll below): 

Following the American victory in Saratoga in September-October of 1777, the French were convinced American independence could be achieved and joined the cause.  Because of this, the British needed to consolidate their forces before the French fleet arrived and decided New York City was to be their stronghold in the North.  They abandoned a captured Philadelphia and their march brought them directly through New Jersey.  As you might have guessed, 18,000 people walking 90 miles from Philly to New York in heavy, wool, red, uniforms took a bit of time, especially during a heat wave in June.  General Washington, needing a political win after rival General Horatio Gates' success in Saratoga, took pursuit with his newly trained Continental Army.  They caught the British at Monmouth Court House (now Freehold, NJ) and for the first time fought the British Army to a standstill in a prolonged engagement. The battle was fought in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees as more soldiers died of heat stroke than by bullets.  It is here that the legend of Molly Pitcher (not just the hotel next door to me) was born as many of the American soldiers' wives braved the dangers of the battlefield and heat to provide the men with fresh water.  British General Clinton, who thought he would crush the Continental Army and put an end to the rebellion, made a midnight retreat through Middletown to Sandy Hook where his exhausted men were ferried across the bay to New York City.  The French fleet arrived a week later and from there the British turned their strategy towards the Southern Colonies.  The Battle of Monmouth was the last major battle fought in the North (until Gettysburg).  

To get in the mindset of 18th-century American life, I stopped at the Colts Neck General Store that was definitely (not) there during the Battle of Monmouth but was built 70 years later in 1849. It's been a General Store ever since, though it really became a pork roll slinging deli 30 years ago.  I haven't spent much time in Colts Neck, but it seemed to be a really awesome community spot where most people go with their families to pick up something to eat during the weekends.  If you're into golf, it's right near three courses, Hominy Hill, Pebble Creek, and (gasp) Trump National Golf Club so you can stop here for a pre-round PEC.  

Bread Rating: 6.8/10 (Pretty average roll)

Pork Roll Rating: 6.7/10 (Two thick slices, slightly undercooked)

Egg Rating: 7.6/10 (Definitely more than two eggs, fried.  Highlight of the sandwich) 

Cheese Rating: 5.3/10 (A barely melted Kraft single) 

Sandwich Composition: 7.2/10 (It was well constructed, the SPK ratio was right on) 

Overall Rating: 6.7/10 (It certainly could have been worse, I think the cool General Store vibe might have given it a slight bump but overall it was fairly average.) 

Price: $6 

Colts Neck General Store & Deli is located at 171 County Rd 537, Colts Neck, NJ 07722.

Sandwich Challenge: The Spinnato

I'm not going to lie, I have absolutely no idea what The Spinnato relates to so there isn't going to be a background story for this one.  A quick Google search on the subject brought up a review of Antico Caffe Spinnato in Palermo and Comedian-Hypnotist Jim Spinnato.  Since I'm not too familiar with either, I'm going to assume this sandwich is named after someone they know who loves these three ingredients on a sandwich.  Whoever you are, Spinnato, you have good taste.  The star of the show here is the basil pesto, which brings a freshness I definitely needed after two straight weeks of fairly greasy sandwiches.  This is a spring sandwich for sure and I'm not just saying that because the sun is shining and the sea water of the river is being perfectly blown into my windows right now.  Mozzarella elevates any situation, and salami is just the type of meat to get the mozz bump. (I'm trademarking that.) 

The Spinnato: Genoa Salami, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto

Speaking of Spring, in my former life, this would be the time all of the roads would get even more congested than usual by tourists looking to hit the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin.  It is a pretty amazing sight to see all of the cherry blossoms along the water with the monuments in the background. (Rare DC compliment alert!).  But if you absolutely hate crowds or don't want to drive to DC, did you know that Branch Brook Park in New Jersey has the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the United States?  There are over 5,000 trees and a Cherry Blossom Festival that's currently running until Sunday.  I just gave you a solid date idea for this weekend, you're welcome.  (Taking someone to Newark, NJ also shows your edge.)

Rating: 7.7/10    

And if you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about here's a picture I took outside my apartment of a cherry blossom tree.  

Photographic evidence of Cherry Blossoms in NJ 

PEC Challenge: Taylor Sam's

Wrestlemania happened last night, and thanks to the ever incompetent NJ Transit, it might have happened in New Jersey for the last time. Would I, a member of a frequently used text group "WWE Fantasy Bookers," regret not attending pro wrestling's biggest event when it was held in my backyard?  Wrestlemania has always been a big deal for me and my friends but with a nearly 8-hour run-time and tickets nearing $400, it just seemed better to hang out at a friend's house, fire up the grill and enjoy it from home like usual.  There were definitely some awesome moments of the night (see: The Miz suplexing Shane McMahon off a camera platform 20 feet in the air; The Iiconics Women's Tag Team win; Kofi Kingston's WWE Title win;).  But my overall feeling towards the event was that it really wore me out.  Now that I think about it though, spending $400 might have been worth it to not have to listen to Michael Cole on commentary.  And that's talking wrestling.  

As per tradition, I started the big day off with a pork roll.  Before hitting the Red Bank Street Fair (where I purchased a 100-year-old picture of downtown Red Bank, nerd alert), I stopped into one of my favorite breakfast spots in RB; Taylor Sam's.  Every time I go there I try something new and it never disappoints (I can confirm their omelets and pancakes are awesome). But today was the day I judged their pork roll or "Original Taylor" as they named it.  Like most diner experiences, you have to apply your own SPK (salt, pepper, ketchup) so please excuse my heavy-handed ketchup application in the picture below. It's always so hard to gauge how much to pour on when they give you a bowl of ketchup!

Bread Rating: 7.3/10 (The kaiser roll was good but it would have been better if it were a little smaller.)

Pork Roll Rating: 7.6/10 (Three slices, grilled well done)

Egg Rating: 8.2/10 (They do fried eggs really well here)

Cheese Rating: 7.6/10 (Had a solid melt, seemed like real cheese)

Sandwich Composition: 6.4/10 (Sandwich itself was put together nicely, but the roll was a little too big in relation to the contents which make the first few bites primarily bread.) 

Overall Rating: 7.4/10 (A solid PEC, which did not surprise me because pretty much everything on their menu is good)

Price: $4.80 (which if we're being honest is an incredible value)

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Taylor Sam's is located at 20 Broad St. Red Bank, NJ 07701.  Their original location is located at 1563 NJ-88 Brick, NJ 08724.  

Sandwich Challenge: The Duke

So I originally scheduled this sandwich for next week in anticipation of celebrating Duke's 6th National Championship and salvaging my last place bracket.  As predicted, the move mushed the shit out of Duke as they lost to Michigan State yet again in the Elite Eight. The mush is when you are so sure of a sports prediction and the complete opposite happens. I'm not sure when I acquired the mush (also known as Draids on the show The League) but I do have a theory about it. The deeper you are in a relationship, the bigger the mush you become. It's just science.  For example, the biggest mush I have ever seen is married.  (Shoutout Marty Mush).  So, here's your sports gambling tip of the week: always fade your married friends.  Anyway, please enjoy this Mount Rushmore of my favorite Duke players: 

Trajan Langdon

"The Alaskan Assassin" was the first college basketball player that became appointment TV for me to watch.  From 1995-1999, he set the school's all-time three-point record and can be solely blamed for me only practicing three-point shots for the first few years of my mediocre basketball career.  

Christian Laettner   

I never actually watched Christian Laettner play at Duke since I was three when he hit that shot against Kentucky.  But CBS did show that shot ad nauseam for a decade and a half during every college basketball tournament and I watched the documentary "I Hate Christian Laettner." Everyone knows I love a good villain. Which brings me to. 

J.J. Reddick

From hitting every single three (except when he actually needed to hit a three) to every free throw, I think J.J. Reddick might have the nicest shot I've ever seen.  Taunting Maryland fans every year is a huge plus.  Might be my most favorite college basketball player to watch of all-time. 

Jason Williams

I remember being in awe seeing Jason Williams play during the Jersey Shore Summer League after his freshman year at Duke.  During his time there, he was New Jersey's biggest collegiate athlete and the biggest superstar in College Basketball.  He wasn't the national villain Reddick or Laettner was, but he was far and away the more talented player.  

The Duke: Hot Roast Beef, Hot Peppers and Onions, American Cheese

Now to the sandwich.  I gasped when I opened this one up.  It's really a cheesesteak except with roast beef, which as you can guess by reading up on my experience with the Peter Luger and Dean Martin, I just love the roast beef at Taliercio's.  They give you an option on this sandwich of hot or sweet peppers. (I will always go with hot peppers, we aren't soft on this blog). I absolutely love hot peppers on just about anything and now that it's baseball season again (#LGM) I'm ready to have my fair share of sausage and peppers at Citi Field.  Yellow American cheese works just fine on this sandwich, it'll never blow you away like mozzarella.  Very simply, if you're craving a cheesesteak but hate Philadelphia (sorry Philly fans) or are mad at Bryce Harper (sorry, DC fans), this is going to be your move.  

Overall: 8.2/10 (Definitely enjoy the roast beef better in a sandwich than panini, hot peppers give it a bump)

*I should have a lot of fun at the gym later. 

PEC Challenge: Slater's Deli

Apparently, it's tax season and as per tradition, I waited until the calendar struck April to file.  Why am I telling you this? Because what started as a lovely drive past the (formerly) asbestos-ridden building of my Middle School (Bayshore, give me some love*) to my tax guy, ended with perhaps our most monstrous pork roll yet.  I knew what I was getting into when I decided to relent to Slater's Deli staring me in the face as I dropped off my tax forms.  Growing up, there was a Slater's Deli right on the highway behind the "Indian burial ground" woods in my neighborhood. We risked capture from devil worshippers, Native American hauntings and poison ivy just to get to the place but a large sub from here would basically feed all of the neighborhood kids and we'd still have some left over.  For the uninitiated, it can really take you by surprise when you're handed the below when you order. This is no April Fools joke.  How much pork roll is too much pork roll?  Let's find out.  

Bread Rating: 7.6/10 (Solid rolls here, though they can get soggy because...)

Pork Roll Rating: 9.4/10 (There's almost an obnoxious amount on here and it does make the overall sandwich pretty greasy but I mean come on, you can take some off the sandwich and have side pork roll!)

Egg Rating: 6.9/10 (A very good fried egg, completely overshadowed by the meats)

Cheese Rating: 6.5/10 (Your typical yellow American cheese)

Sandwich Composition: 5.5/10 (It was a complete mess of a sandwich due to the amount of meat sliding around. I used to absolutely love something like this when I was a teenager, but now at 30 I just felt a little bit more disgusting than usual.)

Overall Rating: 7.1/10 (Look, this one is obviously not for everyone but the sandwich still tasted great even if it kind of grossed me out. If you like eating challenges or just love pork roll, this is a good option for you.) 

Price: $6.50, 4% charge on card transactions. 

Follow me on Instagram @eljefeeats

Slater's Deli is located at 866 NJ-36 (New name Sandy Hook Highway) Leonardo, NJ 07737.

*"Bayshore give me some love" was the beginning of our middle school's "fight song" and really it just reminds me of our illustrious 0-14 8th grade basketball season.