50 States Sandwich Challenge: Indiana

 We're going to be sticking primarily to the midwest for the next month or so, so get ready for some gluttonous sandwiches.  This week, Indiana.  I've spent exactly (1) weekend in the state of Indiana for a really lovely wedding in South Bend (if you don't know that's where Notre Dame is).  I woke up that Saturday morning, turned on the TV at the Marriott, and you'll never believe what was on; Rudy.  I couldn't believe the coincidence of the story of an undersized man who fought his way onto the field for a legendary college football program was on TV the same day I was only steps away from the campus.  Then I dug a little deeper.  I searched my local listings back home for the same station and saw they were playing terrible Taylor Kitsch action movies all day.  So that means, every Saturday morning, in South Bend only, the local cable system shows Rudy on TNT.  Just a fun fact for you on a Friday.  Now to the sandwich.  The pork tenderloin sandwich (similar to the Weiner Schnitzel) is incredibly popular with the highly Germanic immigrant groups that originally settled in the midwest.  Instead of pan-fried, the pork is deep-fried (America, baby!) with cracker crumbs instead of the traditional breadcrumbs you'd typically fry with.  Founded in 1908, Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana (hometown of former Vice President and comb-over specialist Dan Quayle) claims to have made the original and from what I've seen in my 10-minute research, no one disputes it.  Without further ado, here is the Hoosier Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. 

Ingredients: 

2lbs of center-cut boneless pork tenderloin

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 sleeves of saltines

2 cups of instant flour 

Oil, for frying

Hamburger rolls

Mayo

Yellow mustard

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 tomato, thinly sliced

Sliced pickles

1. I bought my pork tenderloins already cut and thinly sliced because I'm lazy.

2. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, cayenne in a shallow bowl, and place the pork inside.  Marinate that overnight or at least a few hours.

3. Pulse the crackers in a food processor or just crush them all up in a bag with a mallet, whatever it takes.  Pour the flour in one dish and the saltine crumbs in another. Dredge the pork in the flour, back in the marinade, and then coat with the crumbs.  If you've been making chicken cutlets for years you know what to do. 

4.   Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until the thermometer reaches 360 F.  Fry your pork in batches, about 3 minutes per side, and then let it drain on a paper towel.  

5. Spread both sides of your bun with mayo and mustard.  Layer the bottom bun with lettuce, tomato, and pork.  Put some pickles on top and there you have it.  

PEC Challenge: Grateful Deli

 You may have noticed a drastic downtick in my PEC posts and that is because around 4-5 weeks ago I caught COVID. (I've used instacart to deliver my groceries for my 50 states sandwich challenges)  I didn't really want to make a big deal of it and honestly wasn't even going to mention it.  I guess the feeling surrounding catching this thing at this point nine months into it is "you aren't being careful enough."  Well, fuck that.  Here was my experience with it.  I didn't really get much sleep the weekend of November 13th.  I drank outside at my friends barn and then proceeded to play golf in 50 degree weather Sunday and Monday morning.  Predictibly, I was pretty worn out Tuesday but felt more fatigued than usual.  Weird.  Took my temperature and had a fever of 100.4.  Sweet, that's what I get for hanging out outside in the cold three days straight.  This continued for three days until I lost smell and taste over the weekend.  An extra garlicky pasta and meatball Tupperware dinner on Sunday night dropped off by my mom started to restore these functions and my fever was gone.  Still felt weird through Thanksgiving and then got two negative tests in a row exactly two weeks after my symptoms presented.  Other than being gripped by anxiety over long term effects on my cardiovascular system or committing mass murder upon leaving the house, I felt pretty back to normal three weeks after symptoms. And now I'm back on the pork roll beat and will be posting three this week starting with this one. So I guess I should be grateful that my immune system was able to handle COVID.  But this deli is not grateful in the way you think.  It is entirely committed to paying tribute to the band The Grateful Dead.  Pictures of the band and fellow dead heads are all over the walls.  It's off the beaten path, right outside the Asbury city limits in Loch Arbour about 4 blocks from the beach.  It's a solid spot and would highly recommend.  What I would not recommend is catching COVID.  0/10 on the experience both mentally and physically. Being stuck inside all winter might be for the best but the minor inconvenience of staying in and watching Netflix is taking away the thing I love to do most; living.  So you might see me make some outrageously long trips for pork rolls in the coming weeks to so I can keep some semblance of my sanity. Buckle up because its about to get real weird. 

Bread Rating: 7.2/10 (A pretty standard hard roll.)

Pork Roll Rating: 7.6/10 (Pretty thick-cut slices here and a ton of it.  Flavor was good, maybe needed another minute on the grill)

Egg Rating: 6.9/10 (Very cheesy egg, but unfortunately not much of it.)

Cheese Rating: 7.4/10 (A lot of cheese in this one as you can see, in between the slices and mixed in with the egg.)

Sandwich Composition: 7.1/10 (A standard composition with the egg on top of the mountain of pork roll.  Will never complain about extra cheese. A little ketchup heavy.)

Overall: 7.24/10 (Solid PEC spot right next to Deal Lake, about 4 blocks from the beach.)

Price: $5.75

Grateful Deli is located at 541 Main St, Loch Arbour, NJ 07711

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Illinois

 Here's a sandwich that might be a little familiar from a previous state.  But instead of a French Dip, today's sandwich is an Italian Beef, the pride of Chicago, Illinois.  Like the French Dip, Italian Beef is a simmered chuck roast served with provolone BUT instead of French bread, it is put on Italian bread.  And, because Italians like to add a little extra flavor to everything, we're going to put some hot giardiniera (Italian relish) and pepperoncini pepper slices.  Full disclosure that should come of no surprise to anyone, but I loved this sandwich.  The exact origin is unknown, but its believed to be created by Italian immigrants who came to Chicago to work in the slaughterhouses of the early 1900s.  (Not every Italian in Chicago is linked to Al Capone).  Because Italians were the new, fresh immigrants to treat like shit, the factory bosses would send them home with the tougher, less desirable cuts of beef sold by the company.  To make the meat better to eat, it was slow-roasted in Italian-style spices and herbs.  It rapidly grew in popularity and eventually became one of Chicago's most famous ethnic foods (at the time): the Italian beef sandwich.  The recipe was popularized by Pasquale Scala who started small beef stands in Chicago and in 1938, the now-famous Al's Beef opened where 70 years later was named "the best sandwich in the Midwest" by Adam Richman (who has probably eaten more sandwiches than me).  Anyway from now on if you refer to this sandwich as just a roast beef sandwich or cheesesteak I will be writing to the American Italian Anti-Defamation League.  Here's the recipe I used:

Ingredients:

3lb chuck roast

1 envelope of Zesty Italian salad dressing mix

8oz pepperoncini pepper slices

8oz Giardiniera (Chicago-Style Italian sandwich mix)

14.5oz can beef broth

Provolone

Italian bread (I got mine at Livoti's because they make the best bread in the world)

1.  Put your roast into a crockpot and season with the salad dressing mix.  Add about half the pepperoncini peppers, a splash of the juice from the jar, Giardiniera, and the beef broth.  Cook on low for 9 hours. 

2. Put the beef on your Italian bread and add provolone cheese.  Top with pepperoncini peppers and Giardiniera.  

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Idaho

 Idaho may be known for their potatoes, Napoleon Dynamite, and boasting a college football field with entirely blue turf (Boise State) but none of those things factor into their state sandwich.  I, admittedly, know next to nothing about Idaho.  It's a mystery land, I think purposefully, rich in an outdoors culture that would seem pretty foreign to most of my East Coast Metropolitan followers.  A common sight in the mountains of Idaho is huckleberries, so popular in the state that in 2000 they were named the state fruit.  The huckleberry is considered a finicky fruit, as it only grows between 2,000 and 6,000 feet and can take up to 15 years to yield mature berries for consumption.  Idahoans (and the substantial bear population of the region) have been loading up on the fruit every July and August (huckleberry season) since humans first arrived in the area 14,000 years ago.  Multi-day huckleberry festivals happen in almost every town and city in Idaho, usually in the first or second week of August, and are a component of many foods and drink from pies to cocktails.  Today, however, we will be using a huckleberry jam (which I had shipped from Idaho, no big deal) to make the classic American sandwich, the peanut butter and jelly (in this case peanut butter and huckleberry jam). This summer treat has been gracing lunches since the original Lewis and Clark expedition came through Idaho in 1806 so I guess you can call it a pretty iconic sandwich to Idaho.  I don't really know, I did about 30 minutes of research on this so if anyone from Idaho wants to chime in, now is your shot.  Another really easy sandwich for those still following along. The huckleberry jam was a little sweeter than your typical jelly you'd find in a PB&J but ultimately, this tasted like a regular PB&J to me.  Not the sexiest sandwich but still a classic.

Ingredients:

Wonder Bread

Peanut Butter

Huckleberry Jam 

1. Spread peanut butter on both sides of the bread.

2. Spread the huckleberry jam on both sides of the bread.

3. Put the bread together and now you have a sandwich. 

50 State Sandwich Challenge: Delaware

Three weeks ago, I unceremoniously skipped our First State, Delaware.  No, it wasn't because I've had nothing but weird "deliverance" vibes whenever I spent any time there.  I would never let personal opinions (just wait until I get to Maryland) on places take away from this very objective sandwich blog I've had for nearly two years.  But I have to be honest, putting leftovers from a meal I don't particularly look forward to every year didn't get me at all excited.  That's probably why you're getting this blog on a Monday instead of the scheduled Friday. (In reality, I couldn't bear sitting inside my apartment anymore so I took a drive to the Palisades Highway about an hour away just so I could feel some semblance of life. Beautiful drive, by the way.)  So what's the deal, Delaware? Why is "The Bobbie" your signature sandwich? I know people love this sandwich but here's what I previously wrote when eating "The Gobbler" for my Taliercio's Challenge: " I know this will be a controversial choice, but I don't understand people's obsession with Thanksgiving food.  I mean it was created by people (the pilgrims,) who lived the plainest lifestyle imaginable and almost died of starvation upon arrival to North America.  Not exactly who I would turn to for culinary advice." And I stand by those statements.  But enough about me I guess you want to hear what the deal is with this sandwich.  There's a sandwich chain, Capriotti's, which originated in Wilmington, Delaware.  I used to see these sandwich shops all over DC but never went inside one due to the soulless vibe of gentrification the shops brought with them.  Sorry, sorry I know I'm supposed to be highlighting the positives about each state's sandwich and how the Union brings us all closer together.  Anyway, Capriotti's subs first opened in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood in 1976 by brother and sister Lois and Alan Margolet, where I'm sure they had perfectly good Italian subs. (Honestly, they have to be good if they could be made into a regional chain.) The Margolet's went to their Aunt Bobbie's (married to John Capriotti), the day after Thanksgiving every year in Baltimore, where she would build her famous sandwiches of Thanksgiving leftovers.  Lois loved the sandwich so much, she decided to put her aunt's creation on the menu of the original sandwich shop.  The sandwich became an instant hit and 44 years later remains the shop's signature sandwich.  For me, this was a boring construction but the sandwich wasn't THAT bad.

Ingredients:

Leftover turkey

Leftover stuffing

Leftover cranberry sauce

Mayo 

White Bread

1. Spread mayo on both sides of the bread.

2. Layer the turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

3. Watch football. 

50 State Sandwich Challenge: Hawaii

 Aloha.  You might have heard of our 50th and most recently admitted state, Hawaii. The lush, tropical paradise of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is somewhere I really wish I was right now.  But instead, I'm bringing the luau to my apartment, and no luau would be complete without a feast of kalua pua'a (I had a Hawaiian roommate for 2 years and he's no doubt calling me a Haole right now).  Kalua pork is one of the oldest and most traditional dishes served on a Hawaiian plate.  The word kalua translates "to cook in an underground oven" which is interestingly similar to the native cooking techniques of the Caribbean we covered when slow cooking the pork for our Cuban sandwich.  The marinade for this, though, is entirely different and reflects a more Asian influence you'd find in the Pacific.  Sandwiches were not native to the islands until European arrival in 1778 when British explorer Captain James Cook named the archipelago, I'm not joking, "the Sandwich Islands," in honor of his sponsor John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.  Prior to European arrival, chiefs often fought for power over the islands, however, in 1795, facing the inevitable increase of European colonization, all inhabited islands were subjugated under a single ruler, King Kamehameha the Great, who's dynasty ruled Hawaii as a kingdom until 1872.  American missionaries worked quickly to convert the kingdom to Christianity, however, thankfully their rich history and traditions were not completely erased as they were all too often.  After the death of bachelor King Kamehameha V in 1874, the United States and Britain landed troops to establish a republic.  By 1887, under pressure from wealthy American businessmen, the elected Hawaiian leader was forced to sign a new constitution that stripped all Hawaiians and other Asian immigrant groups of their rights to work and vote in favor of white settlers.  By 1898, the islands were annexed into a territory, until being admitted as a state in 1959.  After attaining statehood, Hawaii quickly modernized through construction and a rapidly growing tourism economy, while state programs promoted Hawaiian culture.  While there is not a lot of actual history of the kalua pork sandwich in Hawaii or where to get one, the pulled pork is incredibly common.  Instead of hamburger rolls, I decided to call an audible and use King Hawaiian rolls and turn these into sliders! 

Ingredients:

1 packet teriyaki marinade (recommended: McCormick Grill Mates)

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup chili sauce

One 6-ounce can pineapple juice

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

8 King Hawaiian rolls

1. In a bowl, combine teriyaki mix, paprika, and pepper. Coat the pork in the rub mixture until it's all used.  Let that shit marinade.

2. Whisk together chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce, and pineapple juice, and let it chill for a minute.

3. Put chopped onions and carrots in your slow cooker and place the pork on top.  Pour half of the pineapple juice mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

4.  When the pork is almost ready, make the sauce.  Heat oil over medium heat and add garlic and ginger.  Saute a minute and add the remaining pineapple juice mixture.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  

5. Serve the shredded pork on the rolls and drizzle some of the Hawaiian sauce on top.  

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Georgia

Seems like Georgia's on everyone's mind these days and no, I'm not still talking about the election.  I'm of course talking about The Masters taking place this weekend after a delay earlier in the year.  Incredibly (and unplanned), Georgia is this week's sandwich of the week.  And during Master's weekend, it's only appropriate to use the only food served at the course for spectators, Georgia's state sandwich, The Pimento Cheese Sandwich.  Everyone I've ever met who has attended The Masters in Augusta, GA has raved about the Pimento Cheese Sandwiches there, so I'm excited to get my hands on one today while sitting down to watch some golf like the middle-aged man I am rapidly becoming.  Pimento Cheese has a long history in the United States, and you'll be as surprised as I am to learn that it did not start in Georgia.  In the 1870s farmers in upstate New York started making a soft, unripened cheese that became what you know now as cream cheese.  At the same time, Spain was exporting canned sweet red peppers known as Pimentos en masse to New Yorkers.  These two new "modern" products were favorites of "Domestic Science" practitioners of the 19th century (these were women-led social reformists who sought to bring order and scientific precision to their homes).  Before long, the U.S. was at war with Spain (Spanish-American War), and with it, the supply of pimentos was cut off.  That was until Georgia farmers began growing red peppers and canning them, thus becoming America's center of the pimento industry.  The peak of Georgia's pimento production was the 1920s-1940s, a time when pimento cheese was mentioned in hundreds of ads, none of which describe the cheese as being specifically Southern.  Augusta National Golf Club opened right in the middle of the pimento boom in 1933, and The Masters' Tournament was born in the following year in 1934, where the only food served to the public was a pimento cheese sandwich.  Pimentos popularity waned post World War 2, but still remained a staple in Augusta, who kept the pimento tradition alive.  

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated with a food processor or hand grater (not pre-grated)
• ¼ cup softened cream cheese (2 ounces), pulled into several pieces
•  Scant 1/2 cup jarred pimento or other roasted red peppers (from a 7-ounce jar), finely diced
• 3 tablespoons Duke’s, Hellmann’s or other high-quality store-bought mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon dried red chile flakes
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large mixing bowl or food processor, mix the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimentos, mayo, and chile flakes into a smooth and spreadable mixture.

2. Spread on white bread.

3. Que the music.

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Florida

 No, I did not skip Delaware on purpose because of some protest of our new assumed President-Elect.  Delaware's sandwich just makes more sense in three weeks (because it's a Thanksgiving sandwich.) Now that that's out of the way, we can move on to a state and sandwich that I'm very familiar with, Florida's pride, The Cuban Sandwich.  I spent the first 20 years of my life driving to Florida every summer eating Cuban sandwiches from Miami Beach (Puerto Sagua) to St. Petersburg (Pipo's) so the thought of making my own Cuban sandwich living up to those standards seems pretty intimidating to me.  But as I smell the pork shoulder cooking in my pressure cooker, I'm washed by a sense of a little relief.  As with most of these sandwiches, the exact person of origin is unknown but it is thought to have been a popular lunch for Cuban cigar and sugar workers in and around Havana during the 1860s.  By the 1880s, Cubans disenfranchised by Colonial Spain, began immigrating to Tampa (then a small fishing village) and brought with them tobacco, sugar, and rum along with their incredibly popular lunch.  Americans loved the concept and embraced the "Cuban Sandwich" locally in the Tampa Bay area. By the 1960s and 70s, Cubans (including my family) were fleeing Communism in droves for Florida, where they landed in Miami.  These immigrants also brought over the Cuban sandwich with them, and from there spread them to places like New York, New Jersey, and Chicago, thus paving the way for the Cuban Sandwich to become one of the most popular and well-recognized American sandwiches. The Tampa vs. Miami debate still rages on over who makes the better Cuban sandwich, however, in 2018, the late Cuban chef Carl Ruiz claimed that the best Cuban sandwich is not found in Florida but rather in West New York, New Jersey.  I won't let my biases get in the way (I was born in Hudson County, home of the nation's best Cuban sandwiches), and give Florida it's time in the sun, not like they need it.  With so many choices around me for a real, authentic Cuban sandwich, it was really tough for me to make this one on my own, but I'm glad I did, and hopefully, my rendition does not shame my family's name more than my broken grasp of the Spanish language already has. 

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless pork shoulder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and gently smashed with the side of your knife

1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

1 medium onion, sliced

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 lime, juiced

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 long Cuban bread roll

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

8 thin slices Swiss cheese

1 cup bread and butter pickles

8 thin slices deli ham

1. You should let the pork marinate overnight in the mojo.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano, and then put in a ziplock bag with some mojo criollo marinade (Goya makes it, you can get it at the store).  If you don't have time for that just season normally and move onto step 2.

2.  Set the base of a pressure cooker over low-medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil. Add garlic and chili flakes and as the oil heats up it will become fragrant and infuse the oil. Add the pork. Add onions around the pork and brown slightly before adding orange juice, lime juice, stock, and bay leaves.

3. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

4. To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, cheese, pickles, ham, pork then cheese again (the cheese glues everything together).

5. To cook, heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the sandwiches on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. 

PEC Challenge: Bing's Beachside Deli

Took a drive down to Avon this morning for more than an inspirational Instagram post.  Without the sea of bennies, and with a little warmth left in the air, this is one of the best times to be at the Jersey Shore so naturally, I'm going to take advantage of it,  especially now that I'm waking up at 630am thanks to daylight savings.  Bing's Beachside Deli was featured by Pete Genovese's top Pork Rolls in NJ feature on NJ.com so it's been on my radar for a while.  After this week it seemed only right to have a guaranteed banger of a PEC and that's exactly what I got.  The best thing about being down the shore during off-peak season is everyone around is an actual, real-life, beach person.  With no tourists running around, everyone just seemed to be in a much better mood (or maybe it was because they were happy about the election results, I don't know).  Anyway, I was warmly greeted by the employees, who seemed to know almost every person who walked in before and after me by name.  I love that.  We can all use a little community these days.  

Bread Rating: 9.1/10 (Very unique, oval-shaped roll, perfectly toasted. This was the first (and maybe only?) place I've seen with this type of roll and it was fantastic.)

Pork Roll Rating: 8.6/10 (Four crispy, thick slices of pork roll that gave a good crunch upon biting but still kept its pork roll flavor.  What I'm saying is that these were perfectly heated on the griddle.)

Egg Rating: 7.6/10 (Two large eggs over a little hard.  Typically like them to be runnier but still not complaining.  Sandwich was very solid overall.)

Cheese Rating: 8.2/10 (I love it when the cheese is melted into the toasted roll.  Anytime you can get that "grilled cheese" flavor in addition to the pork roll, you are going to win.)

Sandwich Composition: 8.1/10 (Basically a grilled cheese with egg and pork roll on it.  The SPK was expertly applied here and the size was very good.)

Overall: 8.32/10 (Just as advertised, Bing's brings it.  Everything from the vibes of the deli to the execution was excellent.  Absolutely a must to check out if you're down the shore around Avon.) 

Price: $5.75

Bing's Beachside Deli is located at 222 Main St, Avon-By-The-Sea, NJ 07717

PEC Challenge: Baron's Bagels Brick

You guys thought I'd forget about National Sandwich Day? Oh, you mean it's also Election Day? Well, some of you may be disappointed or relieved (based on which mental illness you subscribe to) to learn that this establishment is not owned by our current President's teenage son.  That would have been a wild little swerve for you today, wouldn't it? No matter what happens today, it will come as a great relief, and hopefully, it will to you as well, because after today I will be able to spend some more time bringing you pork roll reviews from around our beautiful state of NJ.  As for today, I will be turning off my phone and enjoying a windy 18 holes at a local country club that is open to plebs like me because it's a Tuesday in November. And I think that's the lesson I'd like to give to all of you today.  Tomorrow, the sun will rise, and we'll all be stuck together on this space rock hurtling through the void with no end in sight.  Enjoy! 

Bread Rating: 7.2/10 (A decent roll, soft and held together nicely with all of the contents inside)

Pork Roll Rating: 8.1/10 (A beautiful display of pork roll, look at that mountain of meat sitting at the top of that sandwich.)

Egg Rating: 6.8/10 (After the pork roll display, the egg doesn't compare, two fried eggs, pretty average.)

Cheese Rating: 7.8/10 (Look at all that CHEESE. You might need some napkins for this one.)

Sandwich Composition: 7.5/10 (Good SPK placement, uncreative layering, however, loads of pork roll never a bad thing.  Again, loaded up on cheese.)

Overall Rating: 7.48/10 (Solid PEC, and our first in Ocean County, things are looking pretty good so far there.)

Price: $5.75, cash only. 

Baron's Bagels is located at 1743 NJ-88, Brick Township, NJ 08724

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Connecticut

Yes, it's true.  Fried Clam Rolls did originate in Massachusetts.  In fact, fried clams are mentioned as early as 1840, and are listed on an 1865 menu from the Parker House hotel in Boston (For 40 cents USD).  The modern deep-fried, breaded version is credited to Lawrence Henry "Chubby" Woodman in Essex, MA.  He allegedly created the first batch on July 3, 1916, in his roadside clam shack (still open, by the way, Woodman's of Essex).  So why is this being used as Connecticut's state sandwich? Well, other than being known for Lyme's disease and women's basketball, Connecticut also has more clam shacks per capita than anywhere else in the country.  And do you know what they serve at clam shacks?  Fried Clam Rolls.  So, sorry Massachusetts, you've been swagger jacked by Connecticut, but I'm sure another New England state would never do that to you.  Fried clams are not just an iconic food to Massachusetts but to all of New England.  So like every southern state has its own barbecue (that we will visit throughout this project), every New England state has its own version of a fried clam roll. (And lobster roll.  And hot dog.)  The recipe, I'm using today features clams soaked in buttermilk and spicy pickle dressing instead of tartar sauce, so buckle up because this sandwich has the most ingredients to date.  

Ingredients

Clams and Peppers:

8 ounces fresh clam bellies

1/2 cup pickled peppers, such as B and G, sliced

1 cup buttermilk 

Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Japanese, such as Kewpie

1/4 cup drained pickles, chopped 

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 tablespoon chopped capers 

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Sandwiches:

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

2 quarts neutral oil, for frying 

1 cup fine cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon Spanish paprika 

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

4 hot dog buns or brioche long rolls 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1. Put the clams and peppers in a bowl.  Add the buttermilk and let soak, refrigerated for at least 8 hours or overnight. 

2. Make that sauce: Combine the mayo, pickles, lemon juice, capers, and parsley in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. Toss the shredded lettuce with the vinegar and set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot until you get the oil to 360 F.  Line a plate with paper towels (for draining).

5. Combine the cornmeal, flour, parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

6. Scoop the clams and peppers out of the buttermilk and toss in the flour mixture to evenly coat.

7. Fry the clams and peppers in the hot oil until brown, about 2 minutes.  Then drain on the towel-lined plate. 

8. Toast those buns!

9.  Spread the sauce on both sides of the buns and top with lettuce, fried clams, and peppers. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Colorado

 Known for its idyllic mountains, beer cans that turn blue, and legalized marijuana; Colorado is the most popular of the "continental divide" states leading to the West.  Why? No, it wasn't the perfect snowboarding conditions or the Rocky Mountain oysters that did it.  It was the transcontinental railroad from Chicago to San Francisco, which ran right through Colorado, that originally brought settlers, not only from the midwest/east but from the west as well.  And that is where their iconic sandwich, "The Denver Sandwich" was born. The ingredients seem simple; a western omelet on toast, but where did this derive?  Denver restaurateur Albert McVittie claims ownership of the Denver Sandwich in 1907 but many historians believe the sandwich predates that to railroad workers constructing our great link between the coasts.  Many Chinese immigrants arriving in San Francisco searching for work found it in building the railroad from the west, connecting with the railroad already being built from the east.  These two met in Colorado.  The western omelet is said to likely been derived from the Chinese dish egg foo young, a recipe from Guangdong.  The dish is prepared with beaten eggs with minced ham and various vegetables; the "western" version of this being green peppers (likely from Mexican migrants from neighboring New Mexico) and onions.  Following the American tradition of putting everything on toast (and copying the Asian student's work), the Denver Sandwich was brought to diners across Denver, and eventually the entire country as the Western Omelette.  The more you know.  Anyway, I know I keep sounding like a broken record every week but this was yet another very easy sandwich to make.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2 tablespoon of butter

1/2 cup of cubed ham, cooked

2 green onions, minced

1 green pepper, minced

4 slices of toast

1. Cut up your cooked ham, green onions, and green pepper.

2. Beat the eggs (you can add some milk and melted butter here), and add the ham, pepper, and onions.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on a frying pan and pour the egg mixture into the pan.

4. Make an omelet how you like it, and then put it on toast. Voila!

 

PEC Challenge: Jersey Shore Deli

 No real captivating story behind this place.  It sits on the corner of an interesting little "commons." Interesting, how? Well, the architecture of this "strip mall" is more akin to what you'd find in Florida or maybe the Carolinas in that the buildings are in a more circular fashion rather than just a rectangle block of stores you would find typically in New Jersey.  And that's talking architecture. I'd do more research but I am slammed at work until a certain day in early November (Election Day) so here's a simple "bodega" PEC this week from Jersey Shore Deli in Tinton Falls.  

Bread Rating: 6.8/10 (A pretty standard bodega roll, had some nice toast at the top from sitting on the griddle.)

Pork Roll Rating: 6.9/10 (Snappy pork roll on this, might have been on a griddle a minute too long.  Still tasted good.)

Egg Rating: 6.6/10 (Nothing special about the eggs, maybe cooked a little long.)

Cheese Rating: 5.5/10 (Not a very good cheese ratio with the eggs as they were almost non-existent)

Sandwich Composition: 6.6/10 (Standard SPK placement with the meat and eggs sandwiched in between the roll.)

Overall: 6.5/10 (About as expected for a bodega PEC, nothing will blow your socks off but it's also not an insulting PEC by any means.  It gets the job done.)

Price: $4

Jersey Shore Deli is located at 613 Hope Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724

50 States Sandwich Challenge: California

 You'll be surprised to know that avocado is not involved with today's sandwich at all.  No avocado? In California? What? Well, turn your heads vegans because you're about to go on a trip down memory lane to the turn of the 20th century when meat sandwiches were a popular lunch in Los Angeles.  Before Hollywood influencers and would-be tech titans came to California, it was a land of outdoor adventurers from all over the world, looking for land and gold to create their American legacy.  One of these people was Philippe Mathieu, a French immigrant born in 1877 who started out working at a deli in Southern France before moving to Algeria to work as an apprentice cook.  Once he saved enough money, he immigrated to the U.S where he cooked his way across the country in lumber camps and hotels before landing in Los Angeles in 1903.  He bought a deli for $150 (seriously what?) at 617 Alameda in LA and opened Philippe's Restaurant in 1908 where ten years later, the French Dip was invented (according to legend).  Again according to their website, one day in 1918 while making a roast beef sandwich, Mathieu inadvertently dropped the sliced french roll into the roasting pan filled with the juice that was still hot.  The patron said he would eat it anyway and like most American things, this accident became a popular meal for the many police and fireman who would frequent Philippe's restaurant during all hours.  Today, the restaurant still stands at 1001 North Alameda St, and has been rebranded "Philippe The Original."  Truth be told, the only thing "French" about this sandwich is that it was made by a French guy in California and although California has seen many food trends become popular in American lure, the French Dip is perhaps the oldest and most enduring of them all.  And why wouldn't it be? Slow-cooked roast beef with melted provolone broiled on a french bread dipped in its own juice.  Who says no to that? Anyway here's the very simple recipe I followed. 

Ingredients

4 pounds bottom round roast

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large onion, peeled, halved, and sliced thin

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

14.5 ounce can of fat-free beef broth or homemade beef stock

1/4 cup light soy sauce

3-4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 Bay Leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 hoagie rolls

2 teaspoons softened butter optional

12 slices provolone cheese

1. Season your beef roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder (duh). 

2. Put beef, sliced onions, garlic, beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, bay leaf, and thyme in a crockpot.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours and let the magic engulf your entire house.  Shred beef when done. 

3. Time to prepare.  If you want to, spread some butter on each slice of the bread. Lay a slice of provolone cheese on each side of the bread and cover with your shredded roast beef.  Time to broil it up.  

4. Turn your broiler on high and put the assembled sandwiches on the third rack from the top of the oven for 35 seconds. 

5. Once toasted, remove from oven and serve with the juices leftover in the crockpot. (The fancy term for this is au jus.) 

PEC Challenge: Tinton Falls Deli

 I pulled up to Tinton Falls Deli this morning, one of two cars in the parking lot.  A man at the register took my order (and two guys in front of me) and went back to make our sandwiches, unaware of the onslaught of customers that were about to walk in.  As I walked past a couple of empty fridges and unstacked poultry shelves, I realized this bodega might only operate as a sandwich operation.  But with the number of people coming in that morning, it seems the people in the neighborhood still frequent the store, unfortunately now undermanned and understocked.  This didn't take away from the quality of sandwiches you'd find here and the place is still obviously popular.  It just took me about 40 minutes to get a breakfast sandwich, which was a little frustrating but understandable.  Businesses are hurting, and this guy running the register and cooking probably had to lay off all of his employees just to keep his deli afloat.  Another sad coronavirus case.  Anyway, the PEC here was a good, local sandwich that is a good go-to for anyone living around Sycamore Ave.  

Bread Rating: 7.2/10 (A pretty good, soft deli roll.)

Pork Roll Rating: 7.9/10 (About five thick slices of the salty good stuff. The flavor off of the griddle was excellent, it frankly made the sandwich.)

Egg Rating: 5.8/10 (Almost non-existent egg, which isn't necessarily bad because the pork roll was so good.  Just can't grade the egg well.)

Cheese Rating: 6.8/10 (Plentiful melted American cheese draped over a single egg. Heavy pepper application, again not a bad thing.)

Sandwich Composition: 7.3/10 (A lot of pork roll on this sandwich which is the main event. Good ketchup placement on the top and bottom of the rolls but it wasn't overwhelmingly ketchup-y.  Pepper application on point as it really brought out the pork roll flavor.)

Overall: 7/10 (I know, round score, but numbers don't lie.  This is a solid PEC from a neighborhood deli.)

Price: $5

Tinton Falls Deli is located at 1191 Sycamore Ave, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Arkansas

Arkansas.  Home of Walmart and sexy sax President Bill Clinton.  Honestly, I don't know much about Arkansas except that Little Rock is always battling Camden, NJ for the most dangerous city in the U.S. and that it's one of those weird "West of the Mississippi/Southern States."  Is it the West or is it the South? Only the Missouri Compromise could tell. (In 1820, Maine was admitted as a free state, while Missouri was admitted as a slave state.  This exact line of thought was used again in 1836 when Michigan was admitted free and Arkansas a slave state.)  Verdict: Arkansas is the South. The next question most people might be asking about Arkansas is "why is it pronounced differently than Kansas? Why is it not AR-Kansas? (New model of assault rifle hitting Walmart shelves  Christmas 2021!) Well, because the original tribe who settled the area was the Quapaw which was phonetically translated by the French (who claimed the area as part of their colony in America) as Arkansea, hence the pronunciation Arkansas with a silent 's' at the end.  So you can blame the French for that.  Today, Arkansas is home to the Walmart corporation, which is the world's largest company by revenue ($514B) and the largest employer in the world (2.2M employees).  Surely, all this revenue is spread around the state and the ancestral home of the Clintons would give us a rich, southern-style sandwich, right? 

WRONG. 

We're doing a bologna sandwich today, folks.  Fried bologna.  Just like in 1836. There's absolutely no history as to why this is the state sandwich so let me just make the very rude assumption that Arkansas is "historically poor" and bologna is cheap. Some people say bologna is similar to pork roll, and to those people, I say "how dare you." I have to say I did really enjoy bologna sandwiches growing up so I'm excited to try this "grown-up" version of frying the bologna first. Ok, let's jump in.  

Ingredients:

2 Slices Wonder Bread

4 Slices of your favorite bologna

1 Slice of American Yellow Cheese

Spicy Brown Mustard 

1. Spread some spicy brown mustard on the wonderbread.  

2. Oil up your pan and hit it on medium-low.  Place some bologna on there. 

3. When you flip the last bologna slice.  Put on some white American cheese. 

4.  Take the bologna and cheese and put it on that wonderbread.  Put it in the toaster for a light toast and there you have it folks, the state sandwich of Arkansas. 

PEC Challenge: Rick's Breakfast House

Closed out summer officially by celebrating two superstar sister's birthday's in Sea Isle City all weekend.  What that meant is we all survived being subjected to blog life.  Yes, I did follow up this pork roll, egg, and cheese with a bacon-wrapped hot dog on Friday.  We also washed that all down with roughly a million bud lights, and we're still standing. (Barely). I was given the tip that Ricks Breakfast House was one of the best on Sea Isle, so that's exactly where I went this time around.  It's a quaint little diner right next to the Acme on the main street (Landis Ave), with a handy take out window installed on the side (there was a wooden board you had to stand on to pick up and I fell right off of it when I turned to leave). Anyway, breakfast at Rick's is a must-have if you're visiting Sea Isle and the pork roll reflects that.  

Bread Rating: 7.7/10 (A really soft roll but with a nice toast.)

Pork Roll Rating: 7.8/10 (Layers of medium cut pork roll lightly griddled.)

Egg Rating: 7.9/10 (Two over-hard eggs with a bonus egg whites in between the pork roll pieced.  Cheese mixed in, which is always a plus.)

Cheese Rating: 8.4/10 (White American cheese melted perfectly into the eggs and pork roll slices.)

Sandwich Composition: 7.5/10 (No SPK but when I cut into this sandwich I saw exceptional layering and some of the best cheese melting I've seen.

Overall: 7.86/10 (Very, very solid PEC on the beach.)

Price: $7

Ricks Breakfast House is located at 6112 Landis Ave East, Sea Isle City, NJ 08243.

50 State Sandwich Challenge: Arizona

 Back in the continental U.S today and with an extremely different climate than the frozen rivers of Alaska.  Today, we trek the deserts of Arizona for what some people might call a controversial "sandwich" take.  The age-old question, "Is a hot dog a sandwich?" is about to be explored here.  With strong ties to Mexico, it's only natural for Arizona's sandwich to be a mix of Mexican and American classics that mix together in a beautiful blend known as the Sonoran Hot Dog.  No one is sure who exactly came up with the Sonoran Hot Dog but the popular theory is that this regional hot dog began as a 1940s ballpark meal in Hermosillo, the state capital of Sonora. (That's in Mexico.)  By the 1980s Sonoran hot dogs became a very popular item on the University of Sonora's campus, as vendors set up stands all over the university.  Many of these vendors traveled north of the border to Tucson, where the trend has stuck with thousands of hot dog stands lining the streets, making not finding a Sonoran Hot Dog nearly impossible.  Daniel Contreras owns the most popular hot dog spot, El Guero Canelo, and three other restaurants after first opening his hot dog stand in 1993.  You're probably wondering what differentiates this from a regular hot dog.  Let's find out.

SONORAN HOT DOG

• 4 all-beef hot dogs
• 4-8 slices bacon
• 4 hot dog buns, preferably Bolillo buns
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup pinto beans, warmed
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons jalapeño salsa (above)
• 2 tablespoons pico de gallo (above)
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheese
• Grilled banana peppers, for garnish
• Grilled large scallions, for garnish

1. Wrap the hot dogs in bacon. 

2. Heat grill to medium-low and slow cook the bacon-wrapped hot dogs.  Turn once is crispy, about 4-5 minutes. 

3. Heat the pinto beans on low. 

4. To assemble: Add a thin layer of mayo to the bun.  Follow this with a scoop of warmed pinto beans and your bacon-wrapped hot dog. Top off with yellow mustard, jalapeño salsa, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese. Serve with grilled banana peppers and scallions.

Happy Friday!