50 States Sandwich Challenge: Wisconsin

No surprises here as the state of self-proclaimed cheeseheads sandwich is the famed grilled cheese.  But did you know cheeseheads actually started as a Dutch insult kaaskop, literally meaning head cheese?  Well, that's what happened when Illinoisans started calling Wisconsinites particularly fans of the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers.  I, for one, am shocked, because all I've ever known Illinois and Wisconsin to be is full of nice people.  Like, almost too nice, "why are you taking me around town in a bar crawl if we just met are you going to murder me?", nice. (True story.) But as the country's top cheese producer it makes sense that Wisconsin holds the grilled cheese torch here.  Sadly, the sandwich was not invented in Wisconsin or even America.  The idea of grilling bread and cheese has been around since the Roman Empire (which makes this our oldest sandwich).  In France, the Croque Monsieur was first on menus in 1910.  The grilled cheese as we know it today, however, was not produced until the invention of sliced bread in 1927 by Otto Frederick Rohwedder, and people were really pumped about it.  During the Great Depression, people began eating open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches as a cost-effective meal.  Over the years, the sandwich has evolved beyond just grilled bread and melted cheese but for the sake of nostalgia and respect for the original, I'll be keeping to just melted cheese for this one.  Should I have gone with Swiss cheese (actually invented in Wisconsin), yes, but yellow American is what I had in my fridge so that's what I used.  

 Ingredients:

White Bread

Cheese of choice

Butter

1. Butter two pieces of bread and a skillet on medium-low heat.  Place cheese on bread and then cook on a skillet until cheese is melted.

2. I have to be honest, I've made some complex things, but grilled cheese always gives me trouble and I think it's because it's just so boring.  Love the flavor of melted cheese and butter though.  

50 States Sandwich Challenge: West Virginia

 Biscuits may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of West Virginia.  After all, West Virginia was created as a protest against Southern Confederate rule.  We may have seen the biscuit sandwich already in Oregon, but it is West Virginia's Tudor's Biscuit World who claims to have invented the sandwich.  In this beautiful Morgantown hangover cure, sausage, egg, and cheese replace the fried chicken found in Oregon.  Interestingly, just like Oregon's Pine State Biscuits, Tudor's has their inspirational start from North Carolina (North Carolina could not be reached for comment).  For years, William and Mae Tudor would stop at a mom-and-pop shop near Mt. Airy, NC, on their way home to Greensboro from their West Virginia vacation.  After holding this tradition for nearly 20 years, William and Mae decided to get into the biscuit game themselves in 1975 when they approached Greensboro Pizza joint "Pizzaville" and suggested they may double their sales if they had a breakfast option.  When their idea took off, the Tudors decided to go off on their own rather than making "Pizzaville" money.  With the emergence of Bojangles in North Carolina in 1977, the Tudors moved to Charleston, West Virginia in 1980 to bring their biscuit recipe to the breakfast-deprived citizens of the Appalachia.  From there, Tudor's franchises took off with over 60 locations throughout West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and (checks notes) Florida, all donning the famous yellow wrapping around their warm flaky biscuits.  

I recreated this entirely from pictures of these, and no I do not make homemade biscuits I have a full-time job. But also this is basically fast food.

Ingredients:

1 tube of the Grands biscuits 

1 package of frozen sausage patties

8 eggs

8 slices of American yellow cheese.

1. Make the tube of biscuits as instructed, 16 minutes in the oven, 350. 

2. Heat a skillet on medium heat, and cook your pre-cooked frozen sausage patty, around 6 minutes.

3. Fry one egg, and place cheese on top when done. 

4. Place sausage on the bottom biscuit half and then your egg and cheese on top.  Close biscuit with the top half. 

5.  This tasted a lot better than it should have. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Washington

 If you have never heard of a Banh mi, you are really missing out.  What is this strange-sounding sandwich, you ask? It is the product of French colonization in Vietnam, a war of American involvement you may have heard about, and the resulting wave of immigration to the Pacific Northwest.  A true global fusion of native Vietnamese cuisine combined with French condiments and bread turned into American excess.  The word banh mi means "bread," started showing up in Vietnamese literature as early as the 1830s, but really took off when the French introduced the baguette in the 1860s, the start of their imperialism in Vietnam.  Initially, the banh mi was more of a breakfast dish, typically ham and mayo spread on a baguette with pickled vegetables native to Vietnam such as cilantro, carrots, daikon.  It was not until after the Fall of Saigon in 1975, that the banh mi started to gain popularity in the United States, as Vietnamese refugees brought the popular street food with them to Northern California and eventually Washington state.  Le Van Ba and his sons are credited with popularizing the banh mi through their food trucks, Lee's Sandwiches, during the 1980s.  Inspired by other blue-collar American street food sandwiches such as the po'boy of New Orleans, Cuban sandwich of South Florida, and cheesesteak of Philadelphia, the banh mi absolutely belongs in the conversation at the top of the American sandwich cuisine.  Today, you will find the banh mi, a bit more filling, with generous meat portions stuffed with a wide assortment of pickled vegetables with popularity soaring.  As of 2017, banh mi is included in about 2% of all US restaurant sandwich menus, a fivefold increase from 2013.  Seriously, if you've never had one, go find one. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup thinly sliced Kirby cucumbers

1/2 cup shredded daikon radish

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup mayo

4 tablespoons chopped scallions

3 tablespoons siracha

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cloves of chopped garlic

1 pound ground pork

2 tablespoons fish sauce (do not sleep on fish sauce it is a staple)

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 teaspoon sugar

Juice of 1/2 lime

Zest of 1 lime

One baguette

Fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced for serving 

1. To make the pickled vegetables: Toss together the carrots, cucumbers, daikon, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.  Do it overnight for maximum effort. 

2, In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, 1 tablespoon scallions, and 2 tablespoons of siracha.  Cover and set aside. 

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add remainder of scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring for one minute.  Add pork and cook breaking up with a fork until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of sriracha and fish sauce, pepper, salt, and sugar.  Remove from heat and stir in the basil, lime zest, and lime juice.  Let cool 5 minutes, then add mayo mixture from step 2. 

4, Fill bread with pork mixture.  Press jalapeno into the pork.  Spoon pickled vegetables onto the sandwich.  

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Virginia

 Ah, Virginia.  The self-proclaimed place "for lovers" and my 2nd favorite state I've lived in (out of 2). I was a resident of the state of Virginia from 2012 until 2018 and not once did anyone ever suggest to me that I needed to try the ham.  Sure, you can find Virginia ham anywhere, but still, a little suspicious right off the bat. In fact, my first experience with authentic Virginia ham came after I moved back to New Jersey, when my friend, Herman, brought some to my place from Virginia.  Frankly, this sandwich is a little boring, as it's just Virginia ham on white bread, with a hilarious dash of adventure only the descendants of English colonists could muster, mayo spread on the white bread.  But back in the 1600s life was a lot harder and ham became a staple of colonial cuisine as cured meat lasts long and travels well.  The ham industry set down its roots in the town of Smithfield, Virginia; where hams remained one of the colony's most profitable export to the Old World, even after American independence.  Queen Victoria reportedly had a standing order for six Virginia hams a week and there's no doubt that the salty slices of meat are a delicious lunch option. Today, the Virginia ham business is still thriving as it remains one of the more popular lunch meats (and holiday meals) in the country.  Personally, I think you gotta live a little bit more, but a ham sandwich will always be a classic and hold a special little piece in my heart. 

Ingredients:

1lb Virginia ham 

White bread

Mayo

1. Spread mayo on both sides of your bread and then stack the heated ham onto your bread. 

2. Literally, that's it.  

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Vermont

How do you convince an incredibly health-conscious population like Vermont to eat a sandwich? By putting apple slices in it, of course.  That was the idea behind Jason Maroney's sandwich creation of the 90s in Sweetwater's, a popular Burlington bar.  Since its inception, the sandwich has been adopted and modified in countless recipes throughout New England.  In this version, ham is heated with Vermont's signature cheddar cheese, and the Vermonter's original ingredient, apple slices.  All on top of two slices of cinnamon raisin bread.  The flavors were fresh.  The flavors were sweet.  Is it healthy? You tell me.  

Ingredients:

1 loaf raisin bread

1lb sliced ham

1 8oz brick of sharp white Vermont cheddar cheese

2 apples

1. Toast your raisin bread. While your bread is toasting, heat the ham in a skillet over medium heat.

2. Place 3 slices of cheese on a slice of bread, then pile ham on top, with 2-3 apple slices.  

3. Heat your constructed sandwich on a buttered skillet over medium-low heat and let sit until the cheese melts a little. 

50 State Sandwich Challenge: Tennessee

 I've been looking forward to this one from the very beginning.  Hot chicken is one of my favorite meals let alone sandwiches and its become a national staple (with KFC making a terrible imitation) with the emergence of Nashville as a premiere American destination.  The world may have only recently learned about hot chicken, but this dish has been served in Nashville's African American communities for generations.  The current dish as its served today was introduced in the 1930s when Thorton Prince III came home late to an angry girlfriend who accused him of womanizing.  The next morning, as revenge, his girlfriend made him fried chicken for breakfast with extra pepper.  Thorton liked it so much that he decided to make his own recipe with his brothers and by 1935 opened his first BBQ Chicken Shake cafe.  He opened Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in 1945, which is still open today, operated by Thorton's great-niece, Andre Prince Jefferies.  There are dozens of hot chicken spots in Nashville, but if you're ever there I would highly recommend Prince's.  

Ingredients:

I used chicken thighs because they are the best 

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup pickle brine 

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 tea spoon paprika

1/2 tea spoon garlic powder

1/2 tea spoon salt and pepper

1 cup vegetable oil 

White bread

1. Toss chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon of salt, cover, and refrigerate overnight. 

2. Whisk buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg together in a mixing bowl. Pour marinade over the chicken, cover and let marinate for 2-4 hours. 

3. Mix the flour together with salt (I put extra cayenne here) in a shallow dish.  Toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Return chicken to marinade, coating all sides; remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Coat the chicken once again in flour mixture. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Allow to sit out about 15 minutes to allow coating to dry out a bit.

4. Place butter in a large pot. Add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until fats melt. Remove from heat; keep sauce warm.

5. Fill cast iron skillet about 1/3 of the way with vegetable oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees F, adjusting heat as need. Fry until instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

6. Transfer chicken to a rack to drain. Brush with the sauce on both sides.

7. Serve chicken pieces on white bread and brush with more sauce.  Serve with pickles. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: South Dakota

Of all of the sandwiches on this list, this one might be the most "American" of them all.  Hot roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy slathered on top, it is, of course, the Hot Beef Sandwich.  Not much is known about the origin of this dinner on white bread concoction, but what people do know is that South Dakotans love it.  The most notable location to get one of these sandwich monstrosities is a roadside attraction called Wall Drug in the town of Wall, South Dakota, adjacent to Badlands National Park.  It's a sprawling tourist attraction that draws almost 2 million annual visitors (incredible) and consists of a collection of cowboy-themed stores, an art gallery, and an 80-foot brontosaurus sculpture.  The place literally screams tourist trap at you from the hundreds of billboards placed on I-90 from Minnesota to Montana, touting free water cups to weary travelers presumably trying to get to Mount Rushmore, or back to Chicago and civilization.  The best place to get a Hot Beef? According to locals, it's Phillips Avenue Diner in Sioux Falls.  Will I ever be there? Who knows! But this sandwich was pretty good, for the simple ingredients and mess that it can (potentially, if you eat like an animal) make.  

Ingredients (Wall Drug Version)

A chuck roast, mine was 2.5 pounds 

1 Cup beef broth

Instant mashed potatoes

Brown gravy packet

White bread

1. Season your roast with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powders because you are cultured.  Place in a crockpot with 1 cup of beef broth and cook on low for 6 hours.

2. After 6 hours let your roast rest, while waiting cook your instant mashed potatoes and instant brown gravy in separate saucepans. 

3. Take the roast and put it on a slice of white bread, spoon some mashed potatoes and gravy over it.  Now decision time, you can keep it open-faced or stick another slice of white bread on top and eat it like a sandwich.  Its your life! 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Rhode Island

It's going to be really hard not to make inappropriate jokes throughout this blog but here goes nothing.  The hot wiener is firmly planted in Rhode Island's culinary psyche.  Now you might be thinking, why not just call this a hot dog? Well, that's because hot dogs are typically very processed, whereas hot wieners are made with beef, pork, veal, spices, and one preservative, AND always have a natural casing.  The buns must come from Homestead Baking Company of East Providence, which makes sweeter buns than your typical hot dog roll.  And there's always homemade mustard, meat sauce, and fresh white onions sprinkled on top.  Now that that's out of the way let's get into how this got to Providence.  Greek immigrants began coming to New York in the early 1900s settling mostly in Coney Island but within one generation began to leave Brooklyn for the sunny shores of Providence, Rhode Island.  Why? I have no idea.  Not to insult Rhode Island in their own blog but they are the Delaware of New England (Connecticut is the Maryland of New England and neither statement is a compliment from me).  And while there's plenty to love about New England, you aren't exactly getting closer to a Mediterranean climate by moving more north of New York, but I digress.  As the story goes, Augustus Pappas and his son Ernie opened the Original New York System on Smith Street in Providence in 1927.  Since then hundreds of wienie joints have opened across the city but no matter where you go to get one getting them "all the way" is always the same: steamed bun, wienie, mustard, meat sauce, onion, celery salt. Served the same way for over 90 years, you can't beat it.  

Ingredients:

Pack of wienies

One onion

1lb ground beef

Mustard

Hot Dog buns 

1. In a large skillet heat butter over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir 3-4 minutes.  Stir in Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chili powder, ground mustard, ground cinnamon, allspice. Add beef; cook 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles.  Stir in water; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.

2. In a grill pan, cook hot dogs over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned turning occasionally.  Serve in buns with meat sauce and yellow mustard. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Pennsylvania

One of America's most popular and well-known sandwiches is synonymous with the city of Philadelphia.  We are, of course, talking about the Cheesesteak, often imitated, rarely duplicated (especially by me).  There are a few variations of the cheesesteak available, even in Philadelphia, but the correct order is always "whiz wit." That is cheese whiz with fried onions.  You could also choose American or provolone cheese with or without but trust me, you'll want to go with the whiz wit.  In 1930, the cheesesteak was invented when Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor, threw beef on his grill to make a sandwich.  The rest is history, and you can still visit Pat's King of Steaks on E. Passyunk Ave across the street from famed rival Geno's. (Pat's is the better choice on that street). Personally, Jim's on South Street remains my favorite spot in Philly, and you cannot discount Bourdain's favorite cheesesteak not in Pennsylvania but in Camden, NJ at Donkey's Place.  Where ever you get your favorite cheesesteak, there are countless articles of where you can find the "best" one, so get out there and start eating them, or don't. 

Ingredients:

1lb sandwich steak round top

one onion

1 can of cheese whiz

Italian sub rolls

1. Slice your onion and saute it for 5-7 minutes, until carmalized.

2. Move onions to the side, place your sandwich steak and chop up until browned.

3. Mix steak with onions, and add your cheese whiz.

4. Place on buttered Italian roll. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Oregon

 So I'm not going to lie to you.  I went down a SERIOUS Oregon Trail rabbit hole when researching this sandwich.  No, nothing ever really came up about biscuits and fried chicken.  And that's because these things aren't entirely native to Oregon.  So why, then, am I making a fried chicken biscuit as a sandwich for Oregon.  The answer is Pine State Biscuits in Portland.  In May 2006, North Carolina transplants Kevin Atchley, Walt Alexander, and Brian Snyder started making their own biscuits and selling them at the Portland Farmers Market.  The concept caught fire and in 2008 they opened their first store downtown.  The Reggie Deluxe became their most popular sandwich and the rest is (short) history.  Oregon has a new delicacy, inspired by the South. The city of Portland also claims to have the nation's best pizza which is, frankly, the funniest thing I've ever heard.  I need to go to this city and do whatever drugs these people are doing that makes them so confident in their cuisine.  None of which is known to come from Oregon but that's just America baby! Get on that trail and make a name for yourself in Oregon.  That's the first thing you learned in school if you grew up in the 90s.  And look at us now.  Thriving.  

This was entirely deconstructed on my own from Pine State Biscuits as to what was on this sandwich.  This wasn't the most inspired endeavor but then again neither is this selection from Oregon.  Come on, guys. 

Ingredients:

1 Tube of premade biscuits, not a great start

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1lb chicken tenderloins 

1 package of country gravy mix

1. Put the tube of premade biscuits in the oven and bake 25 minutes.

2. Dredge your chicken tenderloins in the flour mixture, back in egg, back in the flour, and fry in oil for 2 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel when finished. 

3. Make your country gravy. 

4. Fry one egg.

5. Cut your biscuit in half and place a fried chicken tenderloin on top.  Pour some country gravy and top with fried egg.  

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Oklahoma

 There have been a few times on this list where the state sandwich jumps out to you in an "of course!" moment.  This is one of those moments.  Country fried steak and Oklahoma and synonymous, so much so that in 1988, the state legislature officially named it the official MEAL of Oklahoma.  Country fried steak is the classic example of an inexpensive regional utilized by the workings class.  And with nothing but beef ranches around, steak was plentiful.  Simply put your favorite meal in between two pieces of potato bread, and voila, you have yourself a state sandwich.  It's exact origins are impossible to know as America began conquering settling the heartlands with German and Scottish immigrants preparing their cash livestock in the ways of the old country.  (See, schnitzel and collops) The very earliest known recipe on record appeared in an 1838 cookbook by Mary Randolph titled The Virginia Housewife. (Just edging out Senator Warren's 1984 Pow Wow Chow cookbook by about 150 years.) Sadly, I did not opt for this recipe and instead went with an online recipe made by some random person in Oklahoma.  What can I say, I am a man of the people.  

Ingredients:

1 Pound Cube Steak

2 Cups Vegetable Oil

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Milk

2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

4 Martin’s Sandwich Potato Rolls

4 Leaves Lettuce

1/4 Cup White Country Gravy, for serving

1. Add oil to large skillet and heat on medium to 350 degrees.

2. Add egg and milk together in a bowl and mix well.  Take the 2nd bowl and mix the flour, salt, and pepper.  

3. Dredge each steak in the flour mixture to egg, and back to four before carefully placing in hot oil.  Cook for 3 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a paper towel plate to drain.

4. Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom before topping with a piece of steak.  Pour country gravy on top generously. (Or don't, it's your life). 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Ohio

Just like the Sonoran Hot Dog of Arizona, the Polish Boy is much more than just a hot dog with deep-seated roots in the Cleveland food scene.  Invented in the 1940s by BBQ restauranteur Virgil Whitmore, this smoked kielbasa sandwich caught on with the many Polish immigrants working in Cleveland factories.  Eventually, the "Polish Boy" sandwich spread throughout the city, making it a northeast Ohio staple for anyone who grew up there over the past 70 years.  Today, you can find Polish Boy's at various Whitmore locations in Cleveland as well as Seti's Polish Boys food truck which was featured in "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." While this may not be the best thing I ever eat, I am looking forward to grilling up some kielbasa on a hot summer day.  Here we go...

Ingredients:

Kielbasa links

French fries

Coleslaw

BBQ sauce

Hot dog buns

1. Cook your selected french fries in the oven at 450 for 5 minutes. 

2. Light up the grill and heat up the kielbasa, around 8 minutes on each side.

3. Toast the hot dog bun and then construct your sandwich.  Kielbasa, bbq sauce, fries, and then coleslaw.  You can put more bbq sauce on top if you want, I won't judge you. 

50 State Sandwiches Challenge: North Dakota

You are probably wondering what happened to North Carolina and you are right, I did skip them to get to North Dakota.  That is because on July 25th I will be firing up the smoker and doing my first annual CAROLINA PULLED PORK OFF.  That's right, one day, two Carolinas.  I was told that if I was going to do Carolina pulled pork, the only way would be to smoke it and any attempts in a crockpot would be illegitimate.  So to recap, on July 25th, Carolina Pulled Pork Off AND on August 1st, the smoker comes back out to catch up with Kansas' burnt ends and some good old-fashioned Texas brisket.  It's all happening this summer at the Jersey Shore.  OK, now that that is out of the way on to North Dakota.  The Sloppy Joe doesn't really have origins in North Dakota, the people there just really like them and who am I but a heartless, cynical east coast man to tell them otherwise.  In reality, the sloppy joe is a derivative of Iowa's "loose meat" sandwich.  References to sloppy joes as sandwiches begin in the 1940s, with one example from Ohio saying "sloppy joes: originated in Cuba," which actually makes a lot of sense considering the ground beef-tomato sauce blend is reminiscent of picadillo, a very popular Latin American dish. OR they were referencing Cuba, North Dakota in which case, the sloppy joe actually IS from North Dakota.  Either way, the practice of putting ground beef in between a hamburger bun about American as it comes.  Now cue the scary lunch lady from Billy Madison...

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

6 oz tomato paste

1 packet of sloppy joe seasoning mix

hamburger buns 

1. Brown meat in a large skillet on medium-high heat. 

2. Stir in seasoning mix, tomato paste, and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Serve on hamburger buns. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: New York

Sorry to all of upstate New York but there's no secret that the entire state is dominated by a city on a little island off the coast of New Jersey. New York is the first glimpse of America most of the world sees and it is also my "home city" so to speak.  I grew up a quick ferry ride across the bay from the city; most of the adults I knew commuted there to work, I root for their sports teams, every single field trip (except Poricy Park) I ever went on in school went there.  What I'm trying to say is, yes, I could just take a trip into the city to Katz or one of the hundreds of other Jewish delis between Red Bank and New York to get authentic pastrami on rye.  But that's not the point of this.  The pastrami on rye is the simple, yet delectable predecessor of The Reuben. In fact, pastrami on rye can be found almost 40 years before the emergence of The Reuben.  Sussman Volk opened one of New York's first delis at 88 Delancy Street in 1888, where he served meat on rye bread.  Pastrami came from a Romanian dish called Pastirma, which was cured goose.  Since geese weren't readily available in New York City, many Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe served the much more accessible beef instead.  It is theorized that Pastirma became Pastrami due to the American simplification of words as pastrami would be next to the salami found in Italian delis next door.  Now if you'd excuse me, I have a ferry to catch as I will likely be in tears when I walk into Citi Field to watch the New York Mets tonight live for the first time in almost two years.  

Ingredients:

1/2 lb pastrami

1/4 lb swiss cheese

spicy brown mustard

rye bread

1. Place a generous amount of pastrami on your rye topped with two slices of swiss and as much spicy brown mustard as your heart desires.

2. Put your sandwich in a toaster oven or oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the swiss cheese has started to melt.

3. Let's go Mets

50 States Sandwich Challenge: New Mexico

You may be thinking.  A burger? Is that a sandwich?  Well, technically, yes because its meats, cheese, and condiments in between bread.  But burgers are an entirely separate sub category within the sandwich game that can take months to explore.  However, New Mexico is famous for it's Green Chile cheeseburgers, so much so, that there is a Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail with 63 stops around the state.  No one knows for sure who invented the Green Chile Cheeseburger but the earliest known place to serve the spiced-up burger was the now famous Owl Bar and Café in San Antonio, New Mexico.  Opened in 1945 by Frank and Dee Chavez, the Owl Bar and Café was the famed lunch spot of scientists working on the Manhattan Project.  That's right, folks, those defecting German scientists invented perhaps the most consequential weapon in human history while eating a lunch with flavor for the first time in their lives.  That's American exceptionalism right there.  And what sets this burger apart from any other, is the Green Chile.  First grown by the Pueblo and Hispano communities throughout Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico established by Spain in 1598, it has become a staple of New Mexican cuisine often served diced or within sauces elemental to dishes such as enchiladas, burritos, and of course our beloved burgers.  The usage really sets this burger apart from your typical summer BBQ burger, and with an extra 15 minutes of preparation, you can also impress all of your friends with this "exotic" delight as you get the flavors of European Spain mixed with Native American vegetables. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1tsp Cumin

1tsp Chili powder

3 cloves garlic

3 tsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion

4 whole hatch chilis (they may be labels "green" or "Anaheim" depending on your grocery store)

4 slices pepper jack cheese

4 burger buns

1. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, salt, cumin and chili powder.  Mix with hands and form your patties. No frozen shit here.

2. Set your grill to 350 degrees.  While pre-heating, toss the garlic and onions with 3 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put them in a pouch of aluminum foil. 

3. Grill the whole chiles and your garlic/onion pouch for about 15 minutes.  Turn the chiles every 5 minutes and the pouch halfway through.

4. Place the chiles in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and steam the skins loose for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile finely chop the garlic and onions and add to medium bowl.  Peel and seed the chile, finely chop and transfer to the garlic and onion bowl.

5. Cook your burger patties on the grill to your desired doneness and top with the pepper jack cheese. 

6. Build the burger.  I added some flair and spread guacamole on each side of my bun before adding my patty topped with the Green Chile mixture.  You can add some hot sauce (I did) or whatever toppings you like on your burger.  

7. (Optional) Drink a million Modelos by the pool.  Happy Summer! 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: New Jersey

This isn't a biased blog at all.  I would never come out and say that New Jersey is the most important culinary state in the entire country or that the contributions of 9,288,994 people living on 8,722 (mostly beautiful, historically toxic) square miles have done nothing but positively influence our national culture.  Nope, you won't find anything like that here.  This project is supposed to highlight every state's sandwich contributions, not just my home state. So please try to look past all of the "top food lists" (who writes these things anyway) that have New Jersey pizzerias, delis, and restaurants holding the majority. It really isn't fair to all of the rest of the states that have brought me so much sandwich joy over the last several months (with the exception of Kentucky, for real guys, Hot Brown, what the fuck).  There are a few directions you might think NJ's state sandwich could go:  Pork roll, egg, and cheese? Sausage and peppers? Sloppy Joe? All contenders.  But there is one sandwich that you can find anywhere in the country at any time in any (respectable) deli: The Italian Sub.  Yes, I call it a sub, because that's what we call it in New Jersey, not a hero, not a (pukes) hoagie.  As you can imagine, there's a lot going on when your state sits in between two of the largest, original American cities so let me break this down for you.  A great wave of Italian immigration came to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, mostly settling in New York City and Philadelphia, eventually spreading to all of that open "garden" space in New Jersey following WW2.  Immigrants from Naples brought with them the Italian sandwich, made with crusted bread and stuffed with cured meats and cheese.  Legend has it that in 1910, Dominic Conti began selling these sandwiches on Mill Street in Patterson, NJ who observed the similarity of shape with the first experimental submarine (built on the docks of Elizabeth) thus naming the sandwich the "sub." This predates the Italian sandwich being called anything else but if you must know why it is also called the hero or hoagie you are in luck that this former History major is feeling generous today.  The name "hero" is credited to NY Herald Tribune food writer Clementine Paddleford (electric name) who wrote in 1930 that you needed to be a hero to eat the giant-sized Italian sandwich from James Manganaro's deli in New York.  Don't worry, the origin of hoagie is just as fun.  Hog Island was a shipyard in the area of Philadelphia during World War I and employed mostly Italian immigrants.  The workers were nicknamed "hoggies" because Hog Island, duh, and the lovely people of Philly, with their cute, backwater accents pronounced that word as "hoagie." The name stuck when South Philly neighborhood delis began offering the "hoagie" as the featured sandwich which became a household name once Wawa began selling them in the late 1970s (I do love Hoagiefest.) There are about a million places I could go to get one near me but in keeping with tradition, I will be constructing my own Italian sub today.  Let's see how it goes.  

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 loaf of soft Italian bread (Livoti's, duh)

red wine vinegar

olive oil

salt and pepper

provolone cheese

Genoa salami

Pepperoni

Mortadella

Capicola

shredded lettuce (I used an Italian blend)

Pepperoncini 

sliced plum tomato

dried oregano

1. Split the bread lengthwise and drizzle the olive oil and vinegar on the bottom half.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. Layer the cheese and meat on the bottom. Top the meat with onion, lettuce, pepperoncini, and tomatoes.  Drizzle olive oil and vinegar on top of everything with a sprinkle of oregano.  

3. Personally, I think I killed it. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: New Hampshire

This is now the second time on this list that poor Massachusetts has had one of its staple foods claimed by another state.  I guess that just comes with the territory of breaking up the Massachusetts Bay Colony into different states.  But really, the roast beef sandwich isn't exactly native to the North Shore.  Some trace of origins of the American-style roast beef sandwich as far back as 1877, described by The Washington Post as "a true taste of South Dakota", "unattractive" and "a tired ark in a gravy flood."  So why then, would Kelly's Roast Beef in Revere, Massachusetts claim to have invented the sandwich in 1951?  Well, I suppose it's the combination of cheese and horseradish that really spruced up the 'ole tired roast beef and gravy that drove the elitist Washington Post nuts, but today, the North Shore is the place to go for a roast beef sandwich.  Everyone knows that.  So, I'm sorry New Hampshire, I'm not sure where you really come into play here other than you share the same cold, rocky beaches of the North Shore and that Kelly's is planning to open a franchise in Manchester next year.  But that's just New England for you, folks.  New Hampshire just wants to live free or die (of Massachusetts taxes) and grab a roast beef.  No shame in that game.  

Ingredients

Roast Beef

Cheddar Cheese

Horseradish 

Arugula

Brioche bun 

1. Spread horseradish on your brioche bun.

2. Mountain of roast beef on top.  Cheese, arugula, and close.  Boom you have a roast beef sandwich. 

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Nevada

 Ok, Nevada.  I'm not sure where you got the idea that the Patty Melt is yours.  The Patty Melt became commercialized as early as the 1940s as a variant of the popular cheeseburger.  The difference here? Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and rye bread pressed on the griddle.  The closest thing to credit to the Patty Melt that exists goes to Los Angeles restauranteur Tiny Naylor who may have invented the sandwich in the 1930s.  Even if Tiny Naylor did not invent the sandwich, he did help popularize it at his restaurants: Tiny Naylor's, DuPars, and Wolfgang Puck's Granita.  There is a Dupars in the Golden Gate Resort and Casino in Las Vegas which is a hilarious stretch for the state to claim this as their state sandwich but I suppose when you are surrounded by radioactive desert, you have limited culinary items to choose from of your own.  Good for you, Vegas, always on that hustle.  

Ingredients:

1 onion

1lb Ground Beef

Rye Bread

Swiss Cheese

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder

Butter

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-low heat and cook the sliced onions slowly over 20-25 minutes until caramelized.

2. Mix ground beef with spices and form hamburger patties. Cook the patties however you like your burgers.

3. Assemble: Bread, Cheese, Patty, Onions, Cheese, Bread and place on a buttered griddle to toast. 

4. Put $100 on black and don't look back.  

50 State Sandwich Challenge: Nebraska

 Now this one may surprise you.  You probably expected the classic Reuben sandwich to be invented in New York, which claims have been made.  But the reality is, The Reuben's beginnings can be traced back to 1920 when an Omaha grocer,  Reuben Kulakofsky, asked for a sandwich made of corned beef and sauerkraut to be served during his late-night poker games held at the Blackstone Hotel.  Reuben was a regular at the Blackstone's poker room for 15 years from 1920-1935. The sandwich gained local fame, when the owner of the Blackstone, Charles Schimmel, put the sandwich on the hotel's lunch menu, whose fame grew nationally once the recipe won a national sandwich idea contest.  Today, you can find The Reuben sandwich at almost any deli in the country as it continues to be an all-time sandwich and incredibly simple to make at home.  If you don't like corned beef or don't have any handy, you can replace it with pastrami or turkey for an entirely new sandwich experience called The Rachel.  

Ingredients: 

1lb of Corned Beef

Rye Bread

Swiss Cheese

8 oz sauerkraut 

1/4 cup of Russian Dressing

Instructions:

1. Place bread on a foiled baking sheet and distribute the corned beef on top. Put in the oven on broil for 3-4 minutes to heat up the beef.

2. Top each sandwich with sauerkraut and a slice of swiss cheese.  Return to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

3. Remove from oven and spread empty side of bread with Russian dressing.  Top the sandwich dressing side down and return to the oven to broil for another 1-2 minutes.  

4. Serve warm.  

50 State Sandwich Challenge: Montana

There's a lot more to Big Sky Country than meets the eye.  No, I'm not talking about the black eye Montana's governor gave that journalist, I'm talking about a mountainous, beautiful paradise of agriculture and outdoor living.  The appeal of Montana has grown significantly for me as I recently looked up month-long Airbnbs after watching (1) episode of the TV show Yellowstone.  Then I remembered that I've never done hard labor in my life, and thought it best to keep Montana's New Jersey-born population to just Governor Gianforte.  Still, I would love to visit if only to experience clean air and maybe a rodeo.  John's Original Pork Chop sandwich opened in 1924 in the mining town of Butte, where John Burklund sold his pork chop sandwiches from the back of a wagon on the corner of Mercury and Main Street.  Today, you can get John's Pork Chop sandwich "loaded" (mustard, pickles, and onions) or "loaded deluxe" (pickles, onions, mustard, mayo, and tomato.) Of course I opted for the "loaded deluxe" version when I made these bad boys.  This was weirdly similar to Indiana's pork tenderloin so please don't call me out on it, I promise this is a different sandwich.  The cut of pork makes the difference, and John's pork chops are not soaked in buttermilk.  Still, this was an excellent sandwich, which shouldn't come as a surprise as it was featured on Food Network's "best thing I ever ate" program.  

Ingredients: 

6-8 thin sliced pork loin chops 

salt

paprika

cayenne pepper

garlic powder

2 cups of flour

2 eggs beaten

2 cups of panko breadcrumbs

vegetable oil

hamburger buns

pickles 

tomato

onion

mayo

yellow mustard

1. Pre-heat the oil on medium-high.  Combine the spices with the flour and create your dredge station.

2. Put your chops in the flour mixture, then the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.  Repeat. 

3. Fry up those pork chops for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Set aside on a paper towel-covered plate and let drain. 

4. Spead mayo on each side of the hamburger bun and then place a pork chop (or two if you're feeling frisky) on top of the bun.  Spread some yellow mustard on there and top with the tomato, onion, and pickles.) 

And now the moment you've all been waiting for...

50 States Sandwich Challenge: Missouri

 Sorry about the extended halftime break this month, but we are officially halfway through making every single state in America's signature sandwich! Gioia's Deli in St. Louis is Missouri's oldest and most revered deli, opening in 1918 in "The Hill" neighborhood which was historically home to thousands of Italian immigrants in the early 20th century.  Known for their freshly made salami, Gioia's became the go-to spot for the "hot salami" sandwich, landing it on this list and on my dining room table.  The salami is cooked right in front of you and cut thick, with spicy mustard, onion, and pepperoncini toasted on a beautiful Italian roll.  The Hill was always known as a blue-collar neighborhood, and this is a blue-collar sandwich.  Meat, condiment, see you tomorrow, same time, same place, for over a hundred years.  Baseball greats Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola grew up on The Hill and I'm no historian but they probably ate thousands of these.  And if it's good enough for major league catchers who played 60 years ago, then it's good enough for me.  

Ingredients:

1/2 lb thick-cut salami (This isn't as thick as it needed to be to match Gioia's)

1/4lb American white cheese

Pepperoncini 

Spicy Mustard

1 Italian loaf from Livoti's 

1. Spread spicy mustard on each side of the bread.

2. Place cheese and salami on bread and put it in the toaster oven until cheese is melted.

3. Pepperoncini on top and you're good to go. I really enjoyed this sandwich. 

Brennan's Middletown; Ranked

 I have conquered yet another local deli's sandwich board.  This one may have been about 1/3 of the size of Taliercio's (who have now added about 30 new sandwiches since I've ranked them), but the flavors are all still there.  I fondly remember heading to Brennan's in Rumson for a post-beach, pre-valet job sandwich with my friend Brendan (HBD, btw) during summers in college.  The quality of these sandwiches remained unchanged when they opened a location in Red Bank (Middletown side), which was way more convenient for me to get to since I was not going to the beach during the winter.  While Taliercio's remains king of the Italian deli store, Brennan's holds more of a "bistro" vibe, with sandwiches ranging from the classic NJ Italian cold cuts to grilled chicken and Havarti dill cheese.  Food quality remains king for these successful delis and Brennan's is no exception, providing fresh bread, cold cuts, and creative cheese and sauce combinations that are unique to Brennan's.  As always, this list is subjective, I'll explain my thought process the best I can but I ate these over the span of six months, not all at once so who's really to say what sandwich from Brennan's is the best because honestly all of these sandwiches were delicious.  Just use this as your guide to all of the sandwiches they have to offer and go from there.  

26. The #6 Black Forest Ham, Brie Cheese, Honey Mustard

I'm a fan of brie cheese, really I am, but I'm just not entirely sure it works on an entire sandwich.  I do love some ham and honey mustard but sadly if you eat this every day you may run the risk of achieving the body of a specific North Korean leader, who may or may not have gained 100lbs in 3 months eating nothing but brie cheese. 

25. The #4 Turkey, Garlic Herb Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo

Love a turkey sandwich. Unfortunately, though, it is the most boring of the many deli types of meat you can choose from.  I thought the Garlic herb cheese would add more flavor but really got a lot of tomatoes and regular turkey. 

24. The #8 Smoked Turkey, Roasted Garlic, Swiss Cheese, Sundried Tomato Mayo

Now we're kicking up the turkey sandwich a notch.  By adding roasted garlic (which brings out the flavor in the garlic by roasting) and sundried tomato mayo, there is something more than just a regular turkey taste here. 

23. The #12 Turkey, Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato, Oil & Vinegar

Mozzarella and roasted peppers completely transform a boring turkey sandwich into something I can really get behind but there is still flavor to be had in this town.

22. The #24 Grilled Chicken, Lettuce, Tomato, Honey Mustard

Sticking with poultry, the grilled chicken is a bit better than the turkey, with honey mustard and the typical lettuce and tomato.  Simple, yet effective.  

21. The #16 Leaf lettuce, Onion, Tomato, Sun-Dried Tomato, Roasted Peppers, Havarti Dill Cheese, Balsamic Vinaigrette on a Pita 

Ah, yes.  Your meatless option.  Bet you didn't expect to see 5 other sandwiches behind this one.  But there was more than enough flavor to go around here, with sun-dried tomato and roasted peppers, this is the ultimate spring/summer snack (it's a snack because let's be honest you'll be hungry 2 hours after eating this). The Havarti dill cheese is the real star here, one we have not seen the last of on this list. 

20. The #26 Grilled Chicken, Monterey Jack, Black Bean and Corn Salsa, Lettuce, Lime Cilantro Dressing.

The black bean and corn salsa was for sure interesting, I'm not sure if I should have gotten this sandwich as a wrap though as it felt a little weird getting southwest flavors with a semolina roll. 

19. The #5 Roasted Eggplant, Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato

Roasted eggplant is actually good and if you are looking for a meat replacement or if you're having digestive issues.  Not saying that's the only reason to get this sandwich because there's also really good flavor here with the mozzarella and roasted peppers.   

18. The #23 Smoked Turkey, Monterey Jack Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Guacamole Mayo in a Tortilla Wrap

The guacamole mayo was a godsend on this wrap.  So much so that it catapulted this sandwich to a top 20 finish. Everything else was pretty typical turkey wrap stuff.    

17. The #25 Marinated Grilled Portabello, Roasted Peppers, Mozzarella, Lettuce, Tomato, Balsamic Vinaigrette on an Herb Focaccia

Here it is.  Your best meatless option from Brennan's.  The portabello mushrooms are marinated so well, and will actually leave you feeling like you ate an actual meal.  Also, let's not sleep on the herb focaccia that graces the outer walls of this sandwich.  If you love vegetables, you will love this sandwich. 

16. The #22 Fresh Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo

I know I've said a lot about the thanksgiving leftover sandwich so I won't repeat myself here but Brennan's version really surprised me.  Maybe it's because they aren't excessively using thanksgiving foods or what but just the turkey and cranberry sauce worked really well.  It's all about ratio, kids.  

15. The #7 Capicola, Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato, Oil & Vinegar

We have reached the "Italian" section of this list.  Like I said, this isn't an Italian specialty deli, so their Italian subs will be around the middle of the pack here.  That's not to say these aren't good sandwiches.  

14. The #2 Capicola, Salami, Provolone, Pepperoni, Lettuce, Tomato, Oil & Vinegar

Generally, I like mozzarella better than provolone, but the provolone isn't very sharp here and the addition of pepperoni and salami to the capicola propelled this sandwich over the one above it.  

13. The #13 Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Roast Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato, Oil & Vinegar

It's prosciutto and mozzarella, I mean come on, what else do I need to say here.  

12. The #3 Roast Beef, Horseradish Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo

Surprised to see this one at number 12? Me too, because I love all of these ingredients.  I have to say, though, that I really think the tomato takes away from the horseradish flavor I was looking for in the cheese.  Or maybe it needed an extra slice of it, I'm not sure.  

11. The #17 Smoked Salmon, Horseradish Cheese, Tomato, Onion, Pumpernickel

Smoked salmon is so delightful, I wonder why I don't get it more often.  Maybe I will.  Again, the horseradish cheese was there but could have used more of it.  Not a big deal though because, again, smoked salmon.  

10. The #10 Sliced Chicken Breast, Havarti Dill Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Basil Mayo

Absolutely loved the Havarti dill cheese/basil mayo combo on this sandwich as it really made the chicken breast pop with every bite. 

9. The # 19 Smoked Turkey, Muenster Cheese, Cole Slaw, Russian Dressing

Don't let the lack of color fool you, this sandwich packed flavor into it.  Coleslaw and Russian dressing were just made for each other, and you get the muenster cheese that you generally don't find on many sandwiches.  Fun! 

8. The #1 Ham, Salami, Provolone, Lettuce, Tomato, Oil & Vinegar

The number one NJ sandwich in our hearts but only 8 on this list (it's a good list!) I really just don't love provolone, that's really what this comes down to.  

7. The #21 Tuna Salad, Havarti Dill Cheese, Red Onion, Lettuce, Mayo

A fun fact about me is that I used to bring a thermos of tuna for lunch to school up until around 2nd grade.  I also started making friends in school around 3rd grade and those two facts are definitely not related. I loved this sandwich, and the Havarti dill actually went perfectly with the tuna.  Trust me, it's not the end of the world ordering this sandwich, especially since we are not in offices anymore. 

6. The #18 Sliced Chicken Breast, Monterey Jack Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Honey Mustard. 

You can sign me up for a chicken, bacon, honey mustard sandwich any day of the week.  Add in some Monterey Jack cheese and we have something going.  

5. The #9 Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Swiss Cheese, Lettuce, Basil Mayo

Roasted pork just gives a flavor you won't get from turkey.  This is a really simple sandwich, elevated by the meat.  OK, and also basil mayo.  I'm not really asking for much to get into the top 5.  

4. The #20 Liverwurst, Swiss Cheese, Red Onion, Horseradish Mustard, on Rye

You might call me crazy but this was arguably my favorite sandwich on the list.  Liverwurst is right there with bologna and a serious guilty pleasure of mine.  Also, not only is there spicy mustard on this sandwich, it's horseradish mustard which somehow worked even better than spicy brown mustard.  Please, do not be deterred by the scary disgusting germanic word, liverwurst 1000% plays as an elite deli sandwich meat and you cannot change my mind. 

3. The #11 Breaded Chicken Cutlet, Swiss Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Mayo 

You know what's better than a grilled chicken and bacon sandwich? A breaded chicken cutlet with bacon sandwich.  This is just a slight improvement to our sixth number on this list and it all comes down to the meat.  

2. The #15 Philly Cheesesteak with Onions

I know some of you might think this is a really boring choice for number two and I agree.  But this cheesesteak was for real! 

1. The #14 Roast Beef, Cheddar, Bacon, Russian Dressing, Tomato

Roast beef, bacon, cheddar.  This makes for a great sandwich everytime and when you have fresh ingredients like Brennan's this kind of sandwich will always be a crown jewel in my eyes.