The Ultimate Sandwich

OK so first a disclaimer, you know the fine print that they usually save till the end.
It is not, nor has it ever been my intention to proclaim that I know better than you. I believe that the variety of individual tastes and preferences is what makes the world an interestining place. There is not and there should never be one ultimate anything. At least not an ultimate anything that you can eat.
That being said the intention here is to offer you my version of the ultimate, because if you read the first post you would know, this is not about you, it’s about me. To do this properly I think it would be prudent to take a look at the components.

The Bread-By far the most important component! Great bread will hide a poor filling but, there is not a protein in sight that can cover up bad bread.

The Spread-Yes it actually has a function. Usually fat based, oil, butter or mayo. It came to the party to protect the bread from getting soggy.

The Filling-Oh where to start?

The Garnish-Spicy, crunchy, and refreshing are the buzz words here the garnishes should be thought of as punctuation. Used sparingly a few, full flavored extras make every bite a little different than the last and elevate the sandwich as a whole.

And now a bit of history. The sandwich takes its name from John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Apparently Sir John fancied himself a gambler and would snack on pieces of cold meat tucked between two slices of bread while sitting at the gaming tables instead of stepping away to enjoy a proper meal. It also happens to be my understanding that sushi has similar origins in that it was a way to take nourishment without being distracted from the matter at hand. That’s right my friends ditch the chopsticks, eat your sushi with your fingers and double down.

I think that now would be as good a time as any for a bite of the classics.

B.L.T.- In my opinion this is one of the greatest. But, It should be made with homemade mayo, Good quality smoked bacon, fresh, crisp romaine or iceberg and a local tomato plucked from the vine at the peak of ripeness. The B.L.T. has a very limited season in my book. And the only addition worth mentioning would be a few slices of ripe avocado.

The Italian- My first job was at a deli in Wayne NJ. I have made my fair share of Italian Subs. I always liked to dress the sub roll with a touch of mayo. Then ham, salami, and provolone, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar. I know there is supposed to be raw onion and a sprinkle of dried herbs. To be perfectly honest that ruins it for me. I do however like some hot pickeled peppers.

The Cubano- Roasted pork, ham, cheese, yellow mustard and pickles on buttered cuban bread and cooked in a press. also known as a mixto.

I do believe that by definition I could include both the hamburger and the hot dog. But, I will leave that for another day. Along with the oxymoronic open faced sandwich.
So to produce My Ultimate Sandwich I would like to take a lesson from the Classics and then head off on my own. Here goes…

The bread of choice is a baguette, specifically because of the crust to interior ratio. I love a rustic boule as much as you but for this sandwich I need the crust of the baguette. My spread is a combination of whole grain mustard and homemade mayo. I need to see at least three types of meat and one cheese. I’ll start with duck liver pate, then some fresh, roasted meat like beef sirloin, then a smoked or cured meat (or maybe both) I like a nice smoked pork loin or prosciutto. The go to cheese is aged Gouda. Remember I’m Dutch. Make sure to slice it very thin. The nutty, salty, caramel flavors that it imparts are a haunting element of this ultimate sandwich. For the garnish I’m going with a little spicy vinegar slaw. Keep portions in mind here this is not a three story Dagwood affair. You only need a little of each of the components. The last little trick, to raise the whole affair above and beyond is temperatures. I want the bread warm but not toasted. The pate, prosciutto, and smoked ham cool but not cold. The cheese at room temp. and the sirloin still warm. Make sure that the slaw is ice cold. So I hope this inspires you to go and produce your own version of the " Ultimate Sandwich". Good luck! And pass me a beer!!!

For Lover's Only Photobooth, 2.12.12

you like apples?

When we were kids my grandfather would take me and my brother apple picking at Och's Orchard in Warwick, New York. Like everywhere else he took us, he always knew someone and there was some type of special treatment. On the way home we would stop at Rockaway Sales . Grandpa would give us each one dollar. That used to mean a matchbox car. Then they raised the price, so with tax it came to $1.06. Grandpa wouldn't budge, if a dollar wasn't enough pick something else. I think that is when I started to carry my own money. Just so I could kick in the extra cash and get what I wanted.
I don't remember picking many apples on those trips. It was more about hanging out with grandpa's friends, drinking cider, walking around in the different barns and out buildings.

Fast foward to the first time I went apple picking as an adult.
I think there were 15-20 of us. We decided that Thanksgiving was to far away. We should have a big feast after a day of apple picking. We all met at the orchard, set up our blankets and layed out snacks. we threw the football around picked some apples drank some wine. I can still remember the smell in the air. It was a perfect fall day, just a hint of a chill in the air, clear skys and a warm sun. the smell of over ripe apples starting to ferment right on the ground. The bees to drunk to bother with the likes of us.We all went back to a friends house to enjoy our pot luck Thanksgiving. Peeled apples, made pie and crisp, carved pumpkins. Then it came time to sit down for dinner. My friend (bachelor) had three forks and two knives. Luckily he had plenty of chopsticks. So the knives were passed just like gravy, even with chopsticks we all ate to much anyway.

Fast forward a second time, and now I am bringing my own kids on the annual pilgrimage in search of the perfect apple. The past two years we've gone to Windy Brow right in Newton. I know a few people there and when I see the owner it always reminds me of grandpa and his cronies. The kids (all of us) love the cider donuts. We still bring a picnic, and throw a ball or a Frisbee. This year Rob and Kate joined us with their kids. My brother and one of his two, my cousin and his wife with their kids and a couple of friends. Some awesome cheeses, a hunk of smoked duck breast, some moonshine, beer and wine. Afterward we all headed back to our house. We enjoyed a big feast. Rob left his camera in the car. But, I personally witnessed him and walked him through, the apple crisp preparation.
Oh and now that we are grownups, everyone had their own knife and fork.

Here's the recipe for the crisp topping. It's my version of the one grandma used to make.

1 cup flour
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
spice as you like, I use cinnamon

Combine the ingredients and cut the butter into pea size.

This mix gets spread evenly over apples that have been peeled, sliced, and seasoned with sugar, lemon juice and more spices. Bake at 425 until golden brown and bubbling.

Lucky 13

"You make your own luck"

I had heard this before. So, when I googled it I was happy to see it was none other than Pappa Hemingway who gets the credit for saying it.
In case you hadn't heard we celebrated the 13th anniversary of our restaurant opening this month. I thought it would be fun to throw a 13 course dinner to commemorate the occasion. Each course would somehow nod towards luck, superstition or good fortune.

For all of those years I have heard many rave reviews from customers, family and critics. The times that I am most proud of are when someone takes a few minutes to tell me how much they enjoyed everything and then finish with "...and your staff is just wonderful!" Typically I would respond with " Yeah, we are really lucky to have some great people working with us." Then one day I was corrected. "You have hired the right people. You have trained them well. And, most importantly, you take care of them. That is why they do what they do for you. That is why they take care of us, That is why they care. And that has nothing to do with luck" And, so it is. Our staff really is like another family. Don't get me wrong there are times when they make me want to rip my own hair out. But, when it comes down to it they would do almost anything for me. And I wouldn't be able to do what I do without them, all of them. From bartender to dishwasher and everyone in between,they are the magical glue that keeps this squeaky little machine going. So, if I am not "lucky" to have them, then I guess I need to take a minute to express how much I appreciate having them. And, if any of them are reading this...
Put your smart phone down and get back to work!

As promised, here are some photos from the Lucky 13 Dinner... this is how the menu read...

Black Pearl in an Oyster

A Pot of Gold

Wish Upon a Star

Revenge(a dish best served cold)

The Luck of the Irish

Rabbit Fingers

Lucky #7

Schwien Gehabt

Chimney Sweep

Mighty Oak

Broken Mirror

Vegas Baby

Chocolate Thirtini

and we picked a few nice wines as well...

Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Rose

Domaine Weinbach Reisling

Pacific Rim Vin de Glacier

Laetitia Pinot Noir

Black Jack Ranch Syrah

Pedroncelli Vintage Port

Cheers!

P.S. I was really happy that Rob was able to come by and capture the night.Our schedules don't always line up. When one of our guests heard he was in the kitchen he asked if he could meet him. He said some thing like "I love the photos you put on Andre's blog" I know he meant no harm. He was paying a compliment. But I winced a bit when I heard it. I was in the middle of plating what totaled to nearly 1200 plates of food and couldn't pull myself away to correct him. So, for the record, this is and always will be Rob and Andre's Blog.