The Lunch Encounter

Maybe if I spent more time boasting and less time, uh, uh, uh, squinting over this laptop that is never on my lap cause I never sit anywhere other than my desk, I might make the kind of money that would make me think I could afford a monitor big enough to capture the image you see below – if you take the time to look – all at once, rather than in two parts.
Renee and I think we are artists because we haul a lot of stuff around and we have ruled out the possibility that we are in the construction business. By the way, I know that this image from Renee’s email BLAST relates peripherally to sandwiches, and peripherally only, but peripherally is good enough for me, in fact it is better than dead center. The periphery is where things get interesting and unpredictable and surprising. Spin me around and let centrifical force take me to the edge.

…I’d live over a deli.

Frank Rogers wrote it in 1978.

Do ya think this boy heard him? I would venture a guess at yes. Customize and survive.

If you’re gonna live above a deli, it won’t be here in Arlington, VA. Nosirree, Boris. Mixed use is forbidden* and delis do not exist. Not a proper deli at which a person could shake a salami. As far as living above a store goes, we like to keep things clean, conventional and zoned. It’s a double edged slicer.

Could we think a bit more out of the (big) box (store), people?

Like I said, when I rule the universe, there will be a corner store at every intersection – adjacent to a tavern, a deli in every neighborhood, and it’ll be a crazy, mixed up, exciting world to be in.

*Other than on major thoroughfares. I’ll give ’em that…

SUNdeVICH

We may be projecting, but the food traveler’s dream is to wander down an alley in a foreign country and discover a transporting restaurant that excels.

While SUNdeVICH is not in a foreign land, this new sandwich shop, situated in an unmarked carriage house down a Shaw alley, tastes like it is, with a menu of thick sandwiches inspired by cities around the world.

Read more here.

I am definitely projecting, and one of my dreams is to wander down an alley, doing nothing, as slowly as possible, in any country, foreign or otherwise, and discover a transporting food, which would be anything that I did not make myself and that did not come out of a package.

Reading about SUNdeVICH fills me top to tail, elbow to teakettle, soup to nuts, with longing, yearning, appetite, desire. Oh, for a dream to materialize, and soon.

Thank you Elle Kasey of Magniferous, a girl who can spot a “smokin’ hot rhinestone six-shooter pistol shirt” at 40 paces.

Loads of wiches between these pages. Bayou Bakery, 2 Amys, Sundevich…

Photos by Scott Suchman, Styling by Moi! Mwah!

Debbie Wahl,  shared this sandwich picture-story with me,which was featured in olive magazine.

Debbie is a food stylist and friend. Hooray! Stylist friends are few and far between for me, not like cook friends, who I can count on the hands and feet of myself and a biggish tribe. Stylists often work on their own. Or rather, they are the only “food professional” in the room. It can be lonely, for me anyway. I miss – after all these millions of years – working with cooks, and talking shop with cooks.

“Do you watch the Food Network?”, is something I am asked  often. Uh…no. If I am  not feeling lonely for the camaraderie of cooks, the Food Network will make me so.

Count your blessings that there is not an entire TV station devoted to your profession.  Or rather, devoted to an absurdly skewed, fluffed, puffed and buffed version of your profession. You too could learn to be disgusted by your work. Thank you broadcast television.

I apologize, from the deepest, darkest, sweetest chasm of my soul, for the contributions I have made to the celebritization of food. Some of it – the celebritization, not my contributions – has been and is good.

It is nice for chefs to stand in the sunshine sometimes.  I know, too, not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, or to 86 the celebrity chef with the sour stock. Some of them are smart, and irreverent, and have a talent for…cooking. Thanks to those who throw a respectable spotlight on the rest of us poor slobs. Heaven knows, it’s no fun  to be seen as a greasy-aproned servant.

olive is the stylish, monthly magazine for food lovers who enjoy cooking, eating out and foodie travel. We aim to show you how to eat imaginatively and well without spending a fortune. In every issue you’ll find 100+ easy recipes, great-value restaurants and bargain travel ideas and recipes from around the world.

olive

Kinda like the looks of this magazine and think that the name “olive” daringly narrows possible subscribers. “Foodie travel” turns me off. Course I cringe at the word foodie. Would you like it if “ie” were the ending for the name of your profession?

Just in from Fundamentally-Hip Brooklynite Mick, who is British by birth:

FYI, I felt compelled that you should know:

Sandwich in cockney is
“sarnie“.

USED TO BE :

1. Named after Reg Varney, 
as in, “Oi! Fetch me a Bacon Reg!”

Cockney slang has gone thru an update in recent years to adjust to modern times.

NOW:
2. Named after Giorgio Armani
as in ,”Oi! Fetch me a Bacon Giorgio!”
or, “Just poppin out for a Giorgio!”.

the story of mick, as told to me by mick

Born in the blue collar suburb of Romford East London,  Mick’s upbringing was surrounded by music similar to that in the Detroit landscape. (The Ford motor plant was in nearby Dagenham). From early days of listening to Bill Haley “Rock around the Clock” to the punk rock explosion.

Accent is a blend of Essex and cockney/east London. Which means cockney “lite”.

Now lets talk sarnies:

Up to early teens:
Cheddar Cheese and tomato with Branston pickle on white. MMMMMmmmmmm
Cheddar Cheese and tomato with mayo on white.

Late teens:
Cheddar Cheese and raw onion on white with mayo.

A year of health food:
Multi grain with cheddar cheese (no rennet) and Branston pickle

Early twenties come to NYC and to the sarnie mecca. Would stare at the deli sandwich board, so many choices and huge portions to match, the absolute opposite of england.

A move to lettuce, tomato, ham and swiss, on whole wheat…

…until JB gives me The Ultimate Gastronomic Experience.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!
A Meatball sandwich on 7 grain.
A perfect balance of meatball and sauce. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm

How is teddy’s porcupine hairdo?