A Venn diagram uses simple closed curves on a plane to represent sets. In Venn diagrams, the curves are overlapped in every possible way, showing all possible relations between the sets.
The first man whips out a pad of paper and a pencil. “This is a head scratcher, fellas. So many choices, only three of us. It’s a deli-emma.” The venerable Jersey Joe requires a Venn. That is to come. I need a minute.
REFRESHER OVER.
Minutes have come and gone. Many. Months of minutes. Now it’s time to investigate that Venn.
There are a lot of parts here. Let’s break it down.
The three men, James, Curtis and LRoy, a recording engineer, artist and access specialist, respectively.
The sandwich parts; bread, meat, cheese, slaw.
As you can see from the Venn above, both men and sandwich parts intersect identically. It’s a sandwich in the middle, people! A Jersey Joe – the crossroads, intersection, junction, the crux for heaven’s sake.
AND THEREIN LIES THE RUB. Not all Jersey Joe’s are created ovally. This makes the Venn unwrangleable for me. My math comprehension cannot accommodate an additional option. So we will put it into “unexplainable things”, the sort of mystery discussed at a Unitarian worship service.
Oval? Square? Round peg? Square hole? Hither? Thither? Why? Why not? Because I said so! The Jersey Joe, confoundingly, comes in two shapes. Oval, as at the Milburn Deli, and square, as at many other esteemed joints (we will get to the specifics later).
Here is JAF, James, MSMINY (my main sandwich man in New York, the man who eats half a bialy toasted and covered with chicken salad every morning so delicious I am crving
“I noticed on the Lunch Encounter that you actually made Joe’s for the Washington Post! I’m surprised that this went unmentioned to me, your MSMINY. Your construction looks beautiful, as always, and is of the traditional type of Joe that you see everywhere EXCEPT the Millburn Deli,
As far as I’m aware, the millburn Deli’s sloppy joe is ONLY oval version of the sandwich, conforming to the natural shape of the rye bread. The bread on the Millburn version is sliced much thinner than the traditional Joe, allowing the other stars of the sandwich to shine, whereas the traditional square Joe has always leaned more heavily on its bread component.
The typical square Joe is generally drier than the creamier Millburn Deli version, has multiple meats (often including corned beef) as opposed to the Millburn single meat Joe, and has no crust on the bread which, to me, has always seemed to be a cosmetic, and not a culinary, choice.
The height of the traditional Joe also exceeds the open jaw limit of many eaters, while the Millburn Joe presents no such contest.
All versions of the sandwich are SLOPPY!
Regarding buttering the bread (which you mentioned in your WaPo Joe post), I agree that, while adding some flavor and calories (as if the Millburn Deli Joe needs any more of either), it does serve to seal the bread and prevent it from sogging from the slaw and Russian, and this is a good thing.
As for where to find the square Joe. At risk of a loyalty droop/drop/dash, here and there.
Three guys walk into the Milburn Deli, a recording engineer, an artist and an access specialist. The sandwich man says, “Is this a joke?”
No it is not!
The first man whips out a pad of paper and a pencil. “This is a head scratcher, fellas. So many choices, only three of us. It’s a deli-emma.” The venerable Joe requires a Venn. That is to come. I need a minute.
In the meantime, MMSMINY, Curtis and LRoy walked into the Milburn Deli. Preemptively I had implored them to guest post. The fellas obliged.
My best friend L. Roy Goldberg and I grew up in Springfield NJ – the town next to Millburn. Since high school in the 70s, we both have been huge fans of the Milburn Deli Joe. Since it has been years since our parents passed away, it has been some time since either of us visited our old haunt. That changed today, as our good friend, “Fun and Pretty” artist Curtis Wallin, drove us out there from Manhattan.
Our initial Idea of a jaunt to the Deli turned into more of a pilgrimage, as we not only got our long sought after Joes, but also drove past the homes L. Roy and I grew up in, and visited the graves of L. Roy’s parents on the way back to the city. While taking pix in front of the house I grew up in, the current owner, who remembered my parents and me, came out and invited us in. I had always wondered how the house had changed on the inside and was quite surprised to find out that it had changed very little.
It felt so great to enter the Deli once again and get swept up in the rhythm of the crew behind the counter as they cranked out Joes and other popular sandwiches, including the Godfaddah (chicken cutlet, bacon, fresh mozzarella, Russian dressing on a sub roll, pressed).
As we left the deli with our weighty order – 2 Turkey Joes, 1 Ham Joe, and 3 homemade iced teas – we were salivating as we entered adjacent Taylor Park to find a shady picnic table at which to chow down most mightily.
I don’t need to describe the Joe here, since I did that back in 2008 on this blog. I am happy to report that the superior quality sandwich is nearly identical to the first one I ever had, with the one exception being that the rye bread is now a bit “spongier” than it used to be, which is in no way a deal killer. We devoured our Joes, washed them down with the iced teas and, with big smiles on our faces, vowed to return.
James Farber (unmasked: formerly JAF – Lisa’s Main Sandwich Man in NY
And from LRoy, the ham man:
It was an eagerly awaited challenge – get the three of us out to Jersey and get our hands and mouths around a Millburn Deli Joe. The planning took months, but we finally made it. Aside from some very garish signage and a hundred new sandwiches with Jersey mobster names, the place was pretty much the same. But would the sammys be the same since the last time I had one (6 years ago? 8 years ago?).
The structure was the same, the layers and layers of rye, ham (for me – the boys had turkey), Swiss, cole slaw, Russian. Cut into three pieces: left, right, wedge.
But wow, could they really have always been this big? So heavy? The bag must have weighed 20 pounds (with the homemade iced tea for each of us, natch). Would we really be able to consume such a monstrosity? The challenge was on and none of us was going to back down – eat or die. Eat and die. And maybe a few weeks sooner because of this Joe (ironic that we visited my parents grave sites after lunch, and James suggested I lie down next to them. Not dead yet).
So consume we did.
We were proud of ourselves (though we did need to hose ourselves down in a nearby bathroom). Has our capacity for gorging ourselves been diminished with age? Should we have split one or two? Would we order it again? Yes, for sure, definitely – but the consensus also was, maybe we should wait a few years, until we digest today’s mighty Joe. Curtis said that afterwards we were moving like we were all in our 3rd trimester. But happy as hell.
L.
From Curtis, is a Joe fun and pretty?
Is a sandwich as good as a memory ? Sloppy Joe, Milburn Deli
On Monday I drove out to Milburn NJ with James and L.Roy. They grew up together nearby and wanted to visit the homes they grew up in. No old home tour is complete – in my opinion – without food from your youth to complete the memory.
When my wife was taking care of my parents in Lansing, MI. I took her to many haunts old and new. When an old haunt is new, your memory starts there. When it is old you bring your senses (dimmed). At home in Michigan, Jersey Giant had to change their bread, once locally made and fresh daily, and it became a par-baked industrial loaf from Jersey. The bread brought the outside, the first thing that hit your tongue, down. But still, the best quick sandwich in town. The pizza I grew up with was Sir Pizza (my father engineered their early buildings and took pizza as a trade). My favorite pizza then was BROWN BERRIES, until one day a new waitress delivered my MUSHROOM pizza and my six year old brain melted down. (From the moderator: haha.) The Sir Pizza pie was snappy and crisp and our pie was BBQ sauce and sausage. Strangely divine. Until it was not. Time had done it in.
Back to Monday. After a fine tour of the home James grew up in off we went to the Milburn Deli with an impressive staff that kept the line moving. My guys insisted I go for the Sloppy Joe. I followed James with the Turkey Joe.
Fresh Roasted, three slices of un-seeded rye, cole slaw, Russian dressing, and a slice of cheese ~ TOPPED OFF with a square of folded wax paper with one pickle slice on top. You guessed it! That moment was my favorite thing about the sandwich.
I must say the sandwich was pretty swell. I have never had this type of JOE and it was juicy, and sloppy and tasty. It is what is an unpretentious taste of yesteryear.
The rye died on the vine and could have used more flavor to compete and complement the slaw and Russian. My guides informed me that it used to be seeded and more flavorful. Ahhhh yes, that memory.
But this Sloppy Joe was everything it was upsold as – a wet, chewy, triple-decker of joy left alone and not altered to compete with a TIC TOK-ready look that is made ready for seeing on your phone and not tasting.
No this was a memory I got to create, with dear friends through their eyes, and I cannot wait for our next trip, but I must include my wife, she needs to be part of the SLOPPY JOE CLUB.
The New Jersey Sloppy Joe, that is. If you are drawing a blank, please read MMSMINY’s Skinny on the Joe before scrolling even a teensy bit. Click on the link. I promise you will be glad. It will save you a lot of headscratching and me a lot of sammysplaining. When James speaks, one is wise to listen. James knows the Joe, is not afraid of words and does not waste them. Plain speak and essential. He’s gifted that way.
Knowing about the Joe makes me excited about life in general. That is the power of a spectacular sandwich.
This was my maiden voyage to the Milburn Deli. Here’s my bucket list:
Have a Joe at the Milburn Deli.
Check.
Do you know from MMSMINY? My Main Sandwich Man in New York is the inimitable James Farber, a man who has stayed successfully under the internet radar until…now. Sorry James. Sandwiches will put a person in the spotlight. James’ phone numbers, SSN, mother’s maiden name and routing numbers are all below. Sorry James. Thanks, Obama.
I know from Joe now and can dish on its squish. A Joe is wet. At the Milburn the bread is very thin and firm, and there are three slices. They used to butter it, but no longer, unless requested. Personally, I think butter would take this sandwich from spectacular to stellar. We did not have butter, but I will next time. I like butter on a sandwich, especially cold butter. Most folks do not, and that is a-ok. The Joe is a stand out, butterless. Miraculously, the bread is not soggy.
Cole slaw is all over the place on a Joe. Between the layers, spilling out on the paper, on your hands, in your lap. If you start with a napkin, you will need a mess of em. What do you mean, you don’t like cole slaw? Speaking of head scratchers. It’s the mayonnaise, you say? No, say it ain’t so.
Are you a control freak? To find out, answer these questions.
When someone claims to dislike mayonnaise do you
Think that they do not know what they are talking about?
Believe that they really do like mayonnaise but are unwilling to admit it?
Think they are out of their minds?
Feel sorry for them?
If you answered yes to any of the questions you are a control freak.
At the Milburn they make their own iced tea. And bottle it. Plain labels. Love me a plain label. Love me a plain anything. Anything that does not scream in your face. “Unsweetened Iced Tea” says it all. Succinctly. It tasted just right. Plain. No need to brag. Super cold, too.
James and I were at the Milburn Deli on a hot Thursday and we sat outside to accommodate my dog. At James’s insistence I did peek my head inside to absorb the atmosphere. Mayhem! Correction: orderly mayhem. Sandwiches flying out the door in giant brown bags. These Jersey folks are on to something.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA—Praising its standard features and overall dependability, J.D. Power and Associates released a new set of rankings Thursday, naming the Reuben the number-one midsize sandwich in its class. “With an eye-catching, compact design that lends itself to easy handling, the Reuben remains one of the most reliable midsize sandwich options on the market,” said reviewer Leonard Winston, adding that, despite the high-quality materials used in its well-crafted interior, the sandwich still maintains its status as a practical and affordable choice for the average consumer. “In addition to its visual appeal, repeated testing shows that the sandwich’s sturdy corned beef, sauerkraut, and rye-based construction holds up extremely well against both front and side impact. Frankly, the Reuben is unmatched in value even when compared alongside popular European imports such as the caprese and Monte Cristo.” Winston added that, for those who like the sleeker look that comes with taking the top off, the Reuben can easily be converted to open-faced.
Meanwhile, back at the Ranch…er…Russian…dressing…the world is in disarray. Russian Dressing has fallen off the planet, with no decent explanation, and been replaced with…really???…Thousand Island. Yes, that stuff of ketchup and mayonnaise. Thousand Island has its place – on iceberg in 1965. But NOT ON A REUBEN.
Foisting Thousand Island dressing on the masses is the work of the bottlers. And why, why, why? Surmise all you like, we must take back the bite. The bite of Russian, with its horseradish, paprika and chopped pickles.
Weigh in folks. The Cuban is a sandwich I associate strongly with Tampa. True or nah? How now, the Nuke? Am I alone in my ignorance? You from Alaska, is a Reindeer Sausage Sandwich a standard comestible? Raising an eyebrow over the Baltimore choice – perhaps I am in the dark there, too. Crabcakes do not rule the streets of Baltimore? Now the Runza, Along-for-the-Ride Heidi has whispered to me re: Runza. Believe it’s a kissing cousin, once or twice removed. And you know what blows my mind? The New Jersey Sloppy Joe has not been appropriated by hipster worldwide, inc. And, the burning issue, Mother in Law Sandwich, where art thou?
Should you desire to drill deep into sandwich bedrock, I kindly suggest you click on the links.
The heart of Pecking Order, as announced a while back, is chicken marinated in Subido’s mom’s marinade (including soy sauce, sugar, garlic and vinegar), which you can order grilled, roasted or fried. Sides will include “Saucy Tots” which she describes as “a Filipino poutine” with tomato gravy over housemade tater tots, garlic rice, adobo-stuffed rice puffs, or housemade (by Mama Subido) pickles.” YES PLEASE.
To that signature lineup she’s now added a selection of sandwiches on pandesal bread, the primary bread of the Philippines, similar to Mexican bolillo rolls, with fillings such as chicken, housemade pate, pickles and fried egg. And she’s planning salads with brightly-flavored ingredients like mango, jicama, and calamansi (a Filipino citrus) dressing. There will be Halo Halo, the traditional fresh fruit and shaved ice dessert. Read on here. UH HUH.
Though the store is closing, the Pecking Order brand will now focus more on catering, pop-up dinners, special events and farmer’s markets, including the Low-Line Market outside the Southport Brown Line station every Thursday, and The Nosh, a lunch market Downtown every Thursday and Friday, where Pecking Order will appear every other Thursday. Read more here. OH NO.
Adam Richman, a man who eats sandwiches professionally, was scheduled to eat some other things professionally today as part of a new show called Man Finds Food. That’s no longer going to happen, because the Man vs. Food host started an Instagram flame war that culminated in hiscalling a woman a “c**t.”»7/02/14 10:12am
55. Elvis 26. Veal parm
54. Fat Darrell 25. Fried chicken
53. St. Paul sandwich 24. Lampredotto
52. Chow mein sandwich 23. Primanti Bros.
51. Tuna salad 22. The Gatsby
50. Roast beef 21. Caprese
49. Fluffernutter 20. Bacon, egg & cheese
48. Italian beef 19. Oyster po’ boy
47. Eggplant parm 18. Ice cream
46. Beef on weck 17. Peanut butter & jelly
45. Horseshoe 16. Cuban
44. Tuna melt 15. Shrimp po’ boy
43. Cheese 14. Club
42. Hot Brown 13. Pulled pork
41. Sloppy Joe 12. Kokoreç
40. Chip butty 11. The Dennis
39. Chicken salad 10. Cheesesteak
38. Ham 9. Chicken parm
37. Croque-monsieur 8. BLT
36. Croque-madame 7. Bánh mi
35. Turkey 6. Muffaletta
34. French Dip 5. Pilgrim
33. Corned beef 4. Porchetta
32. Steak 3. Lobster roll
31. Patty melt 2. Grilled cheese
30. Pastrami 1. Italian hoagie
29. Reuben
28. Egg salad
27. Bologna
WHAT I SAY
HEY WHAT ABOUT
Fried Brain, Mother-in-Law, New Jersey Sloppy Joe, Felafel, Meatball, Breaded Pork Tenderloin, Grouper Dog, Peanut Butter and Banana, Gyro, Pork Roll, Spiedies, Tomato Sandwich and Souvlaki
???
My Pecking Order
1. Reuben, Hot Brown, French Dip, Cuban, Breaded Pork Tenderloin, New Jersey Sloppy Joe, Cheesesteak, Banh Mi, Italian Hoagie, Beef on Weck, Fried Perch, Grilled Cheese, BLT, Corned Beef with Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing, Primanti Bros, The Gatsby, Meatball, Egg Salad, Croque Monsieur and Madame, Porchetta, Lobster Roll, Muffaletta and Poor Boy.
Welcome to the Lunch Encounter, a blog devoted to the mighty sandwich, with particular focus on American regional specialties.
I am Lisa Cherkasky, a Washington, DC-based food stylist, writer and cook. To see some of my work take a look at my website: http://www.lisacherkasky.com
The Lunch Encounter 