A long 'Wich list.

Here is an incomplete list of other important ‘Wiches:

























1. The Ruben. This is the pride of New York and rich beyond any sane red line for both salt and cholesterol overdose.



2. The Peanut Butter and Jelly. The kids favorite but adults can have “cosmic” organic one favored by Jerry Brown in his first term or the one with bananas that Evlis loved.



























3. The New Orleans Po’Boy. The most famous is the oyster Po’Boy, but they make all sorts of variations and combination.

4. The muffaletta is the other unique Big Easy specialty of Italian cold cuts and olive salad on special round Sicilian loaves. Unlike most sandwiches this one tastes best if you allow it sit undisturbed for at least four hours up or even over night so the pungent olive salad murges all flavors with the cure meats and the crusty bread.

























5. The Sloppy Joe was invented in Key West saloon of the same name. It is a favorite with kids and was a staple of school cafeterias in my youth. It is still beloved in the Midwest. This is another blue collar item usually sniffed at by the Foodies and Restaurant Critics because it is messy and simple.


6. The New England Lobster Roll. This simple lobster salad on one of the funny u-shaped Boston hot dog buns. It is a local icon

7. A Chicago Dog. This is the apotheosis of the hot dog. On a fat oval sesame seed bun it is a quarter pound Kosher dog accompanied by a pickle spear, neon green sweet pickle relish, chopped onions and a couple unique local pickled “Sport Peppers” that are about as long as your little finger, Chicago mustard, tomato slices and maybe a little sauerkraut too. A final shake of celery salt is considered the authentic Chicago touch.























8. El Cubano. This Havana & Miami specialty is a pressed ‘wich of ham, cheese and sliced garlicky roast pork. A great ‘wich. The night time variation on sweet egg bread is called the Medianoche. Cuban places also make a ‘wich stuffed with Ropa Vieja, a cuban variation on beef pot roast.
























9. A Philly Cheese Steak. Legendary.


10. A Chicago “Italian Beef” ‘wich. Bigger and a lot messier and spicier than a Philipe’s French Dip in LA. Chicago sandwiches tend toward extravagant excess making the Windy City the Vegas of the sandwich world.
























11. A St. Paul ‘wich. A midwestern specialty it is essentially a fried egg ‘wich on plain white bread and for some reason a specialty at Chinese and other asian style places. Some say it is Egg Foo Yung ‘wich, others seem to think it is a Chinese Take out’s version of an Egg McMuffin.


12. The grilled cheese. It also had an upscale relative, the grilled ham & cheese. In my opinion you must spread some mustard on the underside of the top to give it a bite.


13. Carolina pulled pork. Smoked tender pork on white bread with a vinegar based BBQ sauce.


14. A Texas brisket ‘wich. The pride of Texas is the tender juicy slow roasted and smoked beef brisket. On white bread with or without a BBQ sauce.


15. The Santa Maria Tri tip ‘wich. Cooked on a live fire of oak wood, this is medium rare beef on a french roll usually with a medium salsa over the meat. Don’t slice it too thick.


This list is almost endless and I am sure any reader could easily add half a dozen other unique sandwiches without any effort at all. For example, Canadians could add a Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich that is made with a varity of meats ranging from beef all the way to Moose.

All photo's are from Wikepedia and in the public domain.

The 'wich list, No. 1

In no particular order are a list of sandwiches, some on the eccentric side, that I would like to have again.

1. The Summer ‘Wich.

Take about eight inches of a sourdough batard and slice it in half lengthwise. Slice one large or two medium homegrown tomatoes, cut a couple slices from a sweet flat or torpedo shaped red onion and take a couple leaves of butter lettuce. Now spread mayonnaise on the bottom slice of bread and put the tomato, onion and lettuce on it and put a shake of salt and a grind of black pepper on it then cap with the other half of the bread, squeeze it together but not too hard then cut it in half. You can make this an old county style sandwich by drizzling good olive oil and red wine vinegar in stead of the mayo. Serve with mild pickled banana peppers and home made lemonade.

2. The Blue Collar Diner ‘Wich.

Rarely seen in California, this long time blue collar favorite is still made and enjoyed in the Midwest. Cut two or three quarter inch thick slices of high quality baloney depending on the diameter of the roll. A high quality baloney, a German style (white) baloney, a Kosher baloney or best of all Lebanon Baloney from the Pennsylvania Dutch country all work, although each has it’s own savory salty flavor. Now fry the baloney slices until they are brown but stop before they get crisp. Take a couple slices of rye bread and lay on a heavy spread of a brown Chicago style mustard like Gulden’s. That is the only condiment. Pile the grilled slices on the bread and put the top slice of bread on it and slice in half. That’s it. This is simplicity itself and a robust sandwich fit for breakfast, lunch or dinner, especially in the winter.

3. The Chicken ‘Wich.

This is what you do with the left over roast chicken from the night before. Take the carcass of the bird and cut enough slices large and small to make a sandwich, include any skin left on the bird. Now take two slices of a chewy whole wheat or multigrain bread and spread a light layer of mayonnaise on each. Pile on the chicken, cover with a couple leaves of lettuce, watercress or any other green you have on hand, put the top slice of bread over it and cut into half.

4. The Cold Turkey ‘Wich.

This is essentially the same as the Chicken ‘Wich above except you take slices of both white and dark turkey meat. However on the top piece of bread you spread on a layer of whole cranberry sauce and a thin layer of turkey dressing. Serve this anytime, although you must served it during the three day non stop orgy of TV football games that follow Thanksgiving day.

5. A Golden Gate ‘Wich.

This is the Bay Area traditional variation on the Hamburger. First you chop an onion into small pieces then you mix them into the raw hamburger meat before shaping the burgers. The preferred shape is not the round patty, but an oblong potato shape. Grill the meat over high heat so the outside is crusted while the interior is medium to medium rare. Take a six to eight inch slice of sourdough batard and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out about half the inside of the top piece to allow the oblong burger to nest into the bread. This is best when a layer of chili sauce is spread over the meat although some people prefer ketchup and a few use a steak sauce like A-1. If you want cheese, I’d recommend some provolone or swiss. A pickle spear on the side can be added if you prefer but this is a spartan item and should not be “dressed” up like an ordinary hamburger.