I love sandwiches. I’ve been called a “Sandwich Whore” by those who know me, because I never met a sandwich I didn’t like. Below is a list of my “Top Ten Favorite Sandwiches”.
10. BLT on Garlic Bread - Many years ago, I was making bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for dinner and discovered that I was out of bread. Since the bacon was already frying, the tomato had already been sliced, and the lettuce separated, washed and dried, I was pretty well hacked that someone had seen fit to eat the last of the bread and not mention it to me. Then I remembered that I had a loaf of garlic bread in the freezer. In a moment of desperation, I figured “Why not?”. Let me tell you, it’s awesome. Ever since, we don’t eat BLT’s any other way.
9. Turkey Bacon Club - I generally get this at Bob Evan’s Restaurant, but it would be simple to make at home. It’s nothing more than sliced turkey, bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato on a kaiser roll. I add honey mustard to mine.
8. Roast Beef & Swiss - Where I grew up (in New Jersey), you can go into any delicatessen and order a sandwich. They’ll slice the meat while you wait, and put the sandwich together however you like it. In the case of roast beef, I like it sliced paper thin, piled high on a buttered hard roll, with Swiss cheese and mayo, salt & pepper. I don’t want veggies on my roast beef (not even lettuce). A roast beef sandwich is not supposed to crunch, and it’s not supposed to drip. YMMV.
7. Jersey Mike’s # 13 - The ultimate Italian sub. Provolone, ham, proscuittini, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni served on an Italian sub roll. Get it “Mike’s Way” (with lettuce, tomato, mayo, oil, vinegar, and oregano), and add some banana peppers for good measure.
6. Cold, Leftover Meatloaf - I love meatloaf. It’s one of my favorites. The only thing I like better than hot meatloaf for dinner is a cold meatloaf sandwich the next day. Served on plain old white bread with ketchup. An American classic.
5. Meatball Parmesan - Meatballs, mozarella cheese, and marinara sauce on a sub roll. Served hot so the cheese is melted. Messy and difficult to eat, but worth all the effort.
4. Taylor Ham and Egg on a Hard Roll - You can take the girl out of New Jersey, but there’s just some things about Jersey that you’ll never take out of the girl, such as the way I pronounce the word “coffee”, and my love of Taylor Ham. “Taylor” is a brand name, but in NJ it’s the only name for molasses-cured pork roll. Sliced very thin, grilled, and piled high on a hard roll (another Jersey thing), with or without a fried egg, and mandatory ketchup. I’ve never seen Taylor Ham in a restaurant outside of NJ; I seldom see it in the grocery store here in North Carolina. My first stop when I cross the state line.
3. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - A fried chicken breast spun in Buffalo wing sauce, served on a kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, onion and bleu cheese dressing. Try this at Jax in Raleigh, or at the Garner Ale House. Goes best with fries and a cold beer.
2. The Classic Reuben - Corned beef, swiss, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye bread. Whoever Reuben is (was), he’s my hero.
1. Philly Cheese Steak - This is absolutely my favorite sandwich. However, there is only one restaurant where I will order it, and I’ve never attempted to duplicate it at home because I know I’d be disappointed in the result. But if you’re ever in Cary, North Carolina, make it a point to stop in at Woody’s Sports Bar on Chapel Hill Road. Order the Philly with Provolone, mushrooms, and grilled peppers and onions. The few times I’ve tried to eat a Philly elsewhere, it just wasn’t the same. I even tried a Philly in Philly - but I didn’t like it as well as what I get at Woody’s. I’ll grant that their version isn’t “traditional”; IMHO it’s better.
Honorable Mention. Mater Sammich - Ripe tomato sliced warm off the vine, with mayo, salt & pepper, on the bread of your choice (I like potato bread, or just plain white bread for this).
Posted in Top 10 Lists
