The best things sometimes come from desperation. As I was looking for some sandwich fixin's for lunch, I found that the new loaf of bread was barely out of the freezer and therefore, unusable for a sandwich. I know, I could nuke it and defrost it in 30 sec. But I didn't want to wait that long. So I had my ham and cheese looking for something, anything to wrap up this pork and dairy goodness. And then......there on the counter, 2 left-over pecan pancakes. OK fine, I can use them, but what condiment? Mustard? Relish? Ketchup? Mayo? Maple Syrup? What???? Yes! syrup. Very good, sweetness of the syrup, played with the salt of the ham and the crunch of the pecans. A little sloppy, therefore eating over the sink was required.
Hungry now?
Eat something!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
I was...
I was going to post something today...
but it's impolite to blog with your mouth full.
Happy Thanksgiving!
but it's impolite to blog with your mouth full.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Day is Almost Here
The Monday before Thanksgiving is sort of like the first ride on an unfamiliar rollercoaster. You’re excited and kinda scared at the same time. Much anticipation fills the house as we plan our menu and invite our guests. However part of the planning is reserving the room in the fridge for all of the food parcels which will arrive on the big day. So, on this Monday, even though I know darn well that this is a good thing, I open the door to an empty refrigerator. After the gasps and heart palpitations subside, I tell myself that everything is alright and that this is a good thing. The turkey is now in there thawing along with a jug of water, quart of milk and a half-bottle of Pinot-Grigio. I must think of Thursday, think of Thursday, think of Thursday. The golden, roasted turkey, mashed taters, gravy, corn bread dressing and custard pie (all specialties of Michelle). There will be a salad, and a veggie-type thing and desserts that our guests offered to bring to the party.
And the sandwiches, oh the sandwiches.
There – I feel better.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Latest Sandwich Creations
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been getting creative with some of my sandwiches for lunch. I feel it’s my duty to keep you up to date on the latest sandwich goodness available to you.
Had a BOBS the other day.
Bacon, Onion and my Barbeque Sauce on toasted wheat berry bread. Very good combination, although toasted Jewish Rye may enhance this further. Stay tuned.
BBQ Chicken Salad.
Like regular chicken salad, but I mixed in some of my barbeque in with the mayo. Put it on some potato bread. Tasty with some salt and vinegar chips.
Coleslawich
Brought some cole slaw home the other day, didn’t want to dirty up a plate, so I put it ‘tween whole wheat slices and ate OTS. (over the sink – see previous blogs)
This concludes our little update, please continue with your regularly scheduled life.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Glory of a Feast is the Joy at the Table
Up to now, you’ve read some ramblings of an average guy who loves his food and how the aspects of food prep and the art of consuming said food can have a different reflection when seen through masculine eyes. These are some thoughts I’ve had for quite some time which seem to rise above eating a sandwich and Mac & Cheese over the sink.
From the World English Dictionary:
feast
— n
1. a large and sumptuous meal, usually given as an entertainment for several people
2. a periodic religious celebration
3. something extremely pleasing or sumptuous: a feast for the eyes
4. movable feast a festival or other event of variable date
— vb (foll by on )
5. ( intr )
a. to eat a feast
b. ( usually foll by on ) to enjoy the eating (of), as if feasting: to feast on cakes
6. ( tr ) to give a feast to
7. to take great delight (in): to feast on beautiful paintings
8. ( tr ) to regale or delight: to feast one's mind or one's eyes
[C13: from Old French feste , from Latin festa , neuter plural (later assumed to be feminine singular) of festus joyful; related to Latin fānum temple, fēriae festivals]
After looking up this definition, I can understand how most people think of a feast as nothing but a big, tasty, meal. But as I was thinking about the word along with my love of food and my Christian beliefs, I realized that the two biggest feasts in Christendom are Easter and Christmas. Those of you who know the church calendar know that preceding both of these feasts is a time of preparation, Lent and Advent. I think the Church Fathers had it going on when they scheduled a period of time for reflection, preparation and most of all; anticipation. The time leading up to the feast can make the actual event much more meaningful.
One such feast that we, as a family, often refer to is a meal we hosted one Easter for our orphan friends. These are our friends who live too far away from any family to celebrate Easter. My lovely wife Michelle and I enjoyed every aspect of the day and the days leading up to it. From the first thought early in the new year, we became excited and this excitement grew as we planned the menu, plotted the dining logistics, Michelle called our guests asking for their favorite quote or Bible verse to share at the meal. This gave an opportunity for our guests to have a little anticipation as well. We used these quotes as place settings which then turned into bookmarks that our guests kept after the food was long gone. The food, by the way, was a traditional baked ham along with a leg of lamb, stuffed with a chick pea dressing, a cool vinegrette-dressed asparagus salad, corn soufflé, and Michelle’s locally famous ‘Turtle-pecan Pie’. The room was tight for the dozen or so guests, so we decided against family style and buffet, to encourage conversation. This meant we got up and served each course and seconds, thirds, dessert and coffee. To host a celebration is work. One has to understand and accept this going into the job. As a host, you may miss out on conversations, have less time to enjoy the day and have plenty of work before and after the event. That said, Michelle and I truly enjoyed that opportunity to serve and host our guests and accept the down side the job. Although most of our guests can’t recall the entire menu, what we and our guests took away from that celebration was the joy at the table. It was a joy which could not have been experienced with a couple of pizza boxes and 2-liter bottles thrown together at the last minute.
A feast, a true feast, requires anticipation for every one attending. There is ample time to prepare the room and the table, but mostly time to prepare the heart to culminate into the real Joy that occurs at a Glorious Feast.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cool, Clean, Water
Water is very good for you. For drinking, not breathing. You’re supposed to have 8 glasses a day or something like that. Now, I don’t mind water. If I’m thirsty, water works. But, with a meal, I NEED to have something with a flavor. Is that weird? I don’t think so. But I don’t understand why. It doesn’t matter what I’m eating: hot & spicy, hearty and flavorful, or kinda bland, water doesn’t do the trick.
I like to think that I purposely pair food and beverages just as good as the sommeliers at those cloth napkin places. This is what I came up with:
Steak – Merlot, Cabernet, (bold, red wine rich with tannin)
Hamburger – Coke
Pizza – Dr. Pepper
Asian Food – Beer
PB&J – milk (ice cold)
Mexican Food – Tea
BBQ – any combo of coke, beer
Italian Sausage w/ peppers, onions & mozzarella – Vanilla Shake
What am I (inadvertantly) leaving out?
I like to think that I purposely pair food and beverages just as good as the sommeliers at those cloth napkin places. This is what I came up with:
Steak – Merlot, Cabernet, (bold, red wine rich with tannin)
Hamburger – Coke
Pizza – Dr. Pepper
Asian Food – Beer
PB&J – milk (ice cold)
Mexican Food – Tea
BBQ – any combo of coke, beer
Italian Sausage w/ peppers, onions & mozzarella – Vanilla Shake
What am I (inadvertantly) leaving out?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Bucket (of wings) List
Goodness-Gracious! This movie has started a list for everything. So, I’ll jump on the wagon and give you my bucket list of food I must eat before I die.
Chicken wings from the birthplace of the wing, The Anchor Bar
Double-Double at In-n-Out Burger
Maine lobster
Deep-dish Chicago Pizza
Texas BBQ
Kansas City BBQ
South Carolina BBQ
Soft shell crabs from Maryland
A hotdog in Fenway Park
The Ultimate PB&J
Roast Beef on Weck
Sushi made with that expensive, hoidy-toidy tuna
My wonderful wife’s cooking
Biscotti and espresso in Italy
A meal comprised of food raised and grown on my land
A sandwich at the Stage Deli in NY
What am I missing?
Deep-dish Chicago Pizza
South Carolina BBQ
Soft shell crabs from Maryland
A hotdog in Fenway Park
The Ultimate PB&J
Sushi made with that expensive, hoidy-toidy tuna
Biscotti and espresso in Italy
A meal comprised of food raised and grown on my land
What am I missing?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Grocery Stores - Go Figure
I just got back from getting the food for the week. They had a meat sale. I was giddy. That said, it still took me over an hour to meander through the junk most guys ignore to get to the good stuff. I always go through the store in reverse so that the veggies are on top in the cart and won’t get messed up by the meat and cans of beans. The blue-hairs don’t care much for this. They look up from sniffing the melon and see someone of my stature, barreling down the wrong way with a full cart mumbling about the way store is laid out. If I could draw up a floor plan for GuyFood Groceries it would flow like this.
First grab a cart. It works, it goes straight, it doesn’t squeak. Then a cold drink, now I realize liquor laws are prohibitive, so a beer is out of the question. But a Coke or energy drink to drink while shopping would be tasty. Complimentary – even better.
Aisle 1, 2 & 3 are meat, dairy and frozen foods section. The cold stuff, in fact, the sign will say ‘COLD STUFF’. This way if the meat, milk, meat, cheese, meat, Ice cream, meat, frozen pizzas, meat and juice is packed all together in the cart, it will be bagged together, therefore staying cold longer and not melting. Now, 40% of the time a guy can be done right here, check out and be home by the end of halftime. The other time we have to plod on.
Aisle 4 is condiments. BBQ Sauce, ketchup, mustard, pickles and mayo. Now there will be only one size. BIG. Seriously, have you ever had to throw out a bottle of ketchup because you had it in the fridge for over the year and a half they give you to use it up? I didn’t think so. Now this saves space, you just freed up half an aisle for the canned goods. The canned goods will consist of baked beans, sauerkraut, tuna and fruit cocktail. That’s it. You want corn? Buy fresh or frozen it’s better for you.
Aisle 5 has boxes of stuff. Again, the sign says ‘STUFF IN BOXES’. Mac & Cheese, rice mixes like Jambalaya and Spanish Rice, and cereal. Three different kinds of cereal only. Cheerios, Wheaties and Shredded Wheat. You want something sweet, put sugar on it! Again – more room, this aisle also has the flour, sugar, vinegar, oil.
Aisle 6 gives you veggies and bread. What? On the same aisle? Yes. Choice of bread? You have sandwich, round rolls and hoagie rolls and bagels. Veggies? Onions, celery, peppers, lettuce, apples, oranges and bananas. You want anything else? Some of that frou-frou artesian bread and bean sprouts? Go to the farmers market.
Last aisle is the cleaning stuff. Soap. Shower, hand, dish, one kind of each. Shower soap is blue. Use it on both hair and body. Hand soap is orange, anti-bacterial to kill the crap you touch during the day. Dish soap is green, so you don’t use the other soap on the dishes. Deodorants, smelly and non-smelly. One size of trash bags. Yep, BIG. Do you really need to put trash in a small bag, then when it gets full put it in a larger one, then take it outside and put it in yet a bigger one? Think about it.
That’s it! The candy you get when you check out, drinks are at the end of the aisles and you’re on your way home. No flowers, no balloons, no pharmacy, no movies, no international aisle, no greeting cards. This stuff is not needed every week. If you need to buy aspirin every time you’re at the store, you really need to see a doctor. If you guys need to buy flowers every week for their honey, you need counseling. Birthdays come once a year, plan on going to the pharmacy sometime during that year. That’s my take on it. Will it happen? Of course not. Nobody cares about guys like me except guys like me - - and you.
First grab a cart. It works, it goes straight, it doesn’t squeak. Then a cold drink, now I realize liquor laws are prohibitive, so a beer is out of the question. But a Coke or energy drink to drink while shopping would be tasty. Complimentary – even better.
Aisle 1, 2 & 3 are meat, dairy and frozen foods section. The cold stuff, in fact, the sign will say ‘COLD STUFF’. This way if the meat, milk, meat, cheese, meat, Ice cream, meat, frozen pizzas, meat and juice is packed all together in the cart, it will be bagged together, therefore staying cold longer and not melting. Now, 40% of the time a guy can be done right here, check out and be home by the end of halftime. The other time we have to plod on.
Aisle 4 is condiments. BBQ Sauce, ketchup, mustard, pickles and mayo. Now there will be only one size. BIG. Seriously, have you ever had to throw out a bottle of ketchup because you had it in the fridge for over the year and a half they give you to use it up? I didn’t think so. Now this saves space, you just freed up half an aisle for the canned goods. The canned goods will consist of baked beans, sauerkraut, tuna and fruit cocktail. That’s it. You want corn? Buy fresh or frozen it’s better for you.
Aisle 5 has boxes of stuff. Again, the sign says ‘STUFF IN BOXES’. Mac & Cheese, rice mixes like Jambalaya and Spanish Rice, and cereal. Three different kinds of cereal only. Cheerios, Wheaties and Shredded Wheat. You want something sweet, put sugar on it! Again – more room, this aisle also has the flour, sugar, vinegar, oil.
Aisle 6 gives you veggies and bread. What? On the same aisle? Yes. Choice of bread? You have sandwich, round rolls and hoagie rolls and bagels. Veggies? Onions, celery, peppers, lettuce, apples, oranges and bananas. You want anything else? Some of that frou-frou artesian bread and bean sprouts? Go to the farmers market.
Last aisle is the cleaning stuff. Soap. Shower, hand, dish, one kind of each. Shower soap is blue. Use it on both hair and body. Hand soap is orange, anti-bacterial to kill the crap you touch during the day. Dish soap is green, so you don’t use the other soap on the dishes. Deodorants, smelly and non-smelly. One size of trash bags. Yep, BIG. Do you really need to put trash in a small bag, then when it gets full put it in a larger one, then take it outside and put it in yet a bigger one? Think about it.
That’s it! The candy you get when you check out, drinks are at the end of the aisles and you’re on your way home. No flowers, no balloons, no pharmacy, no movies, no international aisle, no greeting cards. This stuff is not needed every week. If you need to buy aspirin every time you’re at the store, you really need to see a doctor. If you guys need to buy flowers every week for their honey, you need counseling. Birthdays come once a year, plan on going to the pharmacy sometime during that year. That’s my take on it. Will it happen? Of course not. Nobody cares about guys like me except guys like me - - and you.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Why did the chicken cross the road?...
…because they can’t fly on account of their tiny wings. Because of this size, the chicken wing (or Buffalo Wing for those outside of Western NY) makes an excellent snack or appetizer. Women consider this a valid fact.
Guys on the other hand, look at wings as a statistic on which to hang ones hat. 5714 strikeouts in a career, 1406 stolen bases in a career, 212 pinch hits in a career, 75 wings for lunch yesterday. Take a seat at the local chicken wing establishment. 83% of the people eating there are guys. Why? Well, the best wings are sloppy. Guys have zero issues with sloppy. Sure, there are women who love wings. However, they usually order them to go, so they can be consumed in privacy. The brave women who are willing to eat wings in public do so with extreme care. Choosing the drummette (the other part is taboo for women to eat) holding the wing as if CSI will try to lift a print off the bone. They take one tiny bite, being careful not to get too much sauce on the lips, then immediately following with the wipeage. A sip of the drink then repeat. At this rate, one can only eat 6-8 wings during a lunch hour.
Guys on the other hand…Order enough to fill them up. Stacks the amount of napkins needed for the entire meal as to not soil the remaining napkins in the container. They eat several wings at a time before the wipeage. The best posture for this is to lean over the plate, looking down, until the need for wipeage. Clean the face then straighten up and make eye-contact with your lunch mate and continue the conversation so that the other guy can lean and get his fill. From a distance, this see-saw action can seem awkward, but it’s truly the best way for to guys to throw down some wings for lunch. Now, when the chicken wing was invented in 1964 (Anchor Bar, 1047 Main St. Buffalo, NY, www.anchorbar.com) history says the sides of raw carrots and celery came in handy to ‘cool off’ the mouth while eating the wings. But I have developed an additional use. Since I am not averse to using food for wipeage. (Bread comes to the minds of my family) Take a close look and the veggies on how they’re sliced. ‘Julienned’ for the culinary arts student. I call it squeegeeeque. You get the picture? Why waste the wonderful sauce? This is why you walked into the wing joint in the first place. You can get most of the sauce cleanly off the face where one can save the wet-nap for the fingers, hands and elbows. Of course, facial hair dramatically reduces this effect and may require additional wipeage. So take a trip to your local wing emporium, have a seat, order a bucket and a cold one and enjoy the wonderful differences of the genders. And special thanks to the Anchor Bar, for giving the chicken wing a permanent, honored status in the GuyFood Hall of Fame.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Eating Over the Sink
This phrase alone immediate evokes a variety pack of thoughts and emotions.
Most men will think that this is one of the greatest ideas ever. “Hey, I don’t have to get a plate for my sandwich. I’ll just eat over the sink. This way I’ll save time, (I start eating sooner), energy, (walking the four feet to the cabinets and reaching and carrying the plate to the counter, and resources, (the plate saved does not need to be put in the dishwasher and washed therefore saving room for something else – you’re welcome Mr. Gore).
Most women usually simply stare in various levels of bewilderment. “My guy seems smart. Why can’t he just get a plate?”
OK, lemme ‘splain, Lucy.
First, this is usually a quick bite. Lunch - a snack - just a taste - a little sump’n-sump’n. This is not a full meal. We (The brotherhood of over-the-sink-eaters or BOOSE) submit to you that we will not behave this way when
*we have guests
*a nice meal is prepared
*when I have a nice shirt on
I for one can behave much better at a restaurant where the utensils are metal. I can eat one bite at a time, put my fork down while I chew and use the napkin to blot my mouth.
But this ain’t the time.
This (kitchen)sink scenario replays with some regularity in my household. You see, I’m busy, I absolutely need the 17.6 seconds it takes to get a plate and put my ham sandwich on it. And there’s another thing. If I eat over the sink, the mustard and relish drippings will fall right into the sink. Not on the floor. Not on the tablecloth. Not on the cat. Then these drippings will be swished away when I rinse my hands and face when I’m done. Hey, that’s yet another plus since I’m already at the sink. Then I have another opportunity to be even more ecological responsible. I wipe my hands on my jeans and my mouth with my sleeve.
Most men will think that this is one of the greatest ideas ever. “Hey, I don’t have to get a plate for my sandwich. I’ll just eat over the sink. This way I’ll save time, (I start eating sooner), energy, (walking the four feet to the cabinets and reaching and carrying the plate to the counter, and resources, (the plate saved does not need to be put in the dishwasher and washed therefore saving room for something else – you’re welcome Mr. Gore).
Most women usually simply stare in various levels of bewilderment. “My guy seems smart. Why can’t he just get a plate?”
OK, lemme ‘splain, Lucy.
First, this is usually a quick bite. Lunch - a snack - just a taste - a little sump’n-sump’n. This is not a full meal. We (The brotherhood of over-the-sink-eaters or BOOSE) submit to you that we will not behave this way when
*we have guests
*a nice meal is prepared
*when I have a nice shirt on
I for one can behave much better at a restaurant where the utensils are metal. I can eat one bite at a time, put my fork down while I chew and use the napkin to blot my mouth.
But this ain’t the time.
This (kitchen)sink scenario replays with some regularity in my household. You see, I’m busy, I absolutely need the 17.6 seconds it takes to get a plate and put my ham sandwich on it. And there’s another thing. If I eat over the sink, the mustard and relish drippings will fall right into the sink. Not on the floor. Not on the tablecloth. Not on the cat. Then these drippings will be swished away when I rinse my hands and face when I’m done. Hey, that’s yet another plus since I’m already at the sink. Then I have another opportunity to be even more ecological responsible. I wipe my hands on my jeans and my mouth with my sleeve.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
(Chicken) Nuggets of Wisdom
* A bowl of Cocoa Krispies with whole milk and a bowl of Rice Krispies with chocolate milk become the same after 12 minutes.
* In some social circles (OK maybe just mine) a PB&J sandwich can be considered dessert.
* Chicken Wings are not called Buffalo Wings in Buffalo NY.
* Eating an open face sandwich usually ends up on your face.
* There are many vegetarians who eat animal crackers.
* Some consider peanut butter the mortar of the food pyramid.
* You can have donuts for dessert after breakfast.
* Bacon is meat candy.
* It is still legal to eat spaghetti while driving
* If you don’t heat a Hot Pocket in a microwave, it’s just a pocket.
* In some social circles (OK maybe just mine) a PB&J sandwich can be considered dessert.
* Chicken Wings are not called Buffalo Wings in Buffalo NY.
* Eating an open face sandwich usually ends up on your face.
* There are many vegetarians who eat animal crackers.
* Some consider peanut butter the mortar of the food pyramid.
* You can have donuts for dessert after breakfast.
* Bacon is meat candy.
* It is still legal to eat spaghetti while driving
* If you don’t heat a Hot Pocket in a microwave, it’s just a pocket.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Beef on Weck
Since we're talking about where I grew up, I can't go on without mentioning a local sandwich that should be, in my opnion, as popular as the chicken wing (Buffalo wing for you out-of-towners). It's the Beef on Weck. A savory hot sandwich where simplicity reigns. Let's break it down shall we?
First, 'beef'. 'Nuff said?
Slow-roasted, thick sliced beef with plenty of au jus and grated horseradish and an onion. Some can do without the horseradish, but it ain't the same. That's it for the guts of the sandwich.
Second, 'on Weck'. That's the kicker
A hard crusted kaiser roll with pretzel salt and caraway seeds on top. It's usually the size of your everyday hamburger bun, but it has to be able to tall and sturdy enough for the top to be dipped in the au jus and remain holdable.
Here's a little history. HT: What's cooking America and The Courier Express
1901 - The following family history of the origin of the Beef on Weck sandwich was shared with me by John Guenther, great grandson of Joe Gohn, originator of the Beef on Weck Sandwich. Some of the information also comes from the Buffalo Courier Express newspaper, April 6, 1980:
Just before the start of the 1901 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY, Joe Gohn (1862-1949) purchased a small saloon which he called the Delaware house, located at Delaware and Delavan Streets. The Delaware House was located on the northwest corner across the street from one of the exposition’s main entrances. He enlarged the house to offer hotel-style rooms for the exposition travelers. It was never called a hotel, but in order to have a whiskey license, he had to have ten bedrooms and provide sitting rooms for his customers.
According to family history, street trolleys loaded with people headed for the exposition were let off near the veranda of the John Gohn’s Delaware House. Since Joe had turned his house into a hotel and tavern to house and feed the hungry people, he decided that a roast beef sandwich and a cold beer would taste good to these travelers. Joe had a German baker working for him who was already making the rolls for the Delaware House. This baker, name unknown, suggested adding the caraway seeds and salt to the top of the rolls as they did in Germany. In Germany, this type of roll was called a kummelweck with nickname of weck. These sandwiches soon became very popular, and of course, the kummelweck helped to create extra thirsty patrons for selling a lot of beer.
The original Delaware House was purchased by the Standard Oil Company in 1931. It was later razed and a has a gas station on the site. Joe Gohn then purchased the building next door and converted it into a tavern, called Gohn’s Tavern. He continued serving his now famous Beef on Weck sandwiches. In later years, he sold the tavern and it became Meyer’s Tavern, which for many years continued selling the Beef on Weck sandwich with great popularity.
It is commonly believed by some historians that William Wahr, a German baker, brought the kummelweck to Buffalo from the Black Forest. There is no historical evidence to back this claim up, but could this be the name of the baker who worked for Joe Gohn at the Delaware House?
This delicacy is for true sandwich pros. It's wet, drippy & slippery. The true pro picks it up and eats it in total without putting it down. This prevents the sandwich from getting too soaked and the eater from getting too embarrased for wearing his lunch. Not much is said when 2 guys sit at the bar with these and their favorite cold beverage. But after the plate is cleaned and the spent napkins are gathered, the satisfaction generated could be compared winning a big game. Now, plan your next trip to Western New York and include a local tavern with these on the menu.
First, 'beef'. 'Nuff said?
Slow-roasted, thick sliced beef with plenty of au jus and grated horseradish and an onion. Some can do without the horseradish, but it ain't the same. That's it for the guts of the sandwich.
Second, 'on Weck'. That's the kicker
A hard crusted kaiser roll with pretzel salt and caraway seeds on top. It's usually the size of your everyday hamburger bun, but it has to be able to tall and sturdy enough for the top to be dipped in the au jus and remain holdable.
Here's a little history. HT: What's cooking America and The Courier Express
1901 - The following family history of the origin of the Beef on Weck sandwich was shared with me by John Guenther, great grandson of Joe Gohn, originator of the Beef on Weck Sandwich. Some of the information also comes from the Buffalo Courier Express newspaper, April 6, 1980:
Just before the start of the 1901 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY, Joe Gohn (1862-1949) purchased a small saloon which he called the Delaware house, located at Delaware and Delavan Streets. The Delaware House was located on the northwest corner across the street from one of the exposition’s main entrances. He enlarged the house to offer hotel-style rooms for the exposition travelers. It was never called a hotel, but in order to have a whiskey license, he had to have ten bedrooms and provide sitting rooms for his customers.
According to family history, street trolleys loaded with people headed for the exposition were let off near the veranda of the John Gohn’s Delaware House. Since Joe had turned his house into a hotel and tavern to house and feed the hungry people, he decided that a roast beef sandwich and a cold beer would taste good to these travelers. Joe had a German baker working for him who was already making the rolls for the Delaware House. This baker, name unknown, suggested adding the caraway seeds and salt to the top of the rolls as they did in Germany. In Germany, this type of roll was called a kummelweck with nickname of weck. These sandwiches soon became very popular, and of course, the kummelweck helped to create extra thirsty patrons for selling a lot of beer.
The original Delaware House was purchased by the Standard Oil Company in 1931. It was later razed and a has a gas station on the site. Joe Gohn then purchased the building next door and converted it into a tavern, called Gohn’s Tavern. He continued serving his now famous Beef on Weck sandwiches. In later years, he sold the tavern and it became Meyer’s Tavern, which for many years continued selling the Beef on Weck sandwich with great popularity.
It is commonly believed by some historians that William Wahr, a German baker, brought the kummelweck to Buffalo from the Black Forest. There is no historical evidence to back this claim up, but could this be the name of the baker who worked for Joe Gohn at the Delaware House?
This delicacy is for true sandwich pros. It's wet, drippy & slippery. The true pro picks it up and eats it in total without putting it down. This prevents the sandwich from getting too soaked and the eater from getting too embarrased for wearing his lunch. Not much is said when 2 guys sit at the bar with these and their favorite cold beverage. But after the plate is cleaned and the spent napkins are gathered, the satisfaction generated could be compared winning a big game. Now, plan your next trip to Western New York and include a local tavern with these on the menu.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Spaghetti Sandwich?
During the sixties, Buffalo, NY was somewhat segregated. Not by race, but by country of origin. With only a generation or two removed from entering our country, immigrants settled in neighborhoods that spoke the same languages and had the same cultures. As the languages melded into English and cultures expanded outside each respective settling point the families stayed close. I remember my Grandfather living in the upstairs section of the duplex I was born in.
OK, history lesson over. I needed this preface to help you understand that I grew up in a neighborhood bordering from what I saw three different communities. German, Polish and Italian. Because of this, I became privy to the most amazing, authentic Euro-American food before my taste buds could walk! My Mom tells the story that after my folks were married, an Italian neighbor stopped over to show her how to make sauce. Any self-respecting wife needs to know how to make sauce, right? The thing I like about this that our neighbor did not just give her a recipe and say ‘Via con dios’. She showed her. Cooking (too me) is not following a recipe to the dram. It’s working. Measuring, combining, sifting, stirring, chopping, peeling, heating, cooling, watching, smelling, tasting, creating and loving.
That said, my university attending son Andrew made some killer spaghetti sauce the other day and just like Mrs. Collins, my childhood neighbor, the only way to make sauce is to make a boat-load. So after the pasta was long gone, I still had a hankerin’ for some for lunch. So the first thought was (and usually is) sandwich. So I soon collected the pieces of the puzzle.
2 slices of sturdy bread (I had some oatmeal/nut bread that worked well).I should have toasted it for stability, but I was hungry and the 2min 15sec was an eternity.
Deli-sliced Roast Beef (your usual sandwich amount – I use too much for most people)
2 slices of Provolone cheese.
A ladleful of Andrew’s Killer Sauce.
Make the sandwich and cover the sandwich (and the surrounding space on the plate) and eat with a knife and fork.
It’s a beautiful thing.
OK, history lesson over. I needed this preface to help you understand that I grew up in a neighborhood bordering from what I saw three different communities. German, Polish and Italian. Because of this, I became privy to the most amazing, authentic Euro-American food before my taste buds could walk! My Mom tells the story that after my folks were married, an Italian neighbor stopped over to show her how to make sauce. Any self-respecting wife needs to know how to make sauce, right? The thing I like about this that our neighbor did not just give her a recipe and say ‘Via con dios’. She showed her. Cooking (too me) is not following a recipe to the dram. It’s working. Measuring, combining, sifting, stirring, chopping, peeling, heating, cooling, watching, smelling, tasting, creating and loving.
That said, my university attending son Andrew made some killer spaghetti sauce the other day and just like Mrs. Collins, my childhood neighbor, the only way to make sauce is to make a boat-load. So after the pasta was long gone, I still had a hankerin’ for some for lunch. So the first thought was (and usually is) sandwich. So I soon collected the pieces of the puzzle.
2 slices of sturdy bread (I had some oatmeal/nut bread that worked well).I should have toasted it for stability, but I was hungry and the 2min 15sec was an eternity.
Deli-sliced Roast Beef (your usual sandwich amount – I use too much for most people)
2 slices of Provolone cheese.
A ladleful of Andrew’s Killer Sauce.
Make the sandwich and cover the sandwich (and the surrounding space on the plate) and eat with a knife and fork.
It’s a beautiful thing.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Gotta Start Somewhere
How are ya? GuyFood may be a new word for Webster, but for me it’s the kind of stuff us guys like to eat. It may not be nutritious, it may not be appropriate for the time of day, heck, it may not even be recognizable. But it’s the food that seems to give guys some level of satisfaction leaving the women in their lives scratching their heads in amazement.
Please allow me to introduce myself and my intentions for this blog. Me? I like food. All kinds. Please don’t consider me a ‘foodie’, because although I like to pair the right wine with the right meal, I also want to find the ultimate peanut butter and jelly sandwich. While I love my God, wife and son more, I want to write about food. My goal of this blog is to bring to light the enjoyment of all foods whether gourmet or home-made, store-bought or hand-made, organic or lab-created is ok. I’m not a nutritionist or diet guru, just a guy with taste buds who isn’t afraid to use them. There will be anecdotes, recipes, special occasions, pictures and eating. Oh, there will be eating.
Since I’m a guy, I’m going to talk about foods most guys like to eat and how we like to eat them. Why we like cold leftovers. Why we never nibble anything. And why we feel it’s necessary to eat ‘a little something’ before we go to a friend’s dinner party. I hope to validate men and educate women on what goes on in most men’s minds when it comes to food.
Will I be biased? Sure, I’m a guy. Will I point out differences between men and women? Yup, look at us, we’re different, get over it. Will I be chauvinistic? No, that’s not right. Vive la difference!
So sit back, relax, put your napkin in your shirt and let’s go taste something.
Please allow me to introduce myself and my intentions for this blog. Me? I like food. All kinds. Please don’t consider me a ‘foodie’, because although I like to pair the right wine with the right meal, I also want to find the ultimate peanut butter and jelly sandwich. While I love my God, wife and son more, I want to write about food. My goal of this blog is to bring to light the enjoyment of all foods whether gourmet or home-made, store-bought or hand-made, organic or lab-created is ok. I’m not a nutritionist or diet guru, just a guy with taste buds who isn’t afraid to use them. There will be anecdotes, recipes, special occasions, pictures and eating. Oh, there will be eating.
Since I’m a guy, I’m going to talk about foods most guys like to eat and how we like to eat them. Why we like cold leftovers. Why we never nibble anything. And why we feel it’s necessary to eat ‘a little something’ before we go to a friend’s dinner party. I hope to validate men and educate women on what goes on in most men’s minds when it comes to food.
Will I be biased? Sure, I’m a guy. Will I point out differences between men and women? Yup, look at us, we’re different, get over it. Will I be chauvinistic? No, that’s not right. Vive la difference!
So sit back, relax, put your napkin in your shirt and let’s go taste something.
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