Between the Bread

Speaking of grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner, I supplemented my cup of leftover gumbo last night with just that. Of course, I had to serve it on my adorable vintage "patio snack set" from the Federal Glass Company of Columbus, OH. I think the motif's resemblance to pot leaves is purely coincidental.

The only vaguely French quality about a Monte Cristo is that it’s made with French toast, but for kids dining at Disneyland’s Blue Bayou restaurant, the sweet, salty, and decadent creation might as well be a croque monsieur.

Though the Monte Cristo's origins are gooey, the sandwich was likely influenced by the croque, as well as by a Depression-era dinner staple called a cheese dream and the deep-fried grilled cheeses called "Frenchees" native to Nebraska. Curious to know more about its strange history? Keep reading.

I suspected I would like pickled okra, but I had no idea I'd go crazy for it. I recently bought a jar to make Cajun Bloody Marys, and I'm hooked. If you like pickles and spicy stuff, I highly recommend pickled okra, which has a velvety texture and none of the usual sliminess.

But isn't this a blog about sandwiches? Why, yes! Keep reading for details on this weekend improv.

Just a little grilled veggie goodness before I have to get to work on the Oscars coverage.

It's been a busy week, so I'm just catching up on this important bit of sandwich news: Pitchfork has discovered a Toronto sandwich shop called Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company, where all the menu items are named after Wilco songs.

"How to Fight Loneliness" involves chicken, apple, and bacon (I'd take comfort in that) while "California Stars" is a chicken salad (what, no avocado?!). Novel, to be sure, but old-school Wilco fans might question the choice of Sky Blue Sky as the namesake album. Apparently, the owner settled on the Wilco theme by chance.

San Francisco has a sandwich shop called The Yellow Submarine, though I don't think the offerings are named for Beatles songs. If you had a rock-inspired sandwich shop, what band would you pick? I think I'd go with Pink Floyd, because a.) it would be funny and b.) you could have an egg sandwich called "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast."

Source: BlogTO

If you thought leftover sandwiches couldn't get weirder than pulled pork and zucchini, think again. These fillings were so bizarre, I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to dig in without total disaster ensuing. But not only was it edible, it was worth repeating.

Like most leftover sandwiches, this one started with a yummy dinner: cod sauteed with broccolini, fennel, and carrots and served in a light broth. Come sandwich time, I combined the leftover vegetables with sliced avocado and served it on Acme's olive bread with a bit of Dijon. The salty tang of the olives was the perfect counterpunch to the sweetness of the fennel and carrots, with the avocado bridging the gap. Truly a flavor explosion.

• Braised short rib sandwiches are a worthy challenge — Simply Sandwiches

• Cheesesteak showdown: Geno's vs. Pat's — Destination Eats
• More news on Yats bringing po'boys to Annie's Bistro — SFoodie
• Ham sammie kicks off "a sandwich a day" — Serious Eats
• A panini party goes down in Florence — The Atlantic Food
• Mardi Gras may be over, but it's not too late for muffuletta paninis — YumSugar

 

The pulled pork Cuban style at Atlas Cafe, happily drenched in mustard and melted with just-pickled cucumbers.

I've sort of given up on trying to eat at Ike's Place, even though it makes some of the finest sandwiches in the city. The lines are just insanely long, even in what used to be off hours, and I am pretty impatient when it comes to waiting in line for food. Thanks in part to Yelp, it's too popular for its own good, which makes me sad.

Apparently, Ike's neighbors aren't happy either, and even the New York Times knows about it. A writeup in Friday's paper addresses the effect of crazy queues at Ike's and Bi-Rite on the surrounding residents. If you're wondering why this topic is worthy of a NYT story, well, I'm with you. But let's take a moment to discuss anyway. According to the article:

With up to 1,200 customers on sunny weekend days, Ike’s has faced a backlash from neighbors. The once-quiet block on 16th Street is fed up with patrons who wait up to two hours for their chance to taste what they believe is nirvana between two slices of bread. In response to complaints, Ike’s reduced its hours starting this month — it closes at 7 p.m.

"The only time we’re not busy is when we’re not open," said Ike Shehadeh, the owner.

Ain't that the truth. And forget finding a table once you've ordered your sandwich. Apparently, on one recent Saturday, the sidewalk was so clogged it was impossible to walk by, and customers were taking their grub to neighboring stoops.

I'm so glad for Ike's success, and dude totally deserves it. But when it comes to long lines for restaurant, I reach a point of diminishing returns after about an hour, or usually less. What about you?

It's bread end week on Between the Bread! First, Lizzy shared her triple-decker solution, and now Andrew, who normally shuns the bread ends, presents this open-face invention.

Using what we had in the fridge, he laid out some multigrain bread ends, ham, and leftover roasted zucchini, then melted Swiss cheese over the top and dusted the delight with salt and pepper. Doesn't it look delicious?