Sandwich Thread

[El Barto]

Semantics... but if you have ham on a grilled cheese, isn't it just a ham and cheese sandwich now? Or ham and cheese "melt"

I feel like once you add meat to a grilled cheese, it's no longer a grilled cheese but a hot/toasted/melt sandwich.

And of course there's nothing wrong with that, a ham and cheese melt is fantastic.  Same with turkey and cheese.  Or roast beef and cheese.  Generally, I like hot food better than cold so hot sandwiches are something I really enjoy, which is probably why I used to love Quiznos so much.

I agree. That's why I said my ham and cheese probably didn't count. And if I'm going to grill a ham and cheese there's going to be plenty of both on there. It won't be predominantly one or the other.

[El Barto]

I think it might be, because it's a common side to a sandwich, but is this the place to ask "what cheese do you prefer in your macaroni and cheese?"

I'm sort of searching for that "next level" flavor in mac-n-cheese.   And yes, I'm a heathen there too; I will often include ground beef, panchetta or prosciutto in my mac-n-cheese.

I take an odd approach to my mac and cheese. I'll use a variety of different cheeses and just a basic bechamel to bring it all together. There's enough cheese in there so you never get a bite that's just plain sauce, and you never really know which cheese you're going to get from bite to bite. Ideally I want people to get a bit of cheddar here, Asiago there, maybe pepper jack over in that corner, etc.

Also, when it comes to mac and cheese, Trader Joes is your friend. If you need four different good quality cheeses at bargain prices, it's your best bet.

[cramx3]

I've never really made my own home made mac and cheese....

but the pre-made costco tray is bangin.  It's actually too good so I can't buy it or I'll give myself a stomach ache.

[lonestar]

I think it might be, because it's a common side to a sandwich, but is this the place to ask "what cheese do you prefer in your macaroni and cheese?"

I'm sort of searching for that "next level" flavor in mac-n-cheese.   And yes, I'm a heathen there too; I will often include ground beef, panchetta or prosciutto in my mac-n-cheese.

Actually, the best trick to kick up the Mac n cheese game I've found is roasted garlic puree and some chopped rosemary. For the cheese I use a sharp white cheddar and parmesan

[Harmony]

Lonestar - that description of your brother's crab melt gave me a Homer.   

Maybe we need a cheese thread?

FTW - the best way to dress up mac-n-cheese (aside from using at least 3 different cheeses) is some diced green chilies.  Mild, medium, or hot - your call.  DELISH

And I find it a little bit strange that so far (unless I missed it) nobody has mentioned croque monsieur or a good old Italian meatball sub.  Or even a meatloaf sandwich.  Done right, these can all be be gastronomical.   

[hunnus2000]

Don't hate me but my favorite Mac and Cheese is Kraft out of the box and my favorite cheese for grilled cheese is processed cheese. Yep - the singles in plastic.

I know - I'm a - 

[El Barto]

Lonestar - that description of your brother's crab melt gave me a Homer.   

Maybe we need a cheese thread?

FTW - the best way to dress up mac-n-cheese (aside from using at least 3 different cheeses) is some diced green chilies.  Mild, medium, or hot - your call.  DELISH

And I find it a little bit strange that so far (unless I missed it) nobody has mentioned croque monsieur or a good old Italian meatball sub.  Or even a meatloaf sandwich.  Done right, these can all be be gastronomical.   

I did mention grilled ham and gruyere, which pretty much is the croque monsieur. Probably second place for my favorite sandwiches behind the roast beef and cheddar, and that may change any given day. Also, meatloaf sandwiches came into play when we were discussing Boston Market. Not something I'd go out of my way for, but I certainly won't turn my nose up at one. As for the meatball sandwich, if I'm going Italian I'm going with Italian roast beef with provolone and giardinera. Or, Italian sausage with the same.

I think it might be, because it's a common side to a sandwich, but is this the place to ask "what cheese do you prefer in your macaroni and cheese?"

I'm sort of searching for that "next level" flavor in mac-n-cheese.   And yes, I'm a heathen there too; I will often include ground beef, panchetta or prosciutto in my mac-n-cheese.

Actually, the best trick to kick up the Mac n cheese game I've found is roasted garlic puree and some chopped rosemary. For the cheese I use a sharp white cheddar and parmesan

I always found that Parmesan takes up too much of the flavor. It's a fine line between mac and cheese and Alfredo, and pretty easy to inadvertently cross. I suppose that's why I always include Asiago in mine. It's a perfect blend of the two, I think.

[cramx3]

Lonestar - that description of your brother's crab melt gave me a Homer.   

Maybe we need a cheese thread?

FTW - the best way to dress up mac-n-cheese (aside from using at least 3 different cheeses) is some diced green chilies.  Mild, medium, or hot - your call.  DELISH

And I find it a little bit strange that so far (unless I missed it) nobody has mentioned croque monsieur or a good old Italian meatball sub.  Or even a meatloaf sandwich.  Done right, these can all be be gastronomical.   

As an italian, I do love a good meatball sandwich.  Sadly my grandma's secret to perfect meatballs has not been passed onto the next generation.  My mother could never come close to replicating it and no one has a recipe.

And if we are going to dig into more Italian sandwiches, one of my personal favorites is fried eggplant.  Either as an eggplant parm or fried eggplant with mozz, roasted red peppers, and some balsamic.  Actually made this recently:

[EPICVIEW]

Lonestar - that description of your brother's crab melt gave me a Homer.   

Maybe we need a cheese thread?

FTW - the best way to dress up mac-n-cheese (aside from using at least 3 different cheeses) is some diced green chilies.  Mild, medium, or hot - your call.  DELISH

And I find it a little bit strange that so far (unless I missed it) nobody has mentioned croque monsieur or a good old Italian meatball sub.  Or even a meatloaf sandwich.  Done right, these can all be be gastronomical.   

As an italian, I do love a good meatball sandwich.  Sadly my grandma's secret to perfect meatballs has not been passed onto the next generation.  My mother could never come close to replicating it and no one has a recipe.

And if we are going to dig into more Italian sandwiches, one of my personal favorites is fried eggplant.  Either as an eggplant parm or fried eggplant with mozz, roasted red peppers, and some balsamic.  Actually made this recently:

oh yea   sweet red pepper and mozzarella     Oh yes

[El Barto]

I generally hate eggplant, but that does look like a damn fine sandwich.

[King Postwhore]

Fried, breaded eggplant is amazing. 

[cramx3]

Fried, breaded eggplant is amazing.

Especially right off the pan when it's still hot.  I eat that shit right up.  Made a whole eggplant for myself and it didn't last long between the fresh ones I ate, the sandwiches I made, and then the rest went into a parm.

[Harmony]

Lonestar - that description of your brother's crab melt gave me a Homer.   

Maybe we need a cheese thread?

FTW - the best way to dress up mac-n-cheese (aside from using at least 3 different cheeses) is some diced green chilies.  Mild, medium, or hot - your call.  DELISH

And I find it a little bit strange that so far (unless I missed it) nobody has mentioned croque monsieur or a good old Italian meatball sub.  Or even a meatloaf sandwich.  Done right, these can all be be gastronomical.   

As an italian, I do love a good meatball sandwich.  Sadly my grandma's secret to perfect meatballs has not been passed onto the next generation.  My mother could never come close to replicating it and no one has a recipe.

And if we are going to dig into more Italian sandwiches, one of my personal favorites is fried eggplant.  Either as an eggplant parm or fried eggplant with mozz, roasted red peppers, and some balsamic.  Actually made this recently:

OK that looks good.  But honestly, I'd probably 86 the bread.  Open face that sandwich using the fried eggplant as the base.  I might actually have to work on this....



I'm also seriously considering doing an entire week of sandwiches for the family using this thread as inspiration. 

[King Postwhore]

My favorite eggplant plate is from a text mex restaurant in Cambridge Ma.  It's called Egplant Royale.  Here's the description.

"Eggplant Royale
A bubbling-hot blend of cheeses, lump crabmeat and cajun spices, served over a delicately fried eggplant. this is a creole family tradition as served on royale street in new orleans' french quarter."

[TAC]

I generally hate eggplant, but that does look like a damn fine sandwich.

There's plenty of things that look great, but there's no way in hell I'd eat it, and that sandwich qualifies for both.

[cramx3]

I generally hate eggplant, but that does look like a damn fine sandwich.

There's plenty of things that look great, but there's no way in hell I'd eat it, and that sandwich qualifies for both.

 

OK that looks good.  But honestly, I'd probably 86 the bread.  Open face that sandwich using the fried eggplant as the base.  I might actually have to work on this....

I really really really like the fresh baguettes from Lidl so that bread, to me, is fantastic, but open faced might not be bad at all.  I usually do the same sandwich open faced when I don't have eggplant.

[El Barto]

My favorite eggplant plate is from a text mex restaurant in Cambridge Ma.  It's called Egplant Royale.  Here's the description.

"Eggplant Royale
A bubbling-hot blend of cheeses, lump crabmeat and cajun spices, served over a delicately fried eggplant. this is a creole family tradition as served on royale street in new orleans' french quarter."

That place 2 doors down from the Sinclair? What you're describing has zero to do with Text-Mex, never gonna happen, but their menu was half Text-Mex and half Cajun (weird combination), so I could see it happening there.  I ate their before meeting up with you, Rumborak, and the Queen. Cute Aussie bartender, and the shredded beef they put in the quesadilla was killer. My hunch is that they used chuck from their chili and shredded that.


edit: Holy shit, I nailed it! I rule! 

Sadly, it looks like the place closed down permanently. The plague roughed them up pretty bad, and a fire finished them off.

[EPICVIEW]

Eggplant is the best ,,, Eggplant parm with a layer of Chicken parm on a great french bread and BOOM

[El Barto]

Eggplant still sucks, but most things are pretty good when you bread them, fry them, and then build a cheese pizza on top of them. 

[cramx3]

Eggplant is the best ,,, Eggplant parm with a layer of Chicken parm on a great french bread and BOOM

I've never combined the two, but chicken parm sandwiches are also great.

My college roommate and I used to go to a sandwich shop at PSU and we'd get 1 chicken parm and 1 eggplant parm sandwich, cut in half and then we'd have one of each.

[TAC]

My college roommate and I used to go to a sandwich shop at PSU and we'd get 1 chicken parm and 1 eggplant parm sandwich, cut in half and then we'd have one of each.

Awww..

[King Postwhore]

My college roommate and I used to go to a sandwich shop at PSU and we'd get 1 chicken parm and 1 eggplant parm sandwich, cut in half and then we'd have one of each.

Awww..

Tim, this was the time you were buried in your time capsule. 

[cramx3]

  it was 2005-2007 to be exact

[TAC]

Tim, this was the time you were buried in your time capsule.

Hey, I poked my head out every now and then!

[King Postwhore]

 

[TAC]

 

[EPICVIEW]

Eggplant is the best ,,, Eggplant parm with a layer of Chicken parm on a great french bread and BOOM

I've never combined the two, but chicken parm sandwiches are also great.

My college roommate and I used to go to a sandwich shop at PSU and we'd get 1 chicken parm and 1 eggplant parm sandwich, cut in half and then we'd have one of each.

You can thank me later bro      its amazing,,,   

[EPICVIEW]

Best thread ever?   its possible   lots of greatness in here..

[lonestar]

@barto,the parm is mostly for consistency, the white cheddar and roasted garlic drown out the flavor, but since the parm is aged and less oily, it lends itself to the sauce better. A dry jack would have the same effect.

[faizoff]

I fucking love sandwiches, I'm going to spam this thread with countless pictures of different sandwiches I've eaten across the country and homemade ones.

[bosk1]

DO IT!

[lonestar]

Hey Bosk, has Ike's sandwiches made its way up to Sacramento? Or are you familiar with them at all?

[bosk1]

Haven't heard of 'em.  But that may be just because I haven't been looking.  I don't generally go out for sandwiches at home.  And when I'm at work, my regular stop is a mom & pop deli around the corner from my office (who I'm surprised is able to stay in business after having all the windows smashed out and inventory stolen during the "peaceful protests"). 

EDIT:  Looks like there is one downtown.  It isn't close to where I work, but close enough to get to.  What's good there?

[lonestar]

Haven't heard of 'em.  But that may be just because I haven't been looking.  I don't generally go out for sandwiches at home.  And when I'm at work, my regular stop is a mom & pop deli around the corner from my office (who I'm surprised is able to stay in business after having all the windows smashed out and inventory stolen during the "peaceful protests"). 

EDIT:  Looks like there is one downtown.  It isn't close to where I work, but close enough to get to.  What's good there?

The menu's massive, and varies from location to location. My personal preference at the Walnut Creek one is the Steve Mariucci.. A meatball sub with mozzarella sticks. They're stuff is beyond killer, a bit pricey but well executed.

[Stadler]

Fried, breaded eggplant is amazing.

One of the few things I miss from my first marriage is her fried, breaded eggplant.   There's a good story surrounding the recipe, but suffice that it was THAT GOOD.