Tag Archives: Sandwich

Sweet Potato Falafel

Posted on March 21, 2012 | 9 Comments

When Caitlin comes to Cincinnati, she often takes a flight right after work, which puts her into CVG around 8:40 P.M.  That means she’s hungry for dinner.  And since I’ve also been waiting until then to have my dinner, it’s imperative that I arrive at the airport with a strategy in hand.  I can be very slightly grumpy when I’m hungry.

One of the problems, though, is finding a fun place that is not winding down at that hour.  In a city like New York, Chicago, or the like, it’s certainly not a problem.  But in a smaller city like Cincinnati, a lot of restaurants are closing shop by 10:00 P.M.

One afternoon, as Caitlin was readying to leave, I spent a few minutes on Yelp, and found my answer.  The Senate Restaurant was open until 11:00 P.M.  Better yet, it was downtown, a convenient location coming from the airport.  And finally, scanning the menu, I knew it had something I would love.  After I sent the menu to Caitlin, she also agreed that it looked good.  We had a plan.

When we arrived at the Senate, Continue reading →

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Sloppy Joe

Posted on May 9, 2011 | 6 Comments

After work and a trip to the gym, it may be 8:00 by the time I get home.  And despite a liberal, daytime-snacking policy, I’m hungry for dinner by that time.

Even though I enjoy cooking, a Wednesday evening — with only a few hours left before bedtime beckons — is not the best time to launch into an hour-long culinary experience.  Quick, easy, and delicious are the weekday watchwords.

Sloppy Joe fits the bill.  This meal Continue reading →

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Baked Sweet Potato Falafel

Posted on March 8, 2011 | 7 Comments

Choosing a recipe can sometimes feel like putting together a baseball team.  It is the home chef as general manager.

In each field, the objective is the same — to please the folks at home by offering them a winning dish while remaining within the allotted budget.  The objective is straightforward.  As is the theory behind it:  acquire the best ingredients, assemble, and serve warm.

But this process is never as straight forward as it seems.  Expensive ingredients, like high-priced free agents, may Continue reading →

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Pulled Brisket Sandwiches

Posted on September 26, 2010 | 1 Comment

Chicken pox is a highly contagious virus.  Chicken saladitis, while not as lethal or infectious, is no less noxious, inserting itself into lunch menus on an almost daily basis.

During the week, I bring my lunch to work.  And making a week’s worth of chicken salad is almost always Continue reading →

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Falafel Sandwich

Posted on September 29, 2009 | 3 Comments

Falafel Sandwich

Every dish has two stories behind it.  The first story describes the origin of a dish, and sets out the historical underpinnings behind a recipe. The second story centers around the making of a dish, and notes the step-by-step details of assembling the meal.  In several cases, my posts have focused on the former story.  But in this case, Caitlin assured me that the second story of falafel was far more interesting than its first.

Falafel Prep Collage

The Sunday before Labor Day, Caitlin suggested we make falafel.  Together.  We printed off a recipe, and went to the store to collect the ingredients.  Since we were making it later that night, we bought canned garbanzo beans, though we also went ahead and purchased the dried version as well.  We followed the recipe, but with little success.  Upon hitting the oil, our chickpea mixture slowly disintegrated.  We added a little flour, but that did not help.  Our joint effort at falafel was a disaster.

The next day, I tried shaping a few more falafel balls, hoping the lengthy period of refrigeration might have shored up the chickpea mixture.  Again, no luck.  The canned garbanzo beans were apparently not going to cut it.  I remained undeterred.

Falafel Frying Collage

Later that night, unbeknown to Caitlin, Continue reading →

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Croque Norvegien

Posted on May 31, 2009 | 2 Comments

Croque Monsieur

If you’ve ever been in a Parisian café, you’ve seen Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle at work.  In this environment, waiters move about like errant electrons, brushing past you with little care for their momentum, their movements, or their duties. To a stationary observer, it is impossible to know both the location of a server and the speed at which he is ignoring you.

The croque-monsieur made its debut in 1910, in a café on the Boulevard des Capucines.  The origins of the name are unknown, but I suspect the etymology is quintessentially French.  An exasperated Frenchman Continue reading →

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Almond Butter, Banana, and Membrillo Sandwich

Posted on May 24, 2009 | 1 Comment

Membrillo

The PB&J Sandwich needs no introduction.  Its ingredients and structure are tried and true.  Add slices of banana, and the PBB&J Sandwich might merit a fleeting handshake.  But the ABB&M Sandwich is all but unknown – a foreign dignitary of sorts, whose presence deserves a formal introduction.

Membrillo is Spanish for quince, a lumpy, yellow-green fruit that resembles a cross between an apple and a pear.  The quince, born in the Caucasus, dates back to man’s earliest conquests and temptations.  The quince started the Trojan War, after Paris awarded the fruit to Aphrodite for the hand of Helen of Troy.  The quince is also said to be the apple that tempted Adam and Eve. Which may have been somewhat disappointing for Eve, since the quince is a hard and bitter fruit.  Only a few varieties can be eaten raw.

ABBM Sandwich

In its modern form, membrillo usually refers to Continue reading →

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Chicken Salad Sandwich

Posted on January 25, 2009 | 1 Comment

chicken-salad

With over thirty posts on my food blog, you might think that lunch at my office would be diverse and interesting.  That my leftovers from the night before would offer an exciting mid-day meal.  You’d be wrong.

Though some days offer exceptions, lunch at my office is unabashedly routine – which is not to say it’s bad.  Quite the opposite.  I couldn’t possibly have chicken salad sandwiches with the frequency I do, if I didn’t love my recipe.  And because my recipe provides enough chicken for the week, it’s one less thing I have to account for while I’m at work.  Chicken salad also has the advantage of being relatively light (so no post-lunch siestas), and offering a good source of protein (perfect for those afternoon workouts).

This is my (very) tried and true recipe. Continue reading →

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