Great Sadness A Sandwichless World Would Bring

First off, we must acknowledge that the inclusion of a wrap in the sandwich category is controversial to say the least. Men have gone to war over more trivial disputes. But I respect the man behind the keyboard as, while I have not partaken in said wrap below, I have enjoyed the delicacies that Palani Drive has to offer, and I will give credit where credit is due. It is a hotbed of tasty things. Let it be known though that the sandwich was created as a compact meal between two slices of bread, not a folded tortilla, by John Montagu, the visionary fourth Earl of Sandwich, who grew hungry but desired not to interrupt a particularly engaging card game by dedicating both hands to eating. And so was born the beautifully simple and wonderfully portable foodstuff that is the modern-day sandwich. No longer must we suffer card games hungry nor must our card games be plagued by stoppages of play to eat with a knife and fork (What are those? I know only one utensil, the one that's connected to the arm bone.) Now instead of devoting all our physical attention to the task of eating (I say "physical", because all thought is dedicated to the critical activity...I only think about eating while I am eating), we are free to do loads of other activities whilst eating a sandwich...things like drinking a beer, operating heavy machinery, or making a second sandwich.

Now to the purpose of this post...to pay tribute to the sandwich overall, as it is absent from my life until Thursday at sundown (or until I cave in sooner). Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are in the midst of Passover when chametz, or leavened food and those made with grain or grain derivatives, are not permitted. (Yes, this rules out beer too, although I cannot write a post about this for my keyboard would cease to perform covered in man tears.) I think this is a healthy exercise, as absence does make the heart grow fonder, and it certainly does make us appreciate the return of a loved one that much more. In the meantime, I will do my best to share my sandwich-like matzoh creations so that you mustn't be concerned for my mental well being during withdrawal. I will make it through. (Just keep telling yourself that, Tom.)

So this week, my sandwich-loving goyim brethren (yes, technically I am still a goy as well, but this is no place for that discussion), eat a sandwich in my honor and in the honor of anyone else forsaking the sandwich this Passover, and recognize how fortunate we all are that the good fourth Earl had his culinary epiphany. The world is a better place because of him.

Forget Boston... Come Home to the Commonwealth

Look, other people on this blog might tell you there is something of merit North of the Mason-Dixon line. Don't listen. He's probably drunk from spending too much time at a Red Sox game, or maybe hanging out with Good Will Hunting. The truth is, the Commonwealth of Virginia is awesome for the following reasons:

1. Nudity and murders on our state flag
2. James Madison University
3. Delicious sandwiches

That is why I present to you this delicious taste of the Commonwealth.

Today's Sandwich
Palani Drive's Shenandoah Wrap

• Grilled chicken
• Sweet Potatoes
• Grilled green apples
• Spinach
• Smoked Gouda
• Sherry walnut dressing
• Warm flour tortilla

This filling monster can be found from a local Richmond restaurant called Palani Drive where they advertise "Well-Built Food". It is named after Virginia's Shenandoah Valley in the Western part of our state; known for it's apples, I-81, and mountains (as well as ONE FANTASTIC UNIVERSITY). Each year I like to head out to the Valley and fill my house with apples from Carter Mountain Orchard, and the inclusion of green apples in this wrap showcases one of the Valley's finest crops.

The warm green apples and sweet potato puree adds a complimentary sweet taste to the crisp spinach and hot chicken found inside. As they grill the entire beast in the back, the smoked gouda melts together with the sherry walnut dressing into a blissful combination. The last bite of the wrap is a collection of all the flavors and tastes this sandwich offers and leaves you full and happy knowing you've eaten well for cheap.

Taste of Amurica...Boston Style

Anyone out there not so much a fan of classic Sam Adams Lager?  I have to say that I never was much of one myself for quite some time, and I am not sure what my long time aversion was.  I think that I had it for the first time years and years ago when my beer palate was that of an infant and chances are the hop assault (relative to keg Natty) turned me off, and I just never gave it a second shot.  When I came to Boston, I was really surprised to find that Samuel Adams was everywhere...and popular to boot.  Now you're probably thinking, "Oh Tom, Master of the Glaringly Obvious...why were you shocked to find that people drink Sam Adams Boston Lager in...drumroll please...Boston?"  I guess I just anticipated irony to reign over cliché.  (Kinda like Guinness in Dublin...no, it is not just an Ameican marketing ploy.  Irish people drink it too!)  Well I gave it a second chance, and while I am not going to start an "I Heart Sam Adams Boston Lager" Facebook group, I do appreciate it and enjoy it from time to time.  I'll tell you what I do love though (no...no Facebook group) is their myriad seasonal and Brewmaster selections.  Enter Sam Boston Ale, stage left.  I have sidestepped this one numerous times in favor of their Octoberfest, Winter Lager, White Ale, Summer Ale, Scotch Ale, etc., but I was finally compelled by some unknown draw to take the plunge this weekend.  

Before I delve into this, let me comment on the glass you see this beauty filling to the left.  Do we have any people out there who have considered buying the ShamWow?  (Just me?  I mean, come on, Vince Shlomi makes such a condescendingly convincing case for it...it's so absorbent, for god's sake!)  Well, the Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass is like the ShamWow of beer glasses...meaning that it is mysteriously desirable.  (Ineffective and ambiguous analogies requiring blatant explanation have always been one of my strong suits.)  About the only difference between the two is that Jim Koch doesn't beat hookers like the public face of ShamWow.  Despite this shortcoming, it boasts numerous other features such as a specially designed (and feminine, I would say) shape to trap and aim aroma right at your schnoz, thicker glass toward the bottom to slow the heat transfer from your hand to the beer, a rolled lip that directs the beer to the front of your tongue, and etchings at the bottom to help encourage release of the bubbles.  Apparently they hired a think tank of world class (?) scientists to spend years developing the perfect glass for drinking Sam Lager.  This is all supposed to add up to a full-sensory experience to make the beer taste even better.  Does it work, you ask?  Does beer actually taste better from this glass?  You bet your sweet ass it does!  Everything it is supposed to do, it does.  (Is this a rationalization thing to protect myself from feeling like a sucker after dropping 8 bucks on it after the brewery tour?  Nah.)  I think we can all agree that if nothing else, it sure does look classy.

Now, I am generally an ale man.  I love the hoppiness (don't even get me started on IPA's...woah, baby)...the florals, bitters, bite, you name it.  Not to mention, too many bubbles kinda piss me off...like I am drinking some sort of spritzer or something.  Naturally I would be partial to this over their Lager, but bias aside, there is no question in my mind the Boston Ale stands head and shoulders over it.  

The Breakdown: The color is wonderful and inviting, and, as it is an American ale, it appears slightly more effervescent than its British counterpart, but the bubbles have their place here.  The first note to phone home is a slight sweetness at the tip of the tongue (it's that rolled rim, I'm sure of it) that is soon countered by a moderate bitterness.  What I found that made this ale artfully crafted was the fact that the bitterness doesn't overstay its welcome, and I think it's due to the mild, almost unreadable citrus note resulting in a very clean finish.  It bows out on a slight biscuity note that is almost like a savory little snack stoking your appetite for the next sip...and eventually the next pint (contender for a good session beer).  All in all, Sam Adams Boston Ale packs a medium body with full, complex, and (most importantly) balanced flavors that make it, in my mind, a great summer beer that would quench the thirst and complement nearly anything that might land on the grill at your next cookout.  I quite enjoyed it and would definitely choose it again.  I am putting this one in the warm weather, crowd pleaser, go-to column.  Well played, Mr. Adams.

There's A New Writer In Town

Greetings, fellow fans of beer, sandwiches, and BK. I have been begging BK for years to let me write on this blog and he finally has caved. (Ok, so I asked him for the first time about 7 minutes ago, but I wanted to make this occasion seem a little more like the culmination of ages of perseverance.) It seems as though Bryan has been a little behind...ahem, 6 months...so I wanted to help out. I know how much I love remotely sharing in his yeasty escapades as a reader, so my goal now is to help provide twice the pleasure as a participant. I mean, come on...beer drinking is not a spectator sport (although many ideas spawned whilst drinking copious amounts of suds would likely qualify as such).

Now, I live in Boston which is a hotbed of great local microbrews, so plan on a whole mess of New England libations. What makes this even better is that in two months, I am moving to Cambridge where I will happen to reside a mere fifty feet from this place where they advertise two critical things right on their home page: "home of the sandwich hall of fame" and "Wrap Free since 2006". There are two concepts I can stand behind. (Yes, I have eaten there already, and yes, it was fantastic.) More to come in June when I have a chair there so oft occupied that it will have molded perfectly to my cheeks.

As my office does not support the idea of drinking at work, the first photo and discussion will have to wait until tonight, but don't you worry. I have a signature Boston one coming at you soon...