Let me bite that.

S'more if you please.

In addition to most of my dining buddies moving away, being busy, or being bent out of shape about being mentioned in this blog, I haven't been able to continue the sandwich tour at the rate it was going. I'm certainly not giving up on it, but it looks like now more than ever I'm going to have to be more creative with my posts. I'm still going to try to keep it on a sandwich note until proper accommodations can be made. Luckily for us all, over the weekend I was able to have a sandwich of a different style. My good buddy Katie P had herself a country bonfire which gave way to consumption of one of my favorite sandwiches of yore; the S'More.

When I was a young girl, my family was big on camping. Super big. We went camping every summer at least, and even once in a while during the early fall. One of camping's true joys is, after a long day of outdoor living and hiking, fixing up a campfire and cooking your meal the truly old-fashioned way. Even Ramen tastes better made by fire. All diners know that after dinner comes dessert and when open flame is involved you can almost always find a marshmallow. When I go camping with my little brothers we are always put in charge of finding the perfect marshmallow roasting stick and when we find it you can almost hear a gospel choir rejoice.

It has been a while since my last family camping trip, but I was happy to see that my good friend KTP kept the spirit alive in full force. Upon my arrival at her lovely home in Varina, Virginia, she gave me an informative and entertaining tour, pointed me in the direction of the snack buffet, and forced a perfectly chosen roasting stick into my hands. She whipped open a bag of marshmallows and daintily placed one on the end of my stick like a cherry on a sundae. I knew just what to do and stuck it into the fire with no holds barred. Some people prefer their marshmallows gently warmed, while others, like myself, like them set on fire for a ten count and then blown out in a fury, leaving behind a charcoal black outer layer. I love the taste of burning. She was ready with graham crackers and hershey's dark and milk chocolate bars splayed out on a bench, ready to embrace the hot mallow fresh off the fire.

 

It's a sometimes messy, but always delicious endeavor and can never be denyed. The one main thing that concerned me is this: As Katie went through the crowd offering up roasting sticks, the number of human beings who claimed to have never had a s'more was overwhelming. I had no idea that the people of this world were so sheltered. Maybe this was just a select few that in no way represents this country's population, but to never have had a s'more by drinking age is unacceptable and if you haven't had one yet, get thee to some matches and sticks ASAP.

Oh Starlite.

Yes, it goes without saying that I'm a slacker. To let a food blog go over a month without being updated is a true sin, and I stink. Alas, worry not. Just because I haven't been updating, doesn't mean that I haven't been eating. Quite the contrary actually. Sometimes I think I live solely for my next meal. When I'm in a funk or feeling low, I always know there's another meal just around the corner to lift my spirits.

Since I first moved to Richmond, I've had a tumultuous relationship with Starlite. Located right by my house on the corner of Robinson and Main street, I tried to apply for a job waiting tables there right off the bat. After not getting hired, I decided that if they didn't need me then, fine, I didn't need them either. After a couple of months in town a few of my friends started going there on Tuesday nights where they had two dollar liquor drinks. I decided to give it another chance in the name of low-priced booze. I reaped the benefits for a few weeks, until one night I was in a wine mood. I flippantly ordered a glass of red and was shocked to recieve a hefty bill of close to 9 dollars for the one glass. I guess they had to make up for all of those cheap highballs somewhere. I usually have no problem paying lots of money for any sort of consumable purchase, but this time I felt that it was just outlandish. Starlite is a nice place, but it's not like we're at the state fair. Anyway, hopping on my high horse, I decided to boycott it indefinitely. I tried to get my buddy Nicholas to picket out front with me, but he refused so I continued my boycott in silence until the day came that I forgot entirely about the whole thing. My friend Leslie started talking up their veggie sub and I immediately signed on without a second thought. Only after I was completely hooked on this amazing sandwich did I even remember the previous boycott of passion. Ah well, I'm sure another place will piss me off soon enough.

This sandwich is SERIOUS BUSINESS. Just know that. Served on a thick roll, this sub is stuffed chock full of some of the tastiest vegetables known to man. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, peppers, and spinach are all sauteed with white wine and garlic and covered in cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Finished off with some cold fresh tomato and a little italian dressing, the flavors explode and combine into a beautiful frenzy. Any sandwich that finds a way to include broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms deserves a prize in my book. Since I don't have a book, a blog must do.

Now. As is, this sandwich is tops, butttt being the way that I am, it is best served with a little tweaking. First, I order it on wheat toast. Sometimes too much breading brings me down, not to mention that being the lover of food that I am, I still try to not be a complete pigaloni. Wheat toast makes me feel a little better about myself and allows me to go back for dessert. Also, I always get coleslaw as my side. I don't know what Starlite does with their coleslaw, but it is amazing. Now, once the sandwich arrives, I open it up and put some of the coleslaw on it, then add the little pickles that come as garnish and then of course a dab or two of hot sauce. MMMM. See you soon Starlite and forever more.

Supreme Power.

The next day of the tour, I enlisted the help of my fair-weather friend Ryan. He's extremely difficult to deal with and we often disagree immensely on food. I practically had to bribe him with a free sandwich to get him to hang out with me, which I only purchased because of a previous sandwich he bought for me. Luckily, knowing my penchant for halfsies, he gave me the ultimate power. He let me pick out not only my own sandwich, but his as well. I'm astounded he was even willing to give me that sort of responsibility to tell you the truth. Ah well, people surprise you every day. We intended to watch the newest season of The Office on DVD so knew we had to go somewhere quick and nearby. I remembered a diamond in the rough called The European Market, a lovely wine and cheese shop with a deli and gourmet beers. I perused their menu online, knowing that if I picked a bad sandwich I would never hear the end of it from Ryan and would be ousted to the halls of obscurity with his disdain and cutting remarks. Finally, I decided on two sandwiches that I was completely sure would knock our socks off.

My first choice, "The Treaty of Versailles," consisted of Genoa salami, manchego cheese, caramelized onions, and Dijon mustard on a baguette. As far as sandwiches go, it was quality. The meat was delicious, the cheese flavorful, and the onions divine. Honestly though, and I hate to be this way, I really do, I think I don't love mustard. I know. It's a sick, sad statement and I hang my head in shame. Ryan was a big fan of this sandwich, but the mustard just brought me down. I always want to think I love it, and sometimes I do, but as a general rule I should probably stick to hot sauce.

First is the worst and second is the best, as they say, and they aren't wrong. The second sandwich, the creme de la creme, was "The European Union." What a union indeed. This sandwich was a hot panini, which is always good, with Speck (a kind of deep smoked prosciutto), grilled asparagus, and brie on pressed ciabatta bread. How could you go wrong with a thing like that? The flavors were tremendous. I would definitely put brie, prosciutto, and asparagus all on the top of my list of buzz words when reading a menu, and I am very rarely disappointed in their existence.

Since I began even talking about food blogging, Ryan has had an unturned nose at the very idea, but when it came time to take these pictures, he stepped right up, shuffling the carrots around, thinking of backdrops, and snapping pictures left and right. It's nice to see even the most cynical naysayer get into the game, all in the spirit of food.
*One thing I saw that The European Market has is a special where you can make your own six-pack from different specialty beers in the cooler. Haven't done it yet, but will soon. Variety!!

On a roll.

When I first went to Cafe Rustica many months ago, I made the wrong choice. It seems that every time I try out a brand new restaurant, I end up ordering the wrong thing. I don't know if it's because I get too daring and risky, or if I am just innately wrong in general. Either way, the first time I went I ordered a 'savory bread pudding' with ham and gruyere and marinara. It sounded delicious and I love it when people turn typically sweet dishes into salty ones. It ended up tasting mostly like stuffing, which is probably my least favorite part of thanksgiving dinner. My friend Lisa, who is the person who first brought me to Cafe Rustica, made the right choice, of course, leaving me to envy what she had, as I usually do. She ordered the schweineschnitzel sandwich and allowed me to bite it, being one of those true friends who shares. As soon as I bit it, I knew that I would have to come back.

And so I did. I've actually been back many times since then, and have introduced this sandwich to a great number of friends. When my buddy Beth told me she wanted to try it out for lunch, I gladly rose to the occasion. When we got to Cafe Rustica, we perused the menu and she remarked that the BBQ sandwich looked pretty tasty. I, seeing my window, asked if she wanted to go halfsies. She agreed, and we placed our order excitedly. When the schweineschnitzel sandwich arrived, I knew I was in for a treat.

Schweineschnitzel, as far as I can translate is basically just 'pork cutlet,' in German. Of course, it is so much more than that at Cafe Rustica. The pork is breaded and pan fried, bigger than the roll that encases it. Topped with briny pickles and a dill mayo and served steaming hot on whatever homemade bread they have at the moment, this sandwich is out of control. The meat is cooked perfectly, so that all the juices keep it moist even if you box it for later. Add a little sriracha to the top, and you've got the perfect meal. I very rarely regret going halfsies, but this time I almost did. The BBQ was good, certainly, but very little can compare to this tasty treat. At least now I know.

Day Two.

It just so happened that on the second day of my sandwich tour, my lovely family came to visit. Not specifically for the tour, but they lucked out as the two coincided. It was an absolutely beautiful hot summer day so we decided to go somewhere close for a bite. We went to one of my most-frequented sandwich and pizza shops, 8 and 1/2. 8 1/2 is on Strawberry St. and is just across from a little alley, which, if you follow it down, turns into a park with benches and flowers and nice shady trees. Scuffletown Park, as it is so oddly named, it the perfect place to take your takeout and have a little picnic..or a scuffle. When you enter 8 1/2 you are greeted by attractive people behind the counter who point towards a large menu taped to the wall. They offer soups, sandwiches, pizzas, appetizers, entrees, and desserts at all times. I'm sure I'll mention the other meals of 8 1/2 in other entries, so we'll try to keep on course and focus on this day of all days. This day, I used my powers of persuasion to not only convince my little brother, Cody, to get pizza, knowing he'd never be able to eat it all and would be forced to give me some, but also to prod my father into going 'halfsies' with me. Going halfsies is one of the true unadulterated joys of my life. It's a very simple concept of one person getting one sandwich that sounds good, then the other person getting a different one, and then the two people switch halves so each person has half of one sandwich and half of an entirely different one. This way, everyone gets a little variety and a chance to see what else is out there. Most of my good friends and family will gladly accept my offer to go halfsies, but every once and again you'll meet someone who just wants to be difficult and obviously doesn't care about food or joy or other people's joy.

Anyhow, I recommended that my father get 8 1/2's most famous sub, the arugula, fresh mozzarella, and prosciutto hero and I got the turkey hero. They are both so tasty that it's really hard to decide which one I prefer. Luckily, I didn't have to, hence where halfsies comes in. There is nothing to me in the world like fresh mozzarella. I love the way it feels when you sink your teeth into it, and the creamy mild taste as you chew it. Mixed with peppery arugula, olive oil, and not to mention slightly greasy and salty prosciutto, this hero is a must eat.

The turkey hero is nothing to sneeze at either. Their shaved turkey tastes almost smoked and is peppered and served with mayo and very finely shaved lettuce and white onion. Served hot, the flavors really kick together to make your mouth drool at the very thought of it. All sandwiches come with a roasted and seasoned potato spear, although I barely ever have room for it. I also really love 8 1/2's beef brisket and meatball heroes, if I'm feeling extra carnivorous.

The Great Sandwich Tour begins.

Every blog needs a beginning and I've been having a hard time coming up with a good one. Since I've been working on a list of the best sandwiches in town for over a year now, I've decided I will begin with a sandwich tour of Richmond, Virginia. I've enlisted the help of some of my favorite dining buddies and we will go through town eating at our favorite hotspots and judging them accordingly.

Day 1: The first day of my tour, I had no friends and decided to go to the local organic grocer, Ellwood Thompson's for my favorite quick in-house sandwich buy. Does a wrap count as a sandwich? I'm going with yes, for the sake of us all. The garden vegetable wrap at Ellwood's is out of this world. I often get it when I want to seem healthy and get full fast. It's usually made with a spinach tortilla, and stuffed with loads of homemade hummus, red, yellow, and green peppers, cucumbers, spinach, and shaved carrots.

Yum! So good. How do I spice it up, you may ask?

 
I stole this picture by the way from my friend Beth who put it on her own blog to alert the world to its existence. This is the most delicious dressing in all the land and is good on just about everything you can possibly imagine, including but not limited to the above sandwich, and chicken fingers. MMMM.  I also go as far as to mix it with sriracha and start dipping. Other good additions to the garden vegetable wrap are jalapeños and mushroom or olive tapenade. While you're at Ellwood's I also suggest checking out the hot bar, soup kettles, and vegan muffins.

Leave the past in the past.

This is the start of a brand new food blog with a brand new format and flavor. I started one through blogspot a few months ago, but it wasn't turning out the way I'd hoped. If anyone cares to read me drone on and on about multiple meals of the day, please feel free to check it out.  Otherwise, let's start from scratch.