LAVENDER DUCK SANDWICH!

This just in from "The Sandwich Man" who does an amazing job with his sandwich reviews whilst dining his way through Los Angeles.

His blog is called "The Danger Sandwich", where his luncheon/dinner picks are posted every Wednesday morning.The Sandwich Man knows good food and it's obvious that he puts a lot of thought into where and what he reviews/eats each week. Using what appears to be a 5 star grading system, TSM doesn't just order-up and eat. He takes time to learn about each of his picks and is very discriminating when handing down his scores. After all, one doesn't find a true five-star sandwich just anywhere.

The Lavender Duck Sandwich from "SweetSalt" in Toluca Lake had me with it's name alone. Then I read TSM's descriptives and what the sandwich consists of and it was "fo'get'about'it"!

Roasted Duck with Onion Confit, Goat Cheese, Alfalfa Sprouts and Lavender Honey on ciabatta bread. Yow! Go Sandwich Man, Get Dangerous!

Lavender Duck Sandwich
SweetSalt
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
www.sweetsaltfood.com

A NOD TO EMPANADA!

In a nut shell, empanada is just stuffed pastry. Picture a half circle pie crust, flaky and light. Once stuffed, the crust is folded then baked, or in many cases, deep fried. Depending on where you are or whose in charge, the stuffing can consist of many things such as meat, fish or vegetables.

Just about every country, (South American in particular) has their own version of an empanada, and no matter what you call them, Knish, Calzone, Stromboli, Hot Pocket, Meatpie, Turn Over or Strudle, they're a great way to taste regional flavors anywhere.
In Louisiana empanadas are Creole savory meat pies, filled with seasoned pork, beef, chicken, and cheese.

In New Mexico among the Spanish and Mexicans, there is a winter tradition making sweetmeat empanadas for Christmas using hand-ground cooked pork, sugar, toasted local piñon, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; sealed in tortilla-like dough; then deep-fried in lard until lightly golden brown. Yum!

Referred to by the folks at "The Empanada Shop!" in Lafayette, LA as "A Blend of Many Nations in a Single Meal" the empanada is just another fabulous way to celebrate the wacky and wonderfully versatile world of the sandwich. What else?

Here's a recipe for an empanada from Argentina:

PIZZA ROLL SANDWICH!

There's more than one way to skin a cat, or to make a pizza! The Pizza Roll Sandwich is nothing new, but if you're on the spot and need to bring a dish to your office party, this one's quick, tasty and travels like a dream.
Just get a pizza dough (this one's from Pillsbury, found near the crescent roll section), some Italian sausage, cheese and any other pizza topping that floats your gondola.
Saute your sausage mixture first, let it cool while you roll out your dough/crust. Brush the flattened dough with egg, dress the dough as pictured here, roll it up, coat the outside too, and bake until golden brown. Be sure to let it sit for at least 10 minutes before you cut into it, and serve.

It may be a little far from "gourmet", but who doesn't like Pizza?

THE VINTAGE SANDWICH!

Americans have refined their taste in sandwiches over time, and I for one am so grateful about that. At one time, not too long ago, the most inventive Americans got with two pieces of bread was adding yellow mustard and sliced ham to their daily white bread. At least that was my experience growing up.

This sampling of 19th century American sandwich recipes illustrates the sandwiches evolution from practical fare to complicated cuisine.

[1824] To Make Oyster Loaves [some say this the precursor to the New Orleans Po'Boy]
"Take little round loaves, cut off the top, scrape out all the crumbs, then out the oysters into a stew pan with the crumbs that came out of the loaves, a little water, and a good lump of butter; stew them together ten or fifteen minutes, then put in a spoonful of good cream, fill your loaves, lay the bit of crust carefully on again, set them in the oven to crisp. Three are enough for a side dish." ---The Virginia House-Wife, Mary Randolph

[1840] Ham sandwich, By Eliza Leslie

[1844] 707. Sandwiches
"Cut, and spread neatly with butter, slices of biscuit, placing between every two pieces, a very thin slice of tongue. Lean ham, or the white meat of fowl may be substituted for the tongue."
---The Improved Housewife, Mrs. A.L. Webster

[1866] Sandwiches
Cold biscuit sliced thin and buttered, and a very thin slice of boiled ham or tongue, or beef, between each two slices. Home-made bread cuts better for sandwiches than baker's bread; a loaf baked for this purpose is best; take the size of a quart bowl, of risen dough, mould it in a roll, about three inches in diameter, and bake it half an hour in a quick oven.

For bread and butter sandwich cut the bread in slices, not thicker than a dollar piece, spread it evenly with sweet butter before cutting it; let the butter be very thin, lay two slices, the buttered sides together, for each sandwich; when you have enough, arrange them on flat dishes, make them in a circle around the middle of the plate as a common centre, one lapping nearly over the other; put a sprig of parsley in the centre.

Sandwiches may be made with cheese, sliced very thin between each two slices of buttered bread, also cold boiled eggs sliced, for luncheon; stewed fruit of jelly or preserve spread thin over buttered bread, makes a fine sandwich for lunch. Any cold meat sliced thin may be made a sandwich; it is generally spread with made mustard; tho most delectable are those made with boiled smoked tongue or ham." ---Mrs. Crowen's American Lady's Cookery Book, Mrs. T. J. Crowen

[1869] Plain sandwiches
Cut ham or tongue very thin, trim off the fat, and cut the bread thin; spread it with very nice butter; lay meat on very smoothly. Press the other slice on very hard; trim the edges off neatly.

A dressing for sandwiches
Take a half pound of nice butter, three tablespoonfuls of mixed mustard, three spoonfuls of nice sweet oil, a little white or red pepper, a little salt, the yolk of one egg; braid this all together very smoothly, and set it on the ice to cool. Chop very fine some tongue and ham; a little cold chicken is very nice added. Cut the bread very thin; spread it with the dressing. Then spread over the meat, then the bread, and press it together very hard. Trim off the edges, that the sandwiches may be all one size." ---Mrs. Putnam's Receipt Book and Young Housekeeper's Assistant, Mrs. E. Putnam

Yikes!

MONEY IN MAYONNAISE? A Casting Call!

This just in, sandwich lovers. For anyone who has ever used mayonnaise on a sandwich (I'm thinking this will include most of you), here's a REAL casting call.

Make no mistake, this is not a "Sandwich 365" sponsored contest. S365 is only the messenger, posting this on behalf of TWINS WORLD.

LOOKING FOR REAL PEOPLE/FAMILIES, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR A MAJOR MAYONNAISE CAMPAIGN.

THOSE CHOSEN WILL BE COMPENSATED-$$$

TELL US YOUR STORY ABOUT HOW YOUR FAVORITE MAYO SANDWICH HAS SIGNIFICANCE IN YOUR LIFE! We need to hear your stories..not just your favorite sandwich!

Maybe a sandwich brought you together? Maybe you have been getting together with your friends eating the same sandwich for years? Maybe you met your significant other or best friend over a sandwich? Maybe you always have a sandwich that brings your friends and family together- holiday parties, Superbowl parties? Maybe a sandwich is special to your family because of where you live? Maybe your favorite sandwich brings back memories OR makes you think of someone you love? Maybe you are from Philly and love your Mayo Philly Cheese steak you always have during the holidays? ANY STORIES & ALL FAMILY DYNAMICS WELCOME TO APPLY!
EVERYONE HAS A STORY!
EMAIL IMMEDIATELY IF INTERESTED.
Thanks Lisa & Debbie
Email:Twinsworld1@aol.com
www.facebook.com/twinstalentcasting

CROSTINI CON MOZZARELLA!

In Italian, “crostini” means “little toasts". It is made by thinly slicing bread (typically plain white), and toasting or grilling it until it becomes crispy. By white bread, I don't mean Wonder bread. I mean an artisan bread or baguette. I like to use sour dough, or any bread with a good rustic crust. Sounds like a piece of toast, right?

But if you drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle a bit of salt on the bread first, or top the bread with an assortment of other goodies like mozzarella and prosciutto, your little crostini becomes so much than just an appetizer or garnish.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Crostini (Crostini con prosciutto crudo e mozzarella)

Ingredients
1 Loaf of artisan bread/baguette
Prosciutto (Raw Ham) Slices
Mozzarella Slices
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt

Place the bread in a baking pan then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Place the pan in preheated (350 F) oven and bake for 2-3 minutes
After 3 minutes remove the pan from oven then top both bread slices with mozzarella and prosciutto, drizzle with olive oil and bake your crostini for 5 minutes more Remove the pan from oven and transfer your crostini to a serving plate

PO-BOY PRESERVATION - NEW ORLEANS!

NINE DAYS and counting to the 2010 Po-Boy Preservation Festival, where "it's all about the food". The festivities take place every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving in celebration of the Po-Boy Sandwich, it's history in Louisanna, and it's "roll" in New Orleans’ culinary culture! How can you not love a city that strives to preserve and celebrate a sandwich?

2010's fest is presented by Blue Plate Mayonnaise will feature three stages with live music, arts and crafts, a children's section with games and prizes, panel discussions covering the history of the po-boy, a raffle for a jet ski and, of course, the best tasting po-boys in New Orleans.

The festival is seeking sponsors, so sign on to their website to participate!!

GIADA D's CHOCOLATE PANINI

Dear Giada,

You are so my shero! Your physical beauty is only exceeded by your incredible spirit and Italian charm. This sandwich offering of yours is one that I cannot refuse. This Panini has earned you a place on "My Top Five Favorite Sandwich Chefs" list where you will live forever more. I vow never again to click by your TV show without stopping to see what's cooking. To think, this kind of decadence has been going on right under my nose, and I didn't smell a thing. I think I love you!

Tips: We used a combo of simi-sweet and dark chocolate chips. Be sure your choice of bread for this sandwich is hearty/crusty/rustic enough. Toasting is key.

Ingredients
12 slices sourdough bread
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Directions
Preheat the panini grill.

Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread slices until they begin to turn golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the panini grill and place 2 ounces of cheese on 1 slice of bread (the bottom half), top the cheese with 1/3 cup chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of basil. Top with another slice of bread. Continue with the remaining sandwiches. Return the sandwiches to the panini grill until the chocolate begins to melt, about another 2 minutes.

Cut the sandwiches into 2-inch wide rectangles or small triangles and transfer to a serving platter.

I HEART "CHORIPANES" {cho-ree-pan-es}

There's a scene in Mr. Robert Duvall's 2003 labor of love, "Assassination Tango" the movie, when Duvall's character (John J.) vigorously eats a Choripan sandwich while standing on a street corner. Duvall kind of dances with this sandwich as he tries not to catch it's drippings on his clothes, very sexy. The REAL dancing in this movie (mostly Tango of course) is exquisite. Okay, finding that sexy may be proof that there's something seriously wrong with me.
Basically a glorified hot-dog, the Choripan is a roadside favorite in the streets of major Argentinian cities. In Argentina a "Choripán" sandwich (plural: "Choripanes") consists of Chorizo sausage, hot off the grill, split down the middle, and served on a crusty baguette which holds up well to the juicy chorizo and makes a perfect bread-meets-meat fusion. Add a little chimichurri and this sandwich rocks!
"Assassination Tango" is where I first learned of Choripanes, and I'll admit to becoming a little obsessed during the weeks that proceeded my next visit to South Florida where such cuisine is plentiful. When I finally arrived, finding a good Choripan Sand was easy. I would still L O V E to have a video of that scene on the street with Robert Duvall and his Choripan. Ole!

THE GYRO SANDWICH! {yee-ro}

Photo and Recipe by Angie's Recipes

The Gyro sandwich has been made by the people of Greece, the Middle East and Turkey for hundreds of years. Small variations on the recipe as well as it's name may change according to geographical origin and language.

Arabs call it "Shawurma" - Turks call it "Kebabi" or "Doner Kebab" - and Greeks call it "Gyro". Put simply, it's a rotissaried lamb (chicken or beef) sandwich on pita bread with grilled vegetables, and seasoning.

Even if you've never eaten one, you're sure to recognize a Gyro by the unique, vertical spit on which the seasoned meat is packed. As the cylinder/spit revolves over a flame, the meat grills to perfection. Slices are are then shaved from it's surface and packed into pita bread with lettuce, tomato and onion.

The final step is the addition of "tzatziki" sauce, made with Greek style yogurt, diced cucumbers, dill weed, garlic and vinegar. Counteracting the spiciness of the meat, tzatziki sauce adds so much "CREAMY FRESH" to the sandwich, marrying nicely with the veggies and bringing out all the flavors of the meat.

One of the very best recipes I have seen for a homemade Gyro can be viewed on Angie's Recipes where Angie covers Gyro seasonings, tzatziki sauce and pita bread in great, user friendly detail. She's amazing!

While the Gyro may look similar to a Falafel Sandwich, there is quite a difference in the combination of spices used, cooking technique, and of course, the Falafel is meatless. On the other hand, both are ancient, and very delicious.

'Smørrebrød' Anyone?

No, I didn't mean to say "Smorgasbord", as in Swedish buffet, which most Americans are familiar with. I'm talking about "Smorrebrod" a modern Danish word meaning, in literal terms, bread and butter. To a hungry luncheon crowd in Denmark, Smorrebrod means an assortment of open face sandwiches, or "Topless Bread" with endless possibility. A typical smørrebrød is made with one piece of hard, whole-grain buttered bread, usually rye or pumpernickel, topped with any of a variety of meats, including cold cuts, bacon, herring, fish fillets, eggs, pate', some vegetable, i.e., sliced cucumber, tomato or pickled beets, then condiments, such as mayonnaise or toasted onion bits often times replace the need for butter.

While Smorrebrod is Denmark's national dish, it can found in other European countries such as Austria, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands and more.

I love this way of eating, and while Smorrebrod is typically served as a cold dish, my way of putting an American spin on the Topless Bread would be to put a piece of delicious cheese atop one of these delicate open facers and pop it under the broiler for a few seconds. I'm such a rebel!

For everything else there is to know about Smorrebrod, visit my friend, Karen at Topless Bread, "The blog dedicated to modern danish open face sandwiches + other gastronomic thoughts". I would highly recommend a cruise through her fabulous Topless Video Archive where some of Denmark's top Smorrebrod chefs, restaurants and recipes can be seen first hand. Bon!

FALAFEL SANDWICH - [feh-LAH-fehl]

This sandwich begins with the Falafel ball, a Middle Eastern specialty made of highly spiced, ground chickpea (garbanzo), deep-fried and served in pita bread with salad and a yogurt or tahini based sauce. The balls are smallish and brown, meatless, slightly crunchy and very delicious.

photo by sjdowntown.com

Steeped in history and even controversy, the Falafel's origins are considered Egyptian, however both Israelis and Palestinians take credit for first cultivating it. With it's popularity in Syria and Lebanon too, one might be hard pressed to say exactly where these tasty treats began.  When Israeli's appropriated Falafel as the "national snack" it caused resentment among Palestinians and in parts of the Arab world where the dish is considered to be authentically Arab.

But we're not here to confirm or contradict history. We're here strictly for the sake of  the Sandwich, it's abundant and satisfyingly rich flavors, attributable only to they guy who stands there and makes the one you're about to eat.  Thankfully, one can easily find a Falafel sandwich in most American cities today.

Alternatively,  you can  be adventurous and build your own Falafel sandwich, in which case, we can offer the "Indianized" version from last months 2nd place Sandwich Contest winner at S365.  Just visit Nivedita's Kitchen to grab the recipe.  Otherwise try this:

EATING HALLOWEEN!

Look what HoityToityBaby found at "parents.com" and forwarded to us. A do it yourself family B.L.T. costume complete with instructions for all five pieces. My favorite is the little tomato, although the bacon boy is pretty genius too.

It reminded me that the B.L.T. is one of my all time top three favorite sandwiches, which reminded me of a post from last year entitled "It's a B.L.T. Life", an S365 entry offering unique insight into how the B.L.T. actually corresponds with living beings of the Earth. Go ahead, call me crazy!

Another one of my favorites is "The Hand" Sandwich here from Instructables.com. Almost as clever as my Sandwich Slippers from last Christmas. You think I'm kidding? I was the happy recipient of two pair of "loafers", one sourdough and the other "PUMPernickel"... a veritable feast for the feat. Click here for photos.

Almost a sandwich, this cool Halloween spider cinnamon roll is just one of several eye catching, easy to make, kid-friendly, holiday creepy crawlies from Rhodes Bread. I would even try this one.

But the ultimate online source for Halloween festivities is of course 365 Halloween. If you can't find it there, you won't find it anywhere. I love their veggie skeleton platter, from which your guests can just make their own sandwiches. As always, the possibilities are endless when it comes to sandwich making. What are you planning?

THE MUFFALETTA! - [muhf-fuh-LEHT-tuh]

The Muffaletta is a Southern dish, with Italian ingredients, served in the French Quarter of an American melting pot famous for it's Creole, Spanish and African cultures, better known as New Orleans. Now there's a mouth full!!

photo by lepetitechef.com

A staple in New Orleans since the early 1900s, the legendary Muffaletta was created at Decatur Street's Central Grocery, still standing today. 

Muffuletta is actually a Sicilian word for a special round loaf of bread, baked so that the center is hollow and can be stuffed. Since a real one is hard to find in the U.S., Muffulettas are usually made with a round Italian loaf  that you cab hollow out yourself.

The olive salad is what sets the Muffuletta apart from other sandwiches. Instead of mustard or mayo, these three ingredients: green olives, black olives, and chopped vegetables are factors that elevate the "Muff" to a level of it's very own.

Here's a Muffaletta recipe sent to S365 earlier this month by Lynn at her blog "The Life Of A Foodie and Her Family"  (photo not included): Click to see recipe

Tenacious Tygrlilie, a Bánh Mì Tale - OR - A Light at the End of the Carpel Tunnel

I was over-the-moon DELIGHTED when, by way of email, an old and loyal friend of S365's recently surfaced. Hopeful that the email contained news about her latest creations in amigurumi-style crocheted dolls, etc., I prepared myself for a leisurely visit to her blog (Tygrlilies). Instead, crushing news! A bad case of carpel tunnel has put her amazing crochet work, and her blog on hold for the time being.

Turns out Ms. Tygrlilies had other things on her mind. Such as, why she couldn't find the classic Vietnamese sandwich "Bánh Mì" (a.k.a. Saigon Sub) any where on S365. Thinking my answer would suffice, I gave her my reason and promised to bring a Bánh Mì to the fore soon, but no dice. A day later, Ms. T. emailed again, and this time she brought the goods!

Not only did she seek out and find an establishment in her neck of the woods with a Bánh Mì on the menu, she managed to find the Bánh Mì mother load called "Baguette Express".

A full-on restaurant specializing in.... you guessed it, the Bánh Mì Sandwich. As Ms. T's photos depict, at Baguette Express you can order your Bánh Mì via drive-thru, or go inside to choose from a large and varied menu of sandwich ingredients. Even shop their little store for other VN delicacies. Decidedly Asian, specifically Vietnamese/French Indochinese, it would appear the flavor combinations have managed to cross over in appeal to a decidedly American palate. In translation, Bánh mì Pháp với thịt nướng means Baguette with grilled meat.

Historically, bread is not native to Vietnam and at one time was seen as the food of the 'poor'. Those who could not afford rice, or a place to cook rice had to eat bread for dinner instead of rice.

In the colonial days, the sandwiches were sold in deli's to the French colonials. Around 1940's-1950's, the 'French sandwiches' ("banh mi Tay", literally 'French bread') became a status symbol, and cheaper versions of them started to show up in Vietnamese stores. Basic Bánh Mì ingredients consist of thinly sliced pickled carrots, diakon, cucumbers, cilantro, chili peppers, pate, mayo and a choice of grilled pork, sausage, ham or chicken on a French baguette, 'Po Boy' style.

Many, many thanks to Ms. Tygrlilies for her curiosity, appetite and tenacity in bringing this MUST HAVE addition to the S365 sandwich mix.

CONGRATULATIONS, WHITNEY MILLER!!!!
Whitney Miller is a 22 year old student from Mississippi. She is the very first MasterChef America winner! Whoooo Hooooooo!! The prize: $250,000 and a cookbook deal. PLUS, she got to cook for Gordon Ramsey!

CONGRATULATIONS, KEVIN SBRAGA!!!!

Kevin Sbraga is a 31 year old New Jersey native and Executive Chef at Rat's Restaurant at The Grounds for Sculpture. Kevin won first prize on Bravo's Top Chef. His prize: $125,000, a feature in Food and Wine Magazine, and a prominent spot at Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado.

Whitney and Kevin won their respective contests by elevating every dish and every ingredient to new levels in excellence and daring. Unfortunately, neither one of them brought a sandwich to the table.

SANDWICH CONTEST WINNERS!!

Every one of S365's Sandwich Contest entries were amazing! Judged on presentation, use of ingredients and uniqueness, each entry possessed the best of these qualities in spades, making it difficult to select just one winner. Therefore, we decided to select the top three sandwiches. Here they are: FIRST PLACE WINNER: $40.00 CSNStores.com Gift Card. Congratulations EGGPLANT TO GO for her "Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad Sandwich" - For recipe and preparation method, visit eggplanttogo.blogspot.com SECOND PLACE WINNER: A Bottle of Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a Jar of Mezzetta Deli-Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini. Congratulations NIVEDITA'S KITCHEN for her "Falafel Sandwich" for recipe and preparation method, visit: niveditaskitchen.blogspot.comTHIRD PLACE WINNER: Ten entry credits into S365's next Giveaway. Congratulations CG from COOKING GALLERY for her "Giant Prawn Tempura Wrap w/Spicy Yoghurt Dressing" for recipe and preparation method, visit cookinggallery.blogspot.com

We want to thank everyone who participated and entered to win this Giveaway. Your sandwiches will be featured in upcoming S365 posts with links to your blogs. Also, you will have five automatic entry credits into S365's next giveaway. We LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

SANDWICH CONTEST SNEAK PEEK!

Here's a sneak peek at competing sandwiches for S365's Sandwich Contest hosted by CSNStores.com.

Send a Link or Email your sandwich to ditokeri@yahoo.com. Contest Ends this Sunday @ 12:00 Noon, Eastern. So you still have time to enter and win a $40.00 Gift Card for use at any online CSNStores.com store. AWESOME!

From THIS IS MY DEPARTMENT - "Chicken Basil Sandwich" contact: Hillary @ - thisismydepartment.blogspot.com in charge of all departments, she's one very busy crafter and creative homemaker with a list of likes and dislikes that's a riot to read. Obviously, no stranger in the kitchen, she has a head full of ideas which, lucky for us, included putting her spin on this fabulous sandwich creation. From ANGIE'S RECIPES, TASTE OF HOME - "Gyro Greek Sandwich" (yee-roh) contact: Angie @ - angiesrecipes.blogspot.com her interactive recipe blog is THE "go-to" place for a well organized, easy, user friendly system of obtaining deliciously different and extraordinarily good dishes and more. Also, be sure to scroll down and see her Food Blog Galley. Angie puts it all at your fingertips. From UNDERCOVER CATERER - "Breakfast Sausage Burger, A Tasty Mistake" contact: Sarah @ - undercovercaterer.com no surprise that she writes for monthly magazine in her home town of Sacramento. This Social Worker by day also stays busy documenting all of her beloved Nana's recipes. Other than that, she grows it, cans it, bakes it, eats it, and enters it to win! From THE LIFE OF A FOODIE AND HER FAMILY - "Dark Chocolate Dreams S'mores" contact: Victoria @ - punkaroonie.blogspot.com - photo from: makelifedelicious.com
From PAM'S MIDWEST KITCHEN KORNER - "Grilled Italian Sausage & Pepper Sandwich" contact: Pam @ - pamsmidwestkitchenkorner.blogspot.com a self proclaimed food addict from Illinois with a passion for music and a weakness for romance novels and cookbooks. Make no mistake, Pam can and does COOK. It's her way of nurturing her family and friends, and she does it with great style and clearly designed recipes. Her blog is one of the most amazing must see's on the web. From COOKING-GALLERY - "Giant Prawn Tempura Wrap w/Spicy Yoghurt Dressing" contact: CG @ - cookinggallery.blogspot.com sharing her personal culinary journal with the world by way of amazing dishes with an Asian flare. Not easy to do when you live in Germany. From Kimchi to Beef Rendang, her stunning photographs and amazing recipes will make you want to follow and keep coming back. From THE LIFE OF A FOODIE AND HER FAMILY - "Muffaletta Sandwich" contact: Lynn @ - punkaroonie.blogspot.com master meal planner and devoted kitchen master. This fearless foodie has so many recipes, she needs a computer program to keep them in order. Following in her footsteps is Ms. Victoria whose S'mores creation is in the running for a win in this contest. From PLATANOS, MANGOES AND ME! - "Chicken Panini - Olive Tapenade Sandwich" contact: Norma @ - platanosmangoesandme.blogspot.com whose blog is in keeping with the old ways of Puerto Rican traditional cooking and inspirations from her childhood in Venezuela, Spain and The Canary Islands. Delicious! From EGGPLANT TO GO - "Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad Sandwich" contact: Intuitive Eggplant @ - eggplanttogo.blogspot.com a true Foodie with her finger on the pulse of the best offerings from Bloggersphere as well as from her home town of Cincinnati. Check her recent posts about the food truck scene and more. From CHEFFIE JO'S BLOG - "Mato Sammich" contact: Cheffie Jo @ - cheffiejo.blogspot.com where food is about more than just eating, Jo is a personal wellness coach who is currently on a mission to find healthy desserts. This "Mato" creation is one of her guilty pleasures. From NIVEDITA'S KITCHEN - "Falafel Sandwich (Indianized)" contact: Nivedita @ - niveditaskitchen.blogspot.com all the way from India, Nivedita is genius at finding substitute ingredients for recipes that call for items not available where she lives. She's been cooking since age seven, and authors two blogs.

HOT DIGGITY DOGS!

The sandwich is a simple concept. That’s what I love most about them. It’s all in the eye of the guy beholding the ingredients that decides a sandwiches simplicity or complexity.

On the other hand, even something as simple as a hot dog can become very complicated when you’re feeding 300 people at a ball game. On that level, you’re running a concession, requiring more than a heating element and a jar of mustard. Now you’re in the realm of professional cookware and to some degree, restaurant equipment.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I took on the concession stand at our local little league park last spring. Walking into the rickety little structure for the first time was enough to make me want to cry out “McDonald's for everyone”. The space was devoid of anything resembling cooking equipment. But by then it was too late, I was committed and had to think fast about how best to pull this one off.
My first impulse for surviving this feat was to head for the Internet. Within about 30 seconds I was searching Wasserstrom Restaurant Supplies website where everything I needed popped up onto my screen, in living color, whew! This was going to be awesome.

Before ordering my supplies, I took a little extra time and shopped each item in my order to compare prices. Professional chefs may not have to be concerned with the price of plastic condiment servers, but I certainly was. To my surprise, I was able to stay within my budget for the event, and have since used the same equipment on numerous occasions.

The menu: Hot Dogs, Polish Sausages, PBJ Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries, Ice Cream Bars and cold drinks.