REVIEW: ALDI Bremer's Frozen Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Okay, I was skeptical. Frozen grilled cheese sandwiches? How lazy am I? So it turns out that on a dreary football Sunday with nothing in the fridge that appeals to me I can be pretty lazy. 

These are an ALDI Find so once they show up at your local store there's no telling how long they'll last. And once they're gone, well, better luck next time. (If there is a "next time.") 

Prep is simple. Remove plastic (duh), microwave, and pop in the toaster. The result is a tasty, perfectly acceptable grilled cheese sandwich in a quarter of the time it'd take you to make one and with no muss, no fuss. 

I'm not gonna lie. I might pick up another box. (B+) — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. He is a proponent of mayo on the outside of his homemade grilled cheese sandwiches.

Happy National Nachos Day!

It’s crunchy, it’s cheesy, it’s National Nachos Day! 

As legend tells it, nachos were invented in 1943 by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya when a group of hungry military wives showed up at the Victory Club after hours. Spying some freshly fried corn tortillas, Anaya cut them into triangles, heaped on some cheese and jalapeños, and heated the simple dish. The original recipe for the snack was published in a 1954 cookbook, but it wasn’t until Frank Liberto introduced “ballpark nachos” at Arlington Stadium in the 1970s that the dish caught on as a national phenomenon. 

In 2024, the nacho market in the United States clocked in at $1.7 billion, with a projected market size by 2034 of $3.09 billion, driven by innovative product offerings and changing consumer preferences. 

What are your favorite nacho toppings? — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet and he prefers cheese, pico, avocado, sour cream, and ground beef on his nachos.

Happy Birthday, Chef Tell!

Before Guy Fieri had frosted tips. Before Gordon Ramsay threw his first Beef Wellington. There was Chef Tell. 

Today we raise our whisks to Friedman Paul Erhardt, better known as Chef Tell. Born on this day in 1943, Tell—nicknamed as such due to playing William Tell in a school production—made his television debut on the Philadelphia-based game show “Dialing for Dollars” (I know my Philly peeps remember that one). Working as chef at the Marriott Hotel on City Line Avenue at the time, Tell parlayed the appearance into a cooking segment on the syndicated “PM Magazine” and “In the Kitchen with Chef Tell” on PBS, among others. 

Famous for his thick accent, catchphrases and “very quick” recipes, Tell is rumored to be the inspiration for the Swedish Chef of Muppet fame, though the creators deny it. Erhardt passed away on October 26, 2007, days short of his 64th birthday. Happy birthday, Chef Tell! Your legacy lives on in every flamboyant flourish, celebrity chef, and dramatic garnish.

Check out Chef Tell at work in this video. — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. He grew up watching Chef Tell on local and syndicated shows, and frequently drove by his restaurant in Upper Black Eddy, PA.

Happy 152nd Anniversary to the Meat Slicer!

Today we salute the unsung hero of sandwich perfection—the meat slicer! 

 

On this date in 1873, Anthony Iske of Lancaster, PA (aka "The Edison of Lancaster") received patent number 144,206 for improvements in machines for slicing dried beef. The hand-operated design featured a mounted mandolin-like slicer with a platform for holding the meat in place. The device could be adjusted to create thick or thin slices. 

So next time you're biting into that perfectly layered turkey sandwich or savoring a salami-stacked Italian hoagie, give a little nod to the Pennsylvania inventor who made it all possible.

Happy Birthday to Sandwich Creator John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich

Sandy says "Happy Birthday" to John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich. Born on this day in 1718 (or maybe November 13), Montague is credited with inventing the sandwich because he needed a quick meal that would not interfere with his gambling. In addition, the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) were named for Montague by Captain Cook. 

What's your favorite sandwich? — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. His favorite sandwiches include Roast Beef & Swiss, Turkey & American,  Grilled Cheese, Tuna, Egg Salad, and Liverwurst.

The Fill 'Er Up (Parkton, MD)

As someone who grew up in The Land of Diners (aka New Jersey), I have long bemoaned the dearth of decent cheap breakfast and late night eats here in the Baltimore area. The two closest to our home are flat out terrible, and shall remain nameless. The Bel-Loc Diner closed back in 2017, only to replaced by a Starbucks, and Baltimore's 24/7 landmark The Sip & Bite is only open from 7-3 most days (and is a bit of a haul for some runny eggs and toast).

But is it possible that the best diner in the Baltimore area is at a gas station near the Pennsylvania border?

In search of some pre-golf eats on a beautiful mid-October morning, we zeroed in on The Fill 'Er Up (21307 York Road, Parkton, MD), a gas station and convenience store that offers everything from coffee, soda, chewing gum, snack chips, lottery tickets, and jerky to a home cooked meal brought to one of the tables that dot the store's floorspace.

There were pre-made homemade sandwiches available for those in a rush (egg and cheese with a variety of breakfast meats, alas no pork roll), but we had time to kill before our tee time and besides, wanted to soak in the ambience.

We ordered our food (eggs over easy with sausage and grilled hash browns, mushroom and steak omelette), grabbed coffees and took seats in a small dining area. A group of middle-aged guys who looked like regulars took up another table and we enjoyed FOX's breathless coverage of the upcoming 'No Kings' rallies as we waited for our grub.

Big plates followed featuring perfectly cooked eggs, lightly spiced pork sausage, and hash browns with nice crunchy burnt bits of potato and onions mixed in, alongside a mound of buttered toast. My friend's omelette was large and stuffed to the gills, leading to a debate about the best steak to use when making cheesesteaks. (The answer, of course, is rib eye.)

Everything ran less than $10 per plate and filled us so much we eschewed the traditional "hot dog at the turn" during our round at nearby Greystone. Add in a super-friendly staff and an inviting menu board filled with specials (I almost wanted to come back for the meatloaf dinner) and I can see why The Fill 'Er Up has earned the glowing reviews from faithful regulars and newbies like me. — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet and can't wait to try The Fill 'Er Up's famous cream of crab soup.

Lighthouse Bistro (Annapolis, MD)

This was our second visit to this small, bustling restaurant located off Annapolis’ busy main drag. With the Eagles getting bumped off local tv and assuming the Ravens would get slaughtered by Houston (44-10, how prescient!), we decided to drive down and meet friends on a warm, October afternoon. 

Without fail the first beer I ordered was no longer available, so I settled for a crisp, light Delco Amber Lager. (This happens so often that it has become a running joke with my wife and me.) An appetizer of Crab Dip with a Kick ($20) arrived with crisp house-fried tortillas sturdy enough to hold the creamy, crab-filled, jalapeno-spiced dip (garnished with bonus fried jalapeno slices), and the plentiful lumps of crab justified the price. 

Though I was initially drawn to the Meatloaf Hash, I’d already had breakfast and went for a half-pound burger topped with Swiss cheese, mushrooms and onions ($18). The meat was a little bland and the whole thing was in desperate need of a sturdier bun (classic Maryland), but it was juicy, filling and accompanied by a bounty of delicious skin-on fries that my wife and I couldn’t finish.

However, I’d like to suggest to restaurants that if it’s late-summer/early-fall and you no longer have access to local tomatoes, you can skip the anemic, industrial adornments to my burger. It’s just sad after eating so many juicy, delicious, garden-fresh slices for the last few months. Quibbles aside, the rest of the group enjoyed the Pulled Chicken Salad, Bistro Club, and Eggs Benedict with pork over biscuits. 

In addition to the good food, friendly staff and lively atmosphere, Lighthouse Bistro gets high marks for a mission focused on providing hands-on training, job experience, and living-wage employment to individuals facing barriers to work, especially those transitioning out of homelessness. –
Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. Stay tuned to this blog and our website for details about the upcoming issue 13.