Peanut-Butter 'N' Bacon Sandwiches (1974) from McCall's Family-Style Cook Book

Happy National Peanut Butter Day! You'd think a Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich would be pretty straightforward. But the folks at McCall's clearly take their sandwiches very seriously.

"The lunch you carry can, and should, be as appealing and satisfying as the lunch you eat at home. And if you pack a lunch for a school child, a calorie-conscious teenager, an office worker, or a husband with a man-size job and a man-size appetite, you'll find our menus and recipes not only nutritious, but highlighted with those little extras that children and grown-ups appreciate. So go ahead — prove that ... you CAN take it with you ..."

Here's a recipe and menu from 'McCall's Family-Style Cook Book' (1974). Click picture for full-size image. — Dan Taylor

RegionAle Sandwich Shop (Ellicott City, MD)

After a nice walk around town and some early Xmas shopping in Ellicott City, my wife mentioned she wanted me to try a sandwich shop she’d been to with a friend. We drove back towards Columbia and ended up at RegionAle in a shopping center just off Snowden River Parkway. The mini-chain—which boasts three locations in the MD/DC area—has a great concept: the founders wanted to “bring a fresh spin to classic American sandwiches” by featuring regional favorites crafted with a modern twist. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a good sandwich, whether it’s the cheesesteaks and hoagies I grew up on as a Delaware Valley native, the massive crab cake sandwiches I’ve been devouring for the past twenty-plus years outside Baltimore, or everything from pulled pork and fried chicken to Cuban and tuna sandwiches that I’ve sampled in our travels. The menu offers about a dozen sandwiches that represent both coasts (California, Oregon, Florida, NY and Philly feature prominently) plus places in between. 

I almost never eat a cheesesteak outside PA/NJ/DE (and the ciabatta roll screamed “foul”) and my crabcake allegiance lies elsewhere, so I settled on the Kentucky (?) Smashburger, featuring an Angus patty cooked to perfection and nestled in a potato bun with the works (Havarti, arugula, tomato, red onion, dill pickle, house sauce). Personally, I’d never thought of Kentucky as home of the smashburger, but it turns out they were invented at a Dairy Cheer burger stand in Ashland, KY (where my wife’s grandparents lived) more than 50 years ago! After considering the cheesesteak, my wife pulled the trigger on the Nashville Hot Chicken (shown) stacked with two juicy, breaded chicken patties, Nashville Hot Sauce, garlic aioli, arugula, and pickle slices on a potato bun. We split a side of homemade Old Bay potato chips, and I was able to order a Cryomancer IPA on tap from Baltimore’s own Nepenthe Brewery. 

Sandwich prices range from $10 to $15 and there’s a selection of soups, vegetarian sandwiches, salads and desserts. Service was friendly and quick (though I did have to wait a bit for my beer), and the location we visited had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely recommended! — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet, which is seeking contributions for its upcoming thirteenth issue. Check out our website for more details or email editor@hungovergourmet.com.

REVIEW: Poe's Sandwich Joint (1710 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA)

Our daughter is getting ready to finish her junior year in high school, which means it’s time to start taking trips to colleges and scope out the campuses where she might be spending a chunk of the near future. It also means we can research and try new places to eat and drink! 

During our recent spring break we decided to take a ride to Philly and look at a few schools, one of which happened to be my alma mater, Drexel University in West Philly. It has been longer than I care to acknowledge since my graduation, and the campus has changed dramatically. The food trucks I subsisted on as a commuter student have been pushed away from the street in front of the main building, replaced with pizza joints, coffee shops, chicken sandwich establishments, and even a Shake Shack. 

Further up the campus towards the University of Pennsylvania, students, faculty and staff can choose from Wawa, Chipotle, more pizza, and a Pret A Manger, which is where we decided to grab a bite and some coffee while we chatted with an old buddy from my days on college radio. We discovered Pret while we were traveling through Europe back in 2017 and I hate to admit I’d rather have one of their baguettes or chicken salad and avocado sandwiches than the hit-or-miss offerings from our nearby Wawas. 

Our travels the next day took us to North Philly and a tour of rival Temple University. The night before our visit I sat down and did some research on eateries around campus. I’m more familiar with spots in the Northern Liberties section, but we wanted to see what Temple’s environs offered, just in case we’d need a good spot when we came up for a visit. 

I whittled our choices down to Oh Brother (burgers and sandwiches with a variety of gourmet cheesesteaks), Luna Café (featuring breakfast and lunch), and Poe’s Sandwich Joint (a, well, sandwich joint located inside Human Robot Brewery at 1710 N. 5th Street). After much deliberation and reading the menu offerings from each, we decided we would be gently rapping on Poe’s door. 

After a soggy college tour in the spring break rain, we hopped in the car and headed back towards Center City. The dreary day certainly didn’t do much to improve the area’s ambiance, and Human Robot is just the sort of dark bar where you could have found me during my college years; though back then I preferred 25 cent Meister Brau drafts and bottles of Yuengling lager/porter/black & tan to a $7 hazy IPA that reminded me a great deal of the Ship Bottom Brewing Hop & Hazy IPA I’m sipping as I type this. 

The small kitchen is tucked down the brewery’s hallway, with only a small sign to let hungry patrons know it’s there. Manned by a few cooks, the brightly lit kitchen cranked out a healthy number of eat-in and take-out orders while we were there. The cooks suggested ordering from the online app since there were “eight or nine” new sandwiches not on the printed menus. 

Our previous night’s research paid off and we ended up ordering exactly what we’d zeroed in on: Gabbygool (chicken cutlet, hand pulled fresh mozzarella, hot “gabagool” capicola, roasted red bell peppers and arugula with house lemon pepper mayo, balsamic glaze and red pepper flakes); Seoulgirl (Korean fried chicken topped with homemade kimchi slaw, drizzled honey, spicy gochujang aioli and cilantro); Hamilton (chicken cutlet, bacon, hand-cut fries, Cooper sharp, house ranch dressing, scallions); and, Skinny Joey Fries (hand cut French Fries, extra sharp provolone, Italian style roast pork, sautéed broccoli rabe and roasted long hots topped with house horseradish mayo, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes). 

Each sandwich featured a great bread-to-filling ratio with the nice chew that Philly/NJ-baked rolls are so renowned for, and I now demand that ALL fries be topped with roast pork, provolone, and horseradish mayo. Best Fries Ever. Nobody finished more than half of their hefty lunch selection, which meant we also had dinner for the dreary evening ahead. We packed up our sandwiches (and fries) and dashed to the car for another white-knuckle drive through torrential rains back to the shore, the smell of our leftovers filling the cab for the next 90 minutes. 

A few hours later we popped everything into the oven at a low temperature and gathered around the counter for round two. Not only did the sandwiches hold up as leftovers, but I was kinda jealous of the Seoulgirl (Chris’ selection); the kick of the gochujang and the crunch of the kimchi really added texture and heat to the fried chicken. 

We might have to schedule a return trip just so I can get my hands on another one. 

And the Best Fries Ever. — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet, which is back in print after (checks notes) 15 years! Visit our website to order our current issue and see how you can contribute to our next issue.

Fried Chicken Sandwich at Spruce Street Harbor Park

First visit to Philly's Spruce Street Harbor Park​ last night and I have to say I was smitten.

A fun, relaxing waterfront food and drink court complete with ping pong, bocce and an arcade. Perfect spot to meet old friends (and I do mean old... my buddy Chris and I have known each other since 1st Grade), hang out and chit chat before seeing the one and only Butch Walker​ at the TLA.

Excellent chicken sandwich from Port Fednuts (the park location for local hotspot Federal Donuts), too.

When I told Ryan what was on it – fried chicken, spicy mayo, melted cheese and pickles on a Martin's potato roll – she said they should just "call it The Dan".

Thanks for a great night, Philly!

National Sandwich Day Brings THG Out of Self-Imposed Exile!

It wasn't until the other day, when somebody mentioned the paucity of posts at THG lately, that I took a look to see when my last post... holy shittake! August 1?!

Well, unlike previous years when long breaks were for something boring like work, this year's self-imposed exile can at least partially be blamed on publishing a magazine. Just not the one you were hoping I'd say.

Yes, sister publication Exploitation Retrospect issue 53 (!) debuted this fall and I've been busy promoting that, filling orders, co-hosting a mangled media podcast and doing all that goes along with being a self-publishing mogul. In addition to my 9-to-5 (or more like 5-to-2) job and Ryan wrangling, of course.

But anyway, when Friend of THG Dara Bunjon of Dara Does It (which is a food marketing and pr biz, get your head out of the gutter) mentioned that today was National Sandwich Day, well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to list – in no particular order – The Hungover Gourmet's Top 10 Sandwiches.

1. Roast Pork with Provolone and Sauteed Greens (from Dinic's in Reading Terminal Market)
2. Egg Salad
3. Cold Meatloaf
4. Reuben
5. Monte Cristo
6. Bologna
7. Tuna
8. Roast Beef (Hot or Cold)
9. Shrimp Salad
10. Oyster Po' Boy (from Mama's On the Half Shell in Baltimore)

Update! Overlooked Honorable Mentions... Pulled Pork, Corned Beef, Chicken Salad with Bacon on Rye (the "New Dan" at Wawa), Grilled Cheese, Scrambled Egg and/or Pepper & Egg, Fish Sammich... I could go on all day!

What's your favorite sandwich? Comment below to be entered into a random drawing for The Collected Hungover Gourmet featuring all 11 past issues.

TAKE OUT TUESDAY: The Maine Course

Lobster Roll

Our family spends a lot of time on Long Beach Island (LBI), NJ, especially during the glorious summer months. My wife spent most of her life there and I've been a faithful visitor since my buddy and I started heading there on Saturday afternoons after our weekly, intrusive swim meets were over. It usually takes about a day of running on its flat roads, soaking in the sun and sea air, and playing in the surf with my daughter for me to ponder selling everything we own and moving lock, stock and barrel to this 18-mile barrier island.

And after last fall's destructive visit from Super Storm Sandy I wasn't sure what would be left or re-opened once the summer rolled around. But LBI, like many other shore resorts, has been true to the "Restore the Shore" slogan. A far cry from the debris-strewn scene that greeted me as I drove over the causeway the first time after Sandy, favorites like Howard's Restaurant, Fantasy Island, Crust & Crumb Bakery, Marvel's and the trusty Wawa up the street have all returned in full force.

One place I figured might have been lost forever was The Maine Course, a seafood take-out joint that had opened up on the Boulevard a year or so ago. I'm a sucker for a lobster roll but I never got around to trying it last summer after I read about it in one of the local papers.

Despite fearing the worst, I was pleasantly surprised when someone informed me that while their original location had taken a beating due to Sandy, The Maine Course had relocated to Schooner's Wharf at Bay Village and was open for business.

So, on a recent Friday night with no desire to either cook or stand in a long line at a restaurant, we decided to give The Maine Course a try and see if it was worth adding to our list of nearby take-out.

If you're going to order from a place called The Maine Course – which bills itself as "Seafood New England Style with a Boardwalk Twist" – you had better try their Lobster Roll ($13.99 or $17.99 for the "Jumbo" version), which is served warm or cold on a New England-style, split top frankfurter roll. While I'm a fan of the cold style, my wife – for whom anything below 75 degrees is considered fleece weather – went with the warm version. I had a hunk and thought the salad was pretty tasty and appeared to be heavy on the lobster. I like a little more mayo with mine and the toasted roll probably suffered from the car ride, but a solid offering and not something you see at a lot of other area take-out joints.

We also sampled the Crabcake Sandwich ($10.99) and it was given the thumbs up, though not on par with some of our other LBI favorites in that category. The Sweet Potato Fries were a hit – thick and crinkle cut – and available for a $1 upcharge over the traditional french fries that come with all meals and sandwiches.

Fish N Chips

Being in a fish and chips mood I went with, well, the "Fish N Chips" meal ($14.99) which was pleasantly surprising. I was expecting the typical catcher's mitt-sized slab of fish caked in beer batter that tends to slide off after the first bite (and, honestly, would have been totally happy with that). What I got instead was like a kicked-up version of a fish stick, with thick, firm cod (?) in a textured coating that was more in the breadcrumb/panko family. Again, not what I was expecting but tasty and perfectly cooked with firm but moist fish dominating. My only disappointment? I asked for extra tartar sauce (preferably in the range of a vat or trough) and only got one measly container.

Appetizers were more hit or miss than the solid, albeit unspectacular, entrees. An order of Fried Green Tomatoes ($7.99) were mushy and devoid of any crunch from the coating but that again can probably be attributed to being transported a mile-and-a-half.

Fried Green Tomatoes (top)
and Cheeseteak Dumplings

The Cheesesteak Dumplings ($9.99 for an order of five) were far more polarizing, with two of us rating them the highlight of the meal while my wife thought they were terrible. I thought the filling actually tasted like a real cheesesteak – no small feat – but for $10 could probably just swing by Panzone's and grab an actual cheesesteak... or two. Still, I would have wolfed down about ten more.

I was glad to see that The Maine Course was able to relocate after the storm and a recent walk by on a gloomy Saturday showed a brisk business at their new location. Though it won't supplant any of our other take-out spots it's certainly a new addition to the list and I'm intrigued enough to give it another try next time I'm down by Bay Village.

The Maine Course is located at Schooner's Wharf, 325 9th Street in Beach Haven, NJ... 609-492-2328.

2013 Means Getting Out of My Recipe Comfort Zone

I tend to not make a lot of resolutions and empty promises when the new year rolls around.

I don't smoke or use drugs so I can't quit them. And since I don't live somewhere that sports gambling is legal all my activity in that area is limited to on-line games and friendly wagers.

I eat fairly healthy and though I do have the occasional indulgence in fast food or something crappy I also work out and run regularly.

But as I sat and thought about what I wanted to do for or improve about myself in 2013 it all came back to cooking. And eating.

I'll be the first to admit that I get into ruts. Big ones with both eating and cooking. In 2012, I probably ate five three different things for breakfast on 99% of the days:

1. Light English Muffin with peanut butter and fruit
2. Greek Yogurt with granola
3. An egg dish (scrambled, fried or poached) and even that was usually relegated to weekends

And while I can sit back and joke about how my Mom only made five or six dishes when I was growing up, I fear I'm in danger of becoming a six-trick pony when it comes to the kitchen:

1. Roast Chicken
2. Balsamic Chicken Breasts
3. Pork Chops with Country Gravy
4. Tilapia (either with capers and lemon or with pineapple basil sauce)
5. Shrimp & Grits
6. Roast Pork

The change in the calendar presented the perfect opportunity for me to break out of my culinary comfort zone and make some new recipes, try some new restaurants, sample a food I'd normally pass on. 

In other words, don't be afraid to fail.

My first foray into a new recipe wasn't anything too exciting but it certainly got the effort off to a good start. 

These Turkey, Brie and Apple Sandwiches were a great way to use some leftover turkey from our New Year's Day dinner and the only real modification I made was subbing in arugula for the watercress that was called for in the original recipe.

So stay tuned. Hopefully, I'll be posting about more recipe successes than failures!

What are your culinary resolutions for 2013? Tell us in the comments section...