The Perfect Sandwich

tostitos.jpg I can’t help it.  I really can’t. 

When I go into a grocery store and I put an avocado in my cart, I think “Ohmigoshwhatif someonecomesoverandwantschips too?” And so I go and buy chips.  Two kinds.  Because what if a friend has a craving for blue corn instead of yellow?  G-d forbid I should not have blue corn tortilla chips in the house.  That’s thought one. 

Thought two is more like “hmm, never heard of that before.  Maybe it would add a nice kick to stir-fry.”  And so I put the odd looking, non-English labeled jar into the cart, too.  

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offtcontest 

We’re very happy to announce the WINNERS of One for the Table's first-ever BEST GRILLED CHEESE RECIPE CONTEST. We know we're a bit late with the results, but there were so many great recipes it was hard to choose the winners. In fact, we got so excited about the entries that we added a fourth prize for Best Written.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. And a giant thank you to our amazing sponsor

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Grill on!


 FIRST PLACE: MACKENZIE SMITH

Grilled Mozzerella and Sopressata with Basil Honey & Red Pepper Flake Butter Sandwich

- 1 tablespoon of basil infusgrilledcheesewinnered honey
- Fresh basil leaves and tupelo honey, OF COURSE
- about 4 slices fresh mozzarella
- 2 hearty slices of a Bâtard
- 5 slices of sopressata picante
- 1 tablespoon of red pepper flaked butter

Combine 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes with one tablespoon of real salted butter, MIX.

Coat one side of the bread in basil-honey, add layer using half of the mozz, add sopressata, rest of the mozz and coat one side of the remaining slice of bread with basil honey lay on top of sandwich. Coat both of the outsider sides of bread in red pepper flake butter and grill on medium-low for a few minutes until crispy, golden, and melted. Allow to sit for a minute and serve!

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chickensandwich.jpgHow did chicken sandwiches become so popular in the U.S.? Supply and demand. The emergence of large scale chicken processing companies such as Perdue and Tyson in the 1920’s and 1930’s respectively, helped propel chicken’s popularity in America. With such easy availability, chicken prices decreased, consumption increased, and chicken became a steady part of the American diet.

With many families cooking whole chickens, leftovers became standard lunch fare. Sliced leftover chicken meat became a favorite filling for sandwiches (and was the original filling for the classic club sandwich).

Fast food chicken sandwiches as we know them originated in 1967, when Truett Cathy, founder of the Atlanta based restaurant chain Chick-fil-A, introduced the chicken sandwich -- a perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside breaded boneless breast of chicken served on a toasted buttered bun with dill pickle chips. Whether it's fact or fiction, Cathy claimed that pickles were the only condiment he had on hand, and to his delight, were a big hit with consumers. Other fast food chains quickly followed suit. Then in the late 1980's and early '90's the grilled chicken sandwich emerged as a healthier alternative to the fried original.

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sandwich-cover-550px-300x295I recently gave a studio tour to 40+ photograph students from Long Beach City College. For the past few years I’ve been a proud member of the advisory committee for the photography department, and it tickles me to no end to meet with the students.

This year’s group was particularly bright and full of insight, asking tons of valuable questions that ran the gamut from studio management and self-promotion to the logistics of photographing food. I made sure to have the books we’ve shot on the table for the students to see, and later someone asked me about The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches It was at this point that I admitted, like I always do when people ask, that I actually took one or more bites of every single sandwich from this book.

Yes, you read that right. I tasted every single sandwich. Because this was actually work, I’ve prepared a highly scientific flow chart to show you the studio’s exact process.

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"Whether you’re an avid Grilled Cheese lover or want to whip up something totally indulgent (and worth it) with one of summer’s finest foods—lobster- you'll want to make this amazing recipe courtesy of Iron Chef Marc Forgione. Forgione’s unique twist on the classic grilled cheese makes the perfect mouth-watering meal."

Lobster Grilled Cheese courtesy of Marc Forgione and T-fal

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Ingredients:

For the Chili Lobster:

2 cups Lobster Stock (If you can’t find Lobster Stock, get seafood stock, which should be available at Whole Foods or Fox & Obels)

4 (1 1/2 pound) lobsters, claws removed
1/4 cup Sriracha
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes
6 ounces (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
4 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
8 slices of fontina cheese
4 slices Pullman Loaf or other high-quality thick sliced white bread (1” thick)

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