Re: Re: You replied 10 minutes after I posted?
 

I am only too happy to oblige. The light conditions were quite poor, which makes it look somewhat unappetizing. Don't let this fool you - that sandwich is one of the best I've ever had.

(2 postings, to attach two files)

X.

Re: Re: Re: You replied 10 minutes after I posted?
 

Ingredients:
grilled with onions, peppers, melted provolone cheese, on a grilled sub roll, topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, oil/vinegar, spices, mayonnaise.

Opened up:

*Sycamore puts the photos into Paperport, lightens them up, and magnifies them*

Hmmm...it looks like a layer or layers of meat. South Philadelphia style. With the lettuce and tomato, we would call that a "cheesesteak hoagie."

Yeah, right off, if they're not calling this a cheesesteak hoagie, if they're just calling it a "cheesesteak" or "philly cheesesteak", that's points deducted. There is no lettuce, tomato, ungrilled onion on a cheesesteak. Sorry, Syc, there isn't any mayo either. Ketchup may be put on by the eater if they lack basic class. (Which they probably do; that's part of the whole thing.)

They do get points for having found a roll that looks worthy. Grilling the roll is sorta questionable imo, and the way they did it, it looks like it found a grill with some open flames or something. See, what's supposed to happen is that the roll should be opened and laid on top of the grilling meat and cheese, at the last minute, to soak up some of the heat and the flavory goodness.

The meat looks like it hasn't been chopped at all which is the S.Philly style. That's not my preference but it may improve this particular combination.

Good work by you, X, for going the extra mile. Whatever they call it, it does look good.

There's mayo on there. You can see it next to the tomato.

Generally, I would never think of using ketchup with chicken, but on a chicken cheesesteak...*drools*

I prefer the chopped up style as well. The best chopping I've ever seen is at Jimmy's on Ridge Ave. in Roxborough.

What I meant to say is, there isn't any mayo on a real cheesesteak. Not that I wouldn't rule it out for my own personal sandwich. (This month I would though, I'm losing weight)

Really? I'm showing my rookieness on the subject then...but I *do* love mayo. ;)

When I become rich and famous in a few years (ha!), one of the things I am going to invest in is a cheesesteak franchising operation. Rolls will be flown in from Philadelphia weekly, if not daily. I'll even hire real Philadelphians to work in them ("Hey! Youse guys see that Iggles game Sunday?").

I think I would open my first shop in Chicago...maybe on W. 63rd near Midway. I don't know if north Chicagoans would truly appreciate such a sandwich.

Then I would open up one in St. Louis...probably on South Grand. It would add to the mix of unique cuisines there. On second thought, maybe on the Italian Hill...it would fit in better there...and I could give Southwest Market a run for their money.

I'd probably move on to Baltimore next...Highlandtown area (HB, you interested?). Then Queens, Cleveland, etc. The restaurants would have to be in "high-character" areas. :)

Ketchup can be used as a *emergency* substitute for proper tomato sauce, as might be used on a pizza. Some might argue that the result would constitute a pizzasteak; I won't quibble.

But ketchup really has too much sugar in it; cheesesteak. sauce should be spicy, not sweet. And mayo is right out. If you're lusting for mayo while eating a cheesesteak, it's not greasy enough. Oops...I mean, it lacks "flavory goodness". :-)

Heh. It's funny that you read it wrong, but I still read it right. I guess it goes back to whether or not you've been made stupid by your addiction to cigarettes. (it was a JOKE! think tw's post! yeesh!) :)

As far as shops - you farthead. Open one in Fairfax! Everyone around here appreciates good food - witness Busara, etc. Plus, there's be a lot of people around here. If not Fairfax, at least like DC. Baltimore should come after some place that's closer to me. I still haven't had a philly cheesesteak!

However, it's worth nothing that the guy that used to be downstairs (he got fired) did 'em like that - cheese, onions, peppers, steak, bun stuck on at the last minute... I liked it. Definitely very tasty.

Okay... we've settled the mayonnaise question. But, while we're on the subject of cheesesteak ingredients, let's settle this one once and for all:

Cheez Wiz: Culinary Abomination? Or Nectar of the Gods?

Let's get quibbling!

Baltimore--you have to go to Highlandtown...along Eastern Ave. on the east side of the city. It just screams character.

Fairfax--absolutely not. Not enough character. Except for you.

Washington--hmmm...maybe...over in Brookland, near Catholic University.

I say nay...good for cheese sandwiches, not good for cheesesteaks. Pat's uses it by default. I think Geno's does too. I prefer Provolone or White American.

Agreed. This is another problem with the original downtown steaks. Whiz is an abomination and perhaps the only way to really make a cheesesteak more unhealthy. I'm sure they do it to save money.

Jim's offers Wiz as an option... and boy, you'd better know what you want when you get to the head of the line, or you'll face the wrath of the guy behind the grill.

I'm a provolone kind of guy, myself. But sometimes... sometimes... Cheez Wiz scratches the itch in a way that nothing else can!

Ah, all about character.

Well damn. What kind of character? What about boring, rich people character? That's some kind of character, isn't it? :)

Actually, I was thinking it would be cool to buy an area of land and put a couple awesome restaurants on it - some Thai/Japanese, some Mexican, some good Italian and something else. Really nice places - all trendy looking and shit. One could probably make a decent buck if they had the area right, 'cause it would be in an environment that people wanted to be in - it'd have "character", if you will. However, I think the problem would be...

traffic. People always want to go to places that have character. Except that the traffic is bad. So they settle for McDonalds. So maybe people wouldn't go to my place that has character. :(