"Tell the cook of this restaurant with my compliments that these are the very worst sandwiches in the whole world, and that, when I ask for a watercress sandwich, I do not mean a loaf with a field in the middle of it." - Oscar Wilde
Banging, clanging, banter, and laughter...
The sounds carrying down the hall...
Followed by the brilliant aroma of something cooking.
I awake to sounds and smells, confused by the darkness.
I roll out of bed and tip toe down the hall...
Sleep maintains its grip on me, is this a dream?
The sizzles reverberate like an echo from an amp set to 11...
The laughter, louder and louder as the hallway ends.
I round the corner and peek...
"Hey kiddo, want a bite?"
What a fond and familiar scene, my dad and his younger brother, my Uncle Gary...Laughing and eating at the table in the middle of the night. Masters of the midnight snack with laughter so contagious, if only it could be packaged & sold. Yes! I want a bite and how I long to awaken once again to those two in the middle of the night.
How pivotal was that midnight bite in the course of my life I really don't know. That was more than four decades ago but that might have been the start of it all. It was crunchy, it was messy, it was spicy, and it was absolutely delicious. It might have been the best thing I had eaten in my short life at that time. Was it simply that all things taste better late at night? Or was it the fact that my dad had mastered the craft? Which craft do you ask? The art 'wichcraft.
In the spirit of full disclosure, similar events have taken place multiple times. So, the exact sandwich of this night escapes me but I can say this... EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!
The lightly toasted bread had the perfect crunch and provided stability for its precious cargo. A light coating of mayo & mustard to compliment the meat, perfectly fried bologna. That alone might have proved enough for most, but not for my dad. No, there were crisp dill pickle slices, a thin slice of cheese, slightly melted and...a fried egg?! OH MY! Served on a little plate with potato chips and a bottle of hot sauce. It. Was. On
There are three vivid food memories I have from childhood, this being one. One of the others also involved my dad - he would make me soft boiled eggs for breakfast and serve them in what I thought were little candle holders. He would crack the top off and give me butter, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce - yum! The other was eating lunch at My Aunt Doris's home in Berkley, CA (my great, great aunt might I add). She made the most amazing cheesy, open faced sandwiches...yes sandwiches again… They were simply amazing. One visit she let me help her and I learned how to make them. They weren't the first thing I learned to make, scrambled eggs were, but sandwiches became my "thing" - my first "thing" that I can recall. They became a favorite midnight snack over the years; a real treat was making a sandwich inspired by one of these memories.
Starting to see a theme? Sandwiches, eggs, and hot sauce? I’ll dive deeper later but for now it is all about sandwiches. They are one the simplest yet most complex forms of food. I know what you're thinking, just hear me out. Anyone can make a sandwich right? Right. Everyone can make a sandwich, but not everyone can make a good sandwich. In my experience, very few can make a perfect sandwich, and there is nothing worse than a bad sandwich. There is simply no excuse for a bad sandwich!
I learned quite a few things from my dad over the years. One of the most important is that laughter is the best medicine. My Dad and Uncle Gary sure knew how to have a good laugh. Boy, was it contagious! Another related to my theme here is that hot sauce elevates just about any meal. And of course, a fried egg makes just about anything better, especially left overs.
The making of a perfect sandwich is truly an art: the art of 'WichCraft. My dad mastered that art and passed it on to me. Stay tuned for more on my love of sandwiches, cooking, eggs, and hot sauce in this multi-part series. But, first, I will take you on a little journey into the history of sandwiches.
Talk Soon,
Kevin
@coldfire_kev
@coldfire.coffee
@coldfire_hotsauce
kevin@coldfirecoffee.com
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