Day #82, Kyle and Kenzie's Special Treat

I'm going to warn you- this breakfast is pretty much a dessert. Which most people like, but of course I'm not the biggest fan of sweets in the morning.

The Kyle and Kenzie's is made with two slices of Zingerman's challah bread, served french toast style, and filled with sweetened cream cheese and fresh strawberries. It's topped with candied pecans, and served with 100% pure maple syrup.

This breakfast entree is named after Chef Jody's kids, Kyle and MacKenzie. When they were younger she would make this for their breakfast, as a "special treat". It's a popular breakfast item, especially for those who have a sweet tooth in the morning!

I thought the Kyle and Kenzie's to be very, very good. Very sweet for breakfast, in my opinion, but I can definitely see why many people order it. The sugar berries are always amazing, and the sweetened cream cheese filling was what really made this breakfast awesome. So, if you are craving a breakfast on the sweeter side, give this one a try. Chef Jody's creations always amaze!

Day #81, #41 Joyce and All the Holy Angels

The #41 is made with rare roast beef, American Spoon portobello mushroom relish, and boursin cheese on grilled Zingerman's French Farm bread.

I've learned that I don't mind roast beef. I still prefer chicken or turkey, but if those aren't options then I think I would opt for roast beef. It's not greasy, and actually has really good flavor to it, although I do prefer to eat it warm rather than cold. So I was a little excited about this sandwich, knowing right off the bat that I probably would not hate it.

The mushroom relish and boursin cheese make an interesting, yet pretty good combination. I love boursin cheese now, but I had never even heard of it before working at the Laundry. Boursin is made from cow's milk, cream, garlic, salt, white pepper, parsley, and chives.

The American Spoon portobello mushroom relish was also a pleasant surprise. It's a blend of roasted portobello mushrooms, shiitakes, and cepes. It is also made with white wine and white wine vinegar, so it does of course have a vinegar taste to it. The mushrooms relish, boursin, and roast bee compliment each other very well.

This sandwich was named after Mark's aunt, Joyce Hamel. I'm not certain of the whole story behind the name, but I will post it when I do.

Try this sandwich! I think it's the one that changed my mind about roast beef. :)

Day #80, The Laundry Artichoke Dip

I'm amazed that I have only two more items left on the dinner menu- the artichoke dip, and charcuterie plate!

Today I'm enjoying the artichoke dip, which I am always a fan of. Many restaurants have some type of spinach and artichoke dip that they offer as a appetizer. I usually order that for an appetizer when dining out, so I've had it at many restaurants.

The laundry's is different that most others that I have had before. The first time I had it, I couldn't really place the flavor that was different...and then realized..Gorgonzola cheese. For a blue cheese, I find Gorgonzola to be very mild and manageable. I think by now everyone knows that I don't like blue cheese. However I do find the addition of Gorgonzola cheese very easy to enjoy because it is not too strong of a blue cheese flavor.

The Laundry artichoke dip is made with fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, sauteed mushrooms, French brie, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Gorgonzola cheese. It is baked until golden and served with Zingerman's French Baguette.

It's a very popular appetizer and I think most people like it for the same reasons that I do- it's a different twist on an appetizer that we are all familiar with. I also love the addition of mushrooms to the dip, but that's just because I love mushrooms in anything!

I would recommend this dish to anyone as an appetizer. If I like it, I know you will as well!

Day #79, #40 Floydian Slip

The #40 is by far one of our most popular sandwiches. It's made with raspberry jam, Zingerman's natural cream cheese, home made chicken salad, red onion and lettuce on a whole wheat wrap. 

The name from the sandwich comes from one of the very first line cooks that worked at the Laundry, named Floyd. The name Floydian Slip comes from a play on "the Freudian slip". Which is an error in speech, memory, or physical action that is interpreted as occurring due to the interference of some unconscious wish, conflict, or train of thought. 

For example: She: "What would you like, bread and butter, or cake?" He: "Bed and butter."

This sandwich is incredibly popular, and it's easy to see why. Everyone loves our chicken salad, and that in combination with the cream cheese, fresh locally made jam, and crunchy lettuce and onion make it a very enjoyable decision. Very recently we switched from American Spoon Jam products to a locally made alternative jam, which is by far better in my opinion! Zingerman's natural cream cheese is something that took me awhile to get used to, mostly because it is so much softer than regular cream cheese. If you compare the ingredients in the two types of cream cheese you will see that Zingerman's is a much better choice- it is naturally made after all!

I really enjoy this sandwich, and I think it's one that everyone should try at least once! So if you haven't tried this sandwich yet, you must. It's one that I will definitely order again and again in the future!

Day #78, Appetizer- Olive Oils

An olive oil appetizer was the first appetizer that I ever ordered from the laundry- and I was so impressed by it. Our server suggested the O orange olive oil to try, and it was absolutely amazing. Our olive oil appetizer is served with Zingerman's Paesano bread, which is the perfect bread for dipping! It's the most popular bread sold by Zingerman's. It's a very moist, holey bread. The holes are signature of this loaf, which is the traditional bread of Puglia (the region in the heel of Italy’s boot).
We do however, carry a large selection of oils, and it would take some time to try them all. I have, however, taken the time to do so- so that I can fill you all in with some of my favorites, and maybe you will request a certain oil the next time you dine with us.

-Albereto- Vibrant green color, full flavored, aromatic, fruity/peppery aftertaste.
-Ceppo Anitco- golden clear yellow, gentle floral nose. Delicate, sweet and smooth, faint taste of almond.
-Laudemio-Green, fruity, and sophisticated. Fresh aroma with hints or artichoke and pepper.
-Olio Verde-Medium green but dense hued, notable vegetal nose. Intense, rich flavor. Fresh green grass ans green olives.
-Titone-Light yellow-green and transparent. Green olive nose, mild, with pleasant rounded olive flavors and leafy green notes.
-A L'oliver- Light, peppery taste, good olive flavor that lingers.
-Castelas- Crisp and fresh with hints or artichoke and almonds.
-L'Estornell- Gold with hints of green. Fruity, touch of spice and freshness.
-Tenuta del Numerouno- Naturally rich and fruity. One of the mildest unfiltered Tuscan oils, and is prized for its complexity.
-O Meyer Lemon- Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. Great citrus flavor.
-O Lime- Exotic Thaitian limes crushed with fresh California olives. Healthy, bright, crisp.
-O Orange- Organic Moro blood oranges crushed together with fresh California olives. Made by hand in small batches with a delicate hint of fresh raspberries.
-Capezzana-Green color, fresh, zingy, olive aroma with a light, smooth texture. Long finish with a balance of fruity and bitter olive flavor.

My favorite olive oils that we carry are the O olive oil brand. The citrus flavors are absolutely amazing with the oil, and make for a very unique, but great appetizer! We also sell all of our olive oils retail if you would like to take them home with you to enjoy!

You can also visit http://www.lunchandbeyond.com/OliveOil.pdf to read more about our olive oils and olive oil production!

Day #77, Oysters Rockefeller

Going into this appetizer I realized that I have never tried oysters before. It just didn't sound like something I would like. Our oyster appetizer is a little less intimidating because the oysters are cooked, and topped with spinach, onion, bacon and Pernod mixture, and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. It made me a little less nervous because they aren't raw, the way oysters can be often served.

Oysters Rockefeller was created at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine's. The dish was named Oysters Rockefeller after John D. Rockefeller, the richest American at the time, for the richness of the sauce. We use Pernod in the sauce, which is the brand name for an anise flavored liqueur, called a pastis.

So what did I think? I loved the topping. It was cheesy and very flavorful. It made trying oysters so much better than I had expected. The oyster itself was not horrible, almost okay in my book as far as seafood goes. The only thing that bothered me was texture, but I guess that might be better for me the next time I try oysters- I'll know what to expect then.

Day #76, #38 Tiffany "Fweef" Salcini

I was so nervous about trying this sandwich!

The #38, or Tiffany "Fweef" Salcini is made with warm pastrami, red onion, scallion cream cheese, jalapeno peppers, and honey mustard on grilled Zingerman's pumpernickel bread.

Jon Foley, our bar manager, shared it with me when I finally decided that I was up for the challenge. It's one of his favorite sandwiches, along with the #13, which he also split with me. Apparently he is a huge fan of pastrami.

Pastrami is a popular delicatessen meat usually made from beef, and, like corned beef, originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration. For pastrami, the raw meat is brined, partly dried, seasoned with various herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. I thought it was very interesting to learn the difference between corned beef and pastrami, and now I can explain that to guests! :)

The #38 is named after a past manager of the laundry named Tiffany Salcini. Her nickname was "fweef", but no one working here now really remembers why she was called that. If you know, let us know! Tiffany also has the #36, Miss Smiles' Rainy Day Tuna named after her as well.

This sandwich wasn't so bad after all, but I think the fact the I'm not a pastrami person makes my opinion very biased. It has good flavor from the pastrami, and a little kick from the jalapenos, but that of course is calmed down just enough by the scallion cream cheese. Others are huge fans of this sandwich, but it's going to take a little more time for me to be comfortable eating pastrami....but hopefully I'm getting there!

Day #75, #37 Peeping Chicken

Today's lunch was the #37 Peeping Chicken. It was actually one of the very first sandwiches that I tried when I first started working at the Laundry.

I like it because it's made with grilled chicken, hummus and honey mustard, which are some of my most favorite items for a sandwich. It also has roasted red peppers, onions, fresh spinach and cucumbers, made on grilled Zingerman's whole wheat bread.

By now, nothing about this sandwich could make me nervous. I'm still not a huge fan of onions but the other ingredients hid them pretty well for me. I really like our honey mustard, it's called Honeycup Honey Mustard, and it's made with brown sugar, mustard flour, honey and spicy. It's sweet but has a very distinctive bite to it. If you want to try it at home we also sell it retail.

I think I had this sandwich on the perfect day- it was probably about 90 degrees, but this sandwich seemed light enough for that kind of heat. I loved the honey mustard and hummus combo as well, and that went great with the chicken and vegetables on the sandwich. I enjoyed this sandwich very much, I think it is unique, and great for those that are healthy eaters! I had nothing to dislike about this sandwich, and that's rare!

Day #74, Turkey Meatloaf

I'm finally on the last dinner entree- until the menu changes at the end of September or beginning of October. Still, it will be good timing for me to try and get through some more of the sandwich menu!

Our meatloaf is made with turkey, eggs, bread crumbs, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato paste, Grafton Vermont cheddar, and french dijon. It's served with roasted baby potatoes and vegetable du jour.

Although I'm sure many people grew up eating meatloaf, and cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day (as the menu says) I was not one of them. I cannot remember a single time that my mother made meatloaf, and I can honestly say I have never tried it! So trying it here was quite the experience, but I'm so glad that I tried it because it was so much different than I expected.

For some reason I expected meatloaf to have a really odd texture to it, but it did not at all. It had good flavor, and I also liked the gravy on top. It was totally not what I had expected it to be, and that is always a pleasant surprise to me! I not only see the appeal of this entree, but I realized that it something that I might be able to actually eat (and enjoy) again in the future. I really like that the meatloaf and are chili are made with turkey rather than beef. Most of the time I am always more comfortable trying something that is made with turkey.

Well, this is the last dinner entree post! You will get a low down on the new dinner entrees in a few months!

Day #73, Coq Au Vin

I'm down to the last two entrees on the dinner menu, the Coq Au Vin and the Turkey Meatloaf. Today I'm having the Coq Au Vin, and I'm really excited about it. I've had it before, but I ordered it with out the sauce and just at the chicken plain. It was really good that way, but I thought it to be even better with the sauce.

Our Coq Au vin is made with tender boneless chicken thighs braised in a rich red wine sauce. It's paired with roasted garlic whipped potatoes and vegetable du jour.

Coq Au Vin is traditionally a french dish, but various legends trace it to ancient  Gaul and Julius Caesar, but the recipe was not documented until the early 20th century.It is generally accepted that it existed as a rustic dish long before that.

I think it's great that we have a traditionally French dish on the menu. I think it's even better that most people like it, and it is really popular. It's not something that you are going to find very often at another restaurant and I like the idea that it is special to the Laundry.

Even I like this dish. It is a little heavy, especially with the mashed potatoes as a side. However, our mashed potatoes are AWESOME. I thought this dish to be very flavorful and delicious. Although I had reservations about eating the Coq Au Vin sauce before, now I think that it really adds great flavor to the dish. Give it a try if you are looking for something out of the ordinary!

Day #72, Cheeseplates

(Cheeseplate for Two)

The first time that I dined at the Laundry, I was curious as to why something like a cheeseplate whould be on the menu. I guess more than anything, I just thought it to be a very unusual appetizer. After I started working at the Laundry, I realized how popular our cheeseplates are. People love them, and now I definitely see the appeal; who doesn't like cheese?

If you haven't tried a cheeseplate here, they come in two sizes- cheeseplate for 2 and cheeseplate for 4. The cheese plate for 4 has more of all the cheeses, plus an additional fourth cheese. Pictured above is the cheeseplate for two.

Our cheeseplates come with our famous apricot gorgonzola cheese dip. The dip is made with apricots, gorgonzola cheese, scallions, cream cheese, and bacon. Although it sounds like something that I wouldn't like, I actually LOVE it! It's always what I bring to family gatherings because it is always a hit with my family.

When ordering a cheeseplate you can request that it has your favorite cheeses on it, or you can let us pick them for you. Here's a little info  on our cheeses:

-Bleu D' Auvergne (Bluh-doe-Vairn)- From France and made with cow's milk, it's soft with a salty but edible exterior.

-Bucheron (Boosh-rawn)- Loire Valley, France. It's a riped-goat's milk cheese, with a white bloomy rind that covers a soft spreadable paste that has a tangy, yet mild flavor.

-Grafton Vermont Cheddar- It's our flagship cheddar, used on our sandwiches.

-Zingerman's City Goat Cheese- Very mild goat cheese, good American goat.

-Comte (Cone-tay)- From France. Smooth flavor with hints of fruit, hazelnut, and toffee. It's great melted!

-Emmental- From Switzerland- the valley of the Emme River. It's the world's most recognizable cheese. Nutty and fruity, with walnut sized wholes.

-Feta- A sheep's milk cheese from Greece. Crumbly, salty, and slightly tangy.

-Fontinella- Medium to hard cow's milk cheese from Wisconsin. It has a white eggshell color and is slightly sweet and tangy.

-Gorganzola- This is an Italian cheese from the Lombardy region.

-Young Gouda- Creamy, and semi-soft cow's milk cheese. It's slightly yellow in color and comes from Holland. Always made with whole milk.

-Aged Gouda- This cheese is exported from the Netherlands. It has a sharp, yet slightly sweet taste. It's very hard and amber colored. Great flavor!

-Le Chevrot- A great medium aged goat cheese from France. It has a creamy, mild taste, with hints of fresh straw.

-Manchego (Mon-chay-go) - The most popular milk cheese from Spain. It has a very pleasant, mild taste, and a slightly grainy texture.

-Maytag Blue Cheese- #1 American blue cheese. Made from cow's milk. Created through a collaboration between Maytag Dairy Farms and Iowa State University.

-Munster- From France with a supple, creamy texture and huge beefy and nutty flavor.

-Old Chatham Camembert- The largest sheepherders in the United States. Made from 1/2 sheep and 1/2 cow's milk. Very creamy and buttery, and becomes more complex over time.

-Parmigiano-Reggiano- From Italy, known as the worlds greatest cheese. Splintery, straw colored interior, enormous slightly salted flavor. Made from cow's milk.

-Provolone-From Italy, Firm, waxy texture with an oily-sharp flavor. Made from cow's milk.

-Raclette- The rind on this cheese is inedible. It's a great melting cheese, but unmelted has a full beefy flavor. It also has a very pungent odor, but don't let it fool you!

-Roquefort- A sheep's milk blue cheese. Very strong, very salty. Considered a delicacy around the world.

-Saint Andre Brie- Made from whole cow's milk, it is a triple cream cheese (75% butter fat or higher).

-Stilton- Made in England, it's ivory colored with liberal green/blue veining. Firm, yet crumble texture with huge spicy aroma.

-Swiss Emmental- Known as Swiss cheese in America. It's aged in 100lb wheels that are shipped to us right from Switzerland.

-Swiss Gruyere- It's a smooth, creamy cheese with beige interior and an assertive flavor with hints of nut and fruit. We use this cheese on our French onion soup!

Whew! I think I may have missed a few, so feel free to ask if you wanted to learn about something not listed above. My favorite cheeses from this list are brie, manchego, and aged gouda. All have great flavor, but aren't to overwhelming.

I think cheeseplates make an awesome appetizer or snack. If you haven't tried our apricot gorgonzola dip, that is a must! If I love, I'm sure you will as well!

(Cheeseplate for four)

Day #71, Butter and Salami Appetizer

It's really been awhile since I have blogged about an appetizer. Today I'm enjoying the Fresh Butter and Salame Plate. It's a very simple, yet very popular appetizer. We use La Baratte des Gourmets Butter, which is traditional churn butter with crystal sea salt. It's made in France from pasteurized cow's milk. The salami that we use is also authentic French salami, and we carry it it black pepper, red pepper, herb, and plain. The bread that comes with this appetizer is my absolute favorite bread that we carry- Zingerman's Paesano Bread. Paesano bread is soft, chewy, and has large holes inside. The holes are the signature of this loaf, the traditional bread of Puglia (the region in the heel of Italy’s boot).

We also serve Paesano with our olive oil appetizers, since it's the perfect bread for dipping. I really liked trying this appetizer, although it wasn't a great dinner by itself. I thought it to be the perfect appetizer to share with others though, because it is very easy to pass around the table and eat. I love the Paesano and sea salt butter combination, they go perfectly together. I also was pleasantly surprised by the salami, I didn't hate it! Our customers do love our salami though, and often authentic salami can be very difficult to find.

I would suggest this appetizer to anyone, even if you don't like salami the awesome Paesano and sea salt butter is a great start to your meal!

Day #70, Aglio e Aioli

Today's dinner is a very popular Laundry entree, the Aglio. Almost everyone pronounces this wrong, so when ordering, I would suggest that you say Aglio (ahh-glee-ohh) so that this order is easily understood!

The Aglio is an Italian spaghetti style dish with olive oil, garlic, Italian sausage, capers, white wine, tomatoes, and spinach. Our menu describes it as "not your average red sauce spaghetti," and I would totally agree with that. The aglio is salty and flavorful in a whole different way than the regular pasta that most of us enjoy. The portion is huge, and I'm always very surprised when I see someone finish the entire entree. It also comes with a piece of simple bruschetta, made with Zingerman's Paesano bread.

I was glad I tried this, I definitely see why it is so popular, and will probably never be taken off of our menu. Everyone loves it! It's a great change for dinner because it has such a unique flavor.

We also serve the aglio at lunch time, and this lunch entree comes with a small tossed salad. The aglio is a small portion for lunch, but I would imagine most people would still have leftovers.

For lunch or for dinner, I think this is a great option if you would like to try something new and different! Or, if it's an old favorite...enjoy it again! :)

Day #69, New York Strip Steak

I was very interested in trying this Supple Supper's entree. I haven't tried a real steak for awhile, and was very interested to see how I felt about it. This entree is a fourteen ounce Black Angus strip steak, topped with a medley of sauteed peppers and onions, and our house made demi-glace. It's served with a baked potato, and the vegetable du jour.

The first thing I noticed about this steak was that it is so big! A New York Strip strikes a perfect balance between a higher fat steak such as a Ribeye, and a very lean steak like a Sirloin or Filet, with an excellent amount of marbling.

With the advice of our highly knowledgeable staff, I ordered this steak to be medium rare, rather than medium well, as I normally order any kind of meat. I was surprised with how flavorful and tender this steak was. It was so much better than I had expected, and I think after eating this I will definitely try this type of thing again, without any fear!

I also believe that the demi-glace plays a huge roll in the flavor of this entree. Demi-glace is a rich brown sauce in French cuisine used by itself or as a base for other sauces. The term comes from the French word glace, which used in reference to a sauce means icing or glaze.

I really enjoyed trying this dish, much more so than others. The sides were also amazing, especially because I haven't had a baked potato in years, and was able to remember how much I really like them! The vegetables were also a very good compliment to the meal.

If you like steak, you have to try this! I know I'm glad I did, and I will definitely recommend it to others without hesitation!

Day #68, #36 Miss Smiles' Rainy Day Tuna

Today's dinner was the #36, Miss Smiles' Rainy Day Tuna sandwich. It's the second and last tuna sandwich on our menu that I will be blogging about, which is somewhat of a relief to me! I used to love tuna fish as a child, but grew to dislike it greatly as an adult.

Miss Smiles' is made with albacore tuna salad, honey mustard, lettuce, and tomato on toasted Zingerman's Jewish Rye. Unlike the #14- Calling Mable this sandwich is served cold. The name of this sandwich comes from one of the very first managers that worked at the Laundry. She was always smiling, and even customers commented on her sunny disposition.

I liked this tuna sandwich much more than the last one that I tried. I think that it is probably because it was cold, and because it had our honey mustard. I love our honey mustard, and I think this post is a great example of just how much I love it. We use honeycup mustard, which is made with brown sugar, mustard flour, honey and spices. This combination creates a uniquely sharp flavor in this creamy mustard. The honey mustard really makes this sandwich a winner in my book.

While I still would much rather replace the tuna with turkey in this sandwich, I'm sure tuna lovers really enjoy the combination of flavors in the #36. It's simple, yet a spicy enough to make it a very interesting sandwich! Let me know what you think!

Day #67, Farewell Rudy, Hello Rhodella

The Farewell Rudy, Hello Rhodella was a breakfast that I have put off eating for far too long. It is made with chuck roast hash with Yukon potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions, covered with a tomato gravy, and topped with two eggs over easy, and a slice of french farm bread. Not exactly an ordinary breakfast for me, but definitely something that I can handle.

The Farewell Rudy, Hello Rhodella was named after Mark Hamel's Aunt Rudy, who is Luana's sister. Her given name was Rhodella, but everyone called her Rudy. She died a few years ago, around the time when Mark bought his classic truck. In honor of his Aunt, he named his truck Rhodella, assuming that the chance of someone else using that name was a stretch. He named this breakfast in honor of his aunt as well.

I thought that this breakfast would be similar to the Norma and Floyd's but it is actually quite different. I think that the biggest difference is due to the type of meat used in the hash. This breakfast is made with a chuck roast hash, while the other is made with a corned beef hash. In all honesty, I liked the Farewell Rudy a lot better. It ended up being a really good breakfast, especially with the eggs and farm toast.

I'm glad I tried this because now I understand the differences between the two breakfasts that seem kind of similar on our menu. It was very surprising, and in a good way. Give it a try and see what I mean!

Day #66, Salmon Oscar

Today's dinner is ever so popular- Salmon Oscar entree. It's an eight ounce portion of salmon that is pan seared, pepper-crusted, and topped with herbs and jumbo lump meat crab, and a bearnaise sauce. It is served on top of our potato pancakes and roasted asparagus.

This is one of the most popular entrees on our menu. It's so popular that we left it on the menu when we switched over to our new summer menu. A lot of people like salmon, but I'm really not one of them. Salmon is very healthy, due to it's high protein, high omega 3 fatty acids, and high vitamin D content. The color of salmon is usually orange to red, resulting from carotenoid pigments in the flesh.

The name "Salmon Oscar" is not a Laundry original. This typically refers to a salmon fillet topped with crab meat and asparagus and served with a  Bearnaise sauce. The addition of the potato pancake is all us, but other options often seen are cous cous, rice, or even an English muffin.

If you like seafood, I bet you would love the Salmon Oscar. Most people do, judging it's popularity. However, salmon is generally a little more "fishy" than other types of fish, so if you don't like that flavor, you probably won't like this. Despite the great health benefits of Salmon, I think it still will be awhile before I can actually enjoy it!

Day #65, #35 Julie's Fond Farewell

I am so excited to blog about this sandwich- the #35, Julie's Fond Farewell. It's my second favorite sandwich on the menu (second only to the #28), and it's the only sandwich on the menu that I ordered "as is" before I started the blog. I really love everything about this sandwich.

This sandwich is named after a past, well, very past, employee named Julie that worked at the Laundry.

Mark never thought that she would be able to make it working on the line, but she ended up being one of the best employees working on the sandwich line that he has ever seen. During this time, we had three very young female employees that worked together on the line, and did a phenomenal job. The name of this sandwich was a gift to Julie when she left the Laundry to go to college.

The sandwich is made with smoked turkey, coleslaw, Vermont cheddar cheese, tomato, and mayo on grilled rustic bread. It's similar to the #12 Georgia Reuben, but I prefer the rustic bread to rye, and also the cheddar cheese to Swiss. If you like the Georgia Reuben though, I would definitely give this a try! It really is a great sandwich!

Day #64, #33 Marionette and the Bust of Elvis

 

Today's sandwich was the #33, Marionette and the Bust of Elvis. It was named after a guest named Marionette, who has long since moved away. She was a regular though, always coming in dressed eccentrically and really stood out from the crowd. Sometimes she would come into the Laundry by herself, with her bust of Elvis, and sit it across from her on the table as she was eating.

This sandwich is made on Zingerman's rosemary focaccia bread. I really like the rosemary focaccia, along with the tomato basil focaccia that we get in daily. Focaccia is quite popular in Italy and is usually seasoned with olive oil and sometimes herbs, and may be topped with onion, cheese and meat, or flavored with a number of vegetables. Focaccia doughs are similar in style and texture to pizza doughs, consisting of high-gluten flour, oil, water, salt and yeast. If you haven't tried ours, I strongly suggest it!

The inside of the sandwich I find to be just as interesting as the bread that it is made on. There's a variety or roasted vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, squash, and onions. It also has a garlic mayo, which yellow color surprised me, but it actually was very good.

I liked this sandwich because it was so unintimidating, however still unusual. It's a great sandwich for vegetarians, or those that enjoy their veggies in a sandwich. I would most definitely get this again, and I already know I'm going to eat the rest as my mid-night snack later!

Day #63, #30 Roast Beef

Similar to the last post, this sandwich also does not have an interesting name or history behind it, it's simply known as the #30 Roast Beef.

I've never actually had deli roast beef before, and I was in for a surprise. The only kind of roast beef I have ever tried was the roast beef from Arby's. Although I eat very little red meat, I love Arby's roast beef sandwiches. Our roast beef was different than that though, and I was told that it was due to our's being a "quality roast beef". It's actually a USDA choice grade meat. There are 8 grades of USDA meat: Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner.

This sandwich is made with rare roast beef, Vermont cheddar cheese, lettuce, red onion, tomato, and mayo on fresh (un-grilled) Italian rustin bread. This might be the first time that I have tried our rustic bread un-grilled, and it was very good. It was soft, and went very well with the roast beef on this sandwich.

The #30 is a simple and easy choice for those that like roast beef. I thought it to be different than what I am used to, yet surprisingly good.

Day #62, #29 Corned Beef

This sandwich is the first of the two sandwiches on our menu that don't have interesting names. The #29- Corned Beef, isn't the most interesting on the menu, but that's just kind of how the sandwich is. This sandwich is made with corned beef, regular yellow mustard, and Switzerland Swiss cheese on grilled whole wheat bread.

I split this sandwich with Jon Foley, our head bartender. He was excited to share it with me because it is one of his favorites. Even I can see the appeal of this sandwich. If you like corned beef, it is an incredibly easy sandwich to eat. Our yellow mustard is very flavorful and makes the sandwich a little more interesting.

Overall, this would not be my first choice. However, if you like corned beef, and mustard, or just a simple sandwich...I would give this one a try.

Day #61- Caprese

This is the last item to blog about off the salads menu! I feel sad about it, however it's a good feeling to have one section of the menu totally completed.

Our caprese is made with fresh Burrata mozzarella, Sliced Roma Tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, drizzled with balsamic vinegar reduction, and extra virgin olive oil. Served with a simple bruschetta.

When I read the description of burrata Mozzarella on the menu, I thought it to be odd- mozzerella filled with cream. Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is usually served fresh, at room temperature. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian.

I love most cheeses, especially fresh mozzarella cheese. I was really excited to try this different type of mozzarella cheese, and I was not disappointed. I could actually taste the cream in the mozzarella, which I did not expect. It was really very good though, especially with the basil and tomato.

The balsamic vinaigrette reduction was not my favorite, although it did add flavor to the dish.

I'm surprised that I had never ordered this dish until now. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to other as well...I know that I will order it again!

Day #60, Bohemian Breeze

I haven't blogged about a salad for awhile, and this warm weather lately always makes me crave it. The Bohemian Breeze is a great summer salad- home-made chicken salad, mandarin oranges, fresh strawberries, and cashews on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce. It's served with our awesome home-made raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

I've had this salad before, but I'm going to admit that I didn't really like the chicken salad. I picked most of it off, and didn't really give the salad as a whole a very good chance. This time I ate the salad as it should be eaten, mixing the ingredients together to get the whole flavor. This made me realize that eating a piece of chicken salad by itself is so much different than eating it with strawberries, cashews, and mandarin oranges. By eating this salad I realized the importance of trying to eat a dish the way that it was meant to be enjoyed.

This is by far my favorite summer salad. The fruit and cashew combination, and it made me feel like I was on vacation while I was eating my dinner. I would most definitely recommend this year-round, even though I really do think it is perfect for dining on the patio in the warm weather!

Day #59, #28 Ron's Lifesaver

I was so excited to blog about this sandwich because it has been my favorite since I started here at the Laundry. I remember the first time I ordered this sandwich I thought, "Pesto and Mayo? That's an odd combination." However, after the many times I've had this sandwich, I think it's a great combination.

This sandwich is named after a past employee named Ron Neely. If you are familiar with our breakfast menu, it is the same Ron that the Ron and Deb's Weekender is named after. He used to work the cash register on the weekends. He also used to work for Bob and Tom when they owned the party store in town and was a wiz on the register (which was important because it was a really old machine). Ron was always chronically sick and this was the sandwich that he ordered all the time. It was a lifesaver!

This sandwich is made with smoked turkey, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, Italian pesto, sweet red onion, tomato, and lettuce on grilled Zingerman's french farm bread.

It's by far my favorite sandwich on the menu. I usually order it without onions, but this time I ventured to try it with the onions, and still liked it just as much. It's a great sandwich for someone who will eat anything, or a picky eater. I'm also a huge fan of our smoked turkey, and I always tell customers that I think it is the best smoked turkey that I have ever had, and I really eat a lot of turkey!

I would suggest giving this sandwich a try. If you do, let me know what you think. I'm sure the Ron's Lifesaver will not be a disappointment!

Day #58- Vegetable Gratin

I'm waiting for Mr. Mark Hamel to get back to me on the history of the next sandwich. Therefore, I decided to move on through the dinner menu and have the Vegetable Gratin. It is made with a Spanish style rice, topped with seasonal summer vegetables, and fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses; then baked until golden.

The dish is vegetarian, but not vegan, because of the cheeses. The rice is a little spicy, but it was still easy for me to eat. The seasonal vegetables on my dish were yellow squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. I thought that the vegetables and the cheese complimented the rice very well.

When I was talking to Chef Jody about this dish, I told her that it's pretty similar to what I make at home most of the time. It's true, most of the dinners that I make include rice, vegetables, cheese, and chicken. Although I will say that this dish was much better than something that I would have made at home.

I know that I will order this dish again. I genuinely liked everything about it, and that is usually pretty rare for me. Even if you aren't a vegetarian, I suggest that you give it a try. I think that it will surprise you!

Day #57, #26 M & Em's Mid Shift Break

The name "M and Em's mid shift break" comes from Mark's brother Matt and cousin Emily. They both worked at the Laundry years ago and came up with this sandwich.

The sandwich is made with roasted turkey, artichoke hearts and Italian pesto on grilled Zingerman's French Farm bread. It's kind of a plain sandwich, only because it is made with so few ingredients. The pesto and artichoke hearts add a lot of flavor to the sandwich though, and I don't think that I would have it any other way.

Zingerman's French Farm bread is my second favorite kind of bread that we carry. It's made with a white-wheat mix and a sour starter. The crust is harder than that of other breads, but that crust is generally a signature for most Zingerman's breads. I especially like the French Farm bread grilled, it really compliments the sour starter.

Overall, I really liked this sandwich. I wasn't sure about the artichoke hearts at first, but I enjoyed the flavor that they added to this sandwich. I always love our pesto as well. I will most definitely have this sandwich again in the future, as well as recommend it to others!

Day #56, #25 Chicks Dig Scrawny Pale Guys

This sandwich comes with loads of flavor and a very intriguing name. It was named after a past employee named Joe, who worked on the line. He was pale, scrawny, and thought chicks dug him. He desperately wanted a sandwich named after him. After a year or so of working on the line, and many attempts at getting a sandwich on the menu he came up with this winner.

The sandwich is made on a Zingerman's onion roll. It was Nueske's pepper smoked ha,. Nueske's applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, red onions, honeycup mustard, and honeycup mustard. I'm a huge fan of the honeycup mustard, it's by far the best honey mustard that I have ever had. It's sweet, kind of tangy, with a bite to it. It goes great on this sandwich with the bacon and barbecue sauce.

There is a warning with this sandwich- it's really messy because of the sauces and the amount of ham...mine was falling all over the place. Which is generally fine, but i would not suggest eating this sandwich in your car.

It was a little ironic...when I was eating this sandwich Lane, one of our servers, told me that it was his favorite. I had to laugh and enjoy this comment because Lane is also a pale, scrawny guy; although I don't know how much the chicks dig him. It's a funny name for a sandwich and I love the personality that these creations bring to the Laundry.

Overall, I think it's a great sandwich. Lots and lots of flavor going on, and to most that is a good thing. I especially enjoyed barbecue and honey mustard together...I'll definitely have to try that again!

Day #55, #22 Leah's New Job

Today I enjoyed the #22, Leah's new job. Mark Hamel remembered the name of this sandwich coming from a young woman named Leah that used to work here. She was a vegetarian, and he named this sandwich after her when she left the Laundry for a position in her field of study.

The sandwich is made on grilled french farm bread, with Zingerman's natural cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, Switzerland Swiss cheese, and a spicy cranberry spread. If you haven't had Zingerman's cream cheese, it's a must-try. It won the 2006 American Cheese Society Award. It's a lot different from the cream cheese we are accustomed to because it is made using old-techniques such as no gums, and long setting times that are intended to bring out the full flavor of the milk. It's texture is soft, fluffy and rich, with a creamy citrus flavor.

The combination of the flavor from the cream cheese and spicy cranberry spread is awesome. The cranberry spread is made in-house from cranberries, orange juice, and cloves. I thought it would be overly spicy, but the cloves gave it just the right amount of flavor.

Overall, I thought this was much more interesting to eat that it actually sounds on the menu. It is a vegetarian sandwich, but if you aren't a vegetarian it might be excellent with some roasted or smoked turkey. It was great to have the french farm grilled, I always think that adds more flavor to the sandwich. I thought this sandwich to be really enjoyable and very easy to eat!

Day #54, Brown Rice Ziti with San Marzano Tomatoes

Today's dinner was an interesting one. It was the brown rice ziti with San Marzano tomatoes. This pasta is gluten and vegan free, and locally made in Canton, MI by Mamma Mucci's pasta company. That alone makes this dish worth trying.

The vegan and gluten friendly noodles are topped with fennel, spinach, and San Marzano tomatoes. It doesn't say it in the menu, but the sauce also includes green olives. San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes, and are considered by many Chef's to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world. The commercial production of the San Marzano variety is most closely associated with Italy, seeds for the variety are available worldwide.

I'm really happy that we added a gluten-free item to our menu. Guests often ask about items being gluten free, and it's so rare to have a pasta dish that they can eat. However, here's a warning: gluten free noodles do not taste the same as regular noodles made with flour. The flavor is the same, but the texture is different- kind of rubbery and a little chewy. If you are expecting them to be the same, they won't be...but even though it's a different texture it is still enjoyable. The fennel is really something different in the dish. At first I wasn't even sure what it was, because I don't think that I have had fennel before. When I was reading about fennel, I thought it was incredibly interesting that it is the main ingredient in absinthe. I thought it to have almost a slightly pickled flavor, although it was not pickled as it is used in this dish.

Overall I really enjoyed eating this dish. I was happy to be able to try both the famous San Marzano tomatoes and gluten free pasta all in one dish. It was creative, and a great option for vegetarians, vegans, or those that are affected by gluten. Being none of the above, I still enjoyed the dish and would order it again. It was different that the food I am used to trying, and it really made me expand my thinking about vegan food...it's not that bad..actually, it's pretty good! Give it a try, I think that it will surprise you as well!

Day #53, #21 Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Fenton

Today I'm enjoying the very popular #21 for lunch. The name comes from an actual person named Jacques Brel. He was the French equivalent to Frank Sinatra, and although he was Belgian, he was wildly popular in French speaking countries. He was famous for singing about the ridiculousness of the aristocratic class. Jacques died young of cancer, and in the 70’s there was a play on Broadway called “Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris”. Mark used to play the CD in the Laundry all the time (as well as Jacques Brel’s original songs). In homage to Jacques Mark named the #21 “Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Fenton”.

I think the history behind the sandwich is enough to make it interesting...but I guess I have to tell you whats actually on it. The #21 is made with Nueske's pit smoked pepper ham, bacon, smoked turkey, Switzerland Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on fresh Zingerman's Challah bread. It was designed to be the "club style" sandwich on the menu, and is one of our most popular.

I loved that this sandwich came on fresh Challah bread because it is always soft and has great flavor. The variety of meat on this sandwich was great-I can see why clubs are popular nationwide. Overall, I really liked this sandwich, and I think it is something that I would order again. I guess now I see why it is so popular with our guests!

Day #52, #20 Chief Ruler

Today I continued with the sandwich menu for dinner. Next up was the #20, Chief Ruler. It was named after a woman named Kim Powell that worked at the Laundry years ago. She was a line cook, and was needless to say very bossy. Her nickname became Chief Ruler, and she created this quite interesting sandwich.

This sandwich is made with chicken breast, muenster cheese, tomato, and applewood smoked bacon, with ranch dressing on grilled Zingerman's pumpernickel bread. I personally thought the ranch is what really makes this sandwich different, and it goes a long great with the chicken and bacon. Having this sandwich made on pumpernickel bread also gives it a really unique look, and I like that.

I like any of our sandwiches with chicken breast, so I thought I would probably like this one, although its another that I had never tried. I think the pumpernickel intimidated me at the time but it doesn't anymore after I have had a few sandwiches made on it.

I think this sandwich has an interesting, yet good combination. I like how the flavors come together, and overall I think the sandwich is pretty unique. I'm glad I tried it, because it might just be one that I would order again!

Day #51, Savory Waffle

Today's breakfast was the Savory Waffle. Yes, I skipped over the Farewell Rudy again, but I promise it was not intentional! I am quite happy to say that I enjoyed my breakfast (for the most part) today. A savory waffle is a waffle topped with French ham, Gruyere cheese, scrambled eggs, and a Dijon mustard sauce.

I thought this was such and interesting way to serve a waffle. I would never think to put eggs, ham and cheese on my waffle, let alone the Dijon sauce. It was a good combination though, the waffle has a hint of sweetness that went along well with the saltiness of the French ham. The Dijon sauce was not what I thought it would be, and it was much better than I had expected. It is a cream sauce, and it didn't have the overwhelming flavor that I thought it would.

In all honesty, I ate a quarter of this waffle. I liked it, but it was much too large, and heavy, for me to eat any more than that! It would be a great breakfast to share with someone, between two people all of it might be eaten.

I liked this waffle a lot more than I thought I would. I think I would like it a lot more with smoked turkey rather than ham, since that is my favorite. Maybe I'll run that as a breakfast special sometime!

Day #50, #21-Croque Monsieur

Today I had the #19- Croque Monsieur for dinner. It is made with Jambon de Paris French ham, and Swiss Gruyere cheese, with a sour cream and Gruyere cheese sauce, on grilled Challah bread.

The name, Croque Monsieur, means "Mr. Crunch" in French, and this is the only truly "french" sandwich on our menu. It's a very popular sandwich in France, and ours is very comparable, only much larger than those served in France.

Gruyere cheese is a hard, yellow cheese, made from cow's milk, and named after the Gruyere's in Switzerland. The cheese is sweet, but slightly salty, and it's flavor varies with ageing.

I had never heard of this type of Swiss cheese until I came to work at the Laundry. I've never been that big of a fan of Swiss-style cheese, however, I can usually handle Gruyere.

Although I never eat ham, this sandwich actually smelled surprisingly good! I found out today that ham is actually something that I almost-like, and can definitely handle. The ham and gruyere combination goes great on grilled Challah. I really like this bread grilled anyway, and it's a favorite of mine because it is so soft.

If you are going to eat at the Laundry, I think this sandwich is a must try, especially because it is a truly French-style sandwich. It was really different from any other sandwich that I have tried so far!