Pulled Pork, A Reading Tour, and A Dynamic Club

Driving through Northern Missouri can be about as exciting as peeling potatoes for no particular reason and almost as scenic. When you are on a mission to meet old friends, however, the scenery matters not and the destination dominates.

I set out on a reading / lecture tour last week, the last hurrah for my short-story collection, and, most certainly, I was interested in local sandwich flair. Before I left for the wilds of Missouri, I prepared a nice pulled pork concoction for my family to enjoy in my absence, and I was lucky enough that when I returned some remained.

With John Hiatt on the radio, I drove out of Illinois, smiling, and found myself staying in a haunted house in Fayette, MO. The experience was, to say the least, investigation-worthy, but that's for another blog. What I was most interested in, without doubt, was the local joint's attempt at a club sandwich. Emmet's Kitchen and Tap is new to Fayette. It wasn't around when I was haunting the college's grounds fifteen years ago, but the locals raved about it from the moment I stepped on campus.

I had to choose between my standard Reuben that I use so often to get a gauge on the sandwich quality, but for some reason, perhaps the ghosts in my temporary dwelling had possessed me, I went for the club. It was a noble and successful attempt at a sandwich that all too often winds up overdone. A club sandwich is simple. Bacon, lettuce, mayo, cheese, and whatever type of smoked meat the maker has in mind (typically smoked ham and turkey). In fact, the beauty of a club, as opposed to a Reuben, is in its simplicity. I have tasted many clubs that try way too hard with specially spiced mayo or some other sauce or, perhaps, a sandwich that is piled so incredibly high even Dagwood himself would hesitate. Emmet's club was none of these. The mayo was good old fashioned mayo. I had a choice of bread (I choose whole wheat), and I could have chosen toasted or not. The bacon had a hint of hickory smoke and was thick cut (always important). The lettuce was crisp and fresh, and the bread was hot, another important key to a good toasted club. The meats were the traditional turkey and ham layered in the triple-decker fashion so common for the club sandwich, but it was not overdone. The sandwich was manageable and easy to eat. The sweet potato fries were excellent. They were fried but not greasy and had just enough crunch. Overall, I would rate this club sandwich a 9 out of a possible 10. The only thing that halted me was skimping a bit on the excellent bacon. I would have liked an additional piece, but that's me (I'm a bacon freak).

All in all, Emmet's Kitchen and Tap is worth a stop if you're ever blowing through Fayette. I had a great time on my reading binge, and I hope to return in the future to sample more sandwiches at Emmet's.