First a note on bar-b-que. I'm a freak for it. I love ribs, brisket, pulled pork, anything smoked, seared on a grill, or smothered in homemade sauce. So, it was a great trip recently when I motored through Memphis and found my feet ten feet off of yummy at Leonard's BBQ, a little joint on Memphis's southeast side that packs them in and does it right. Great stuff. The pulled pork (or barbeque for those of you in the South) stole the show, and the sauce was a creamy mixture of smoky molasses and sweet sugar. Perfect afternoon.
That being said, the sandwiches certainly had their own showing on this trip. I will also say one more thing, as a disclaimer. I am a frequenter of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured restaurants, and while I do not believe they represent the only good food out there (quite the opposite), you may find several mentions of those locations on this blog (the aforementioned Leonard's is one--so is Tom's Barbeque, also in Memphis, that rocks the pulled pork). But back to the sandwiches.
First, a stop in my ultimate destination on this trip, New Orleans, or Nawlins', depending where you lay your hat. I have never been a huge fan of the muffaletta sandwich, which is a bit of a surprise considering it features several of the aspects of a sandwich I admire. It's simple. Salami, capicola, ham, cheese (provolone), and olive salad (or just chopped olives at some places). It highlights the bread, known simply as the muffeletta loaf, and it's substantial. For some reason, perhaps the wide range of variations, I have never been a fan. On my trip, I learned two things. One, I have been wrong about the muffeletta sandwich. And two, I know one secret that brings it to the highest standing on my sandwich list.
I had a muffeletta at Central Grocery in New Orleans. When you go to New Orleans, because you should go if you haven't already, you should make Central Grocery a stop for a sandwich. It's all they sell, besides, of course, groceries, and the line may be long, but it's worth the wait. I am not into big time touristy stuff usually and tend to stay off the beaten path (go to Croissant d' Or on Ursuline, on that note, for an outstanding croissant breakfast sandwich), but Central Grocery is worth the stop. The muffeletta is pre-made, so when you order, you simply have to ask for a half or a whole. A half will do most people. For those with two or three folks in your party, a whole will probably suffice. The sandwich is surprisingly tasty and wonderfully constructed. It doesn't come apart easily, despite its size, and the smoky flavor of the provolone mixes beautifully with the saltiness of the salami and olive salad (which they make at the store, and you can buy, and you should). The bread is soft and absorbent, and there in lies the secret I mentioned earlier. The sandwiches are pre-made, thus giving the olive salad juices a chance to soak into the bread. Aha! All muffelettas I have had have been prepared right before I ate them. It was a delectable dining experience at a lunch counter in the back of a grocery store.
On the way to New Orleans, the road took a swing through Jackson, MS and featured a stop at Walker's Drive In where, I can safely say, I had the best BLT I've ever tasted. For anyone who has read this blog in the past, you know that my favorite sandwich is the BLT, that I have my own recipes (stay tuned for a Fourth of July BLT celebration, by the way), and the BLT at Walker's is heads and tails above the rest. Applewood smoked bacon. Fresh lettuce. A ciabiatta bun for bread. A blended mayo that fit just right. And, here's the kicker, a fried green tomato. The FGT was perfectly cooked, not greasy, light on the breading. The tomato was tender and gave the BLT a taste I have never experienced. Kudos to Walker's for such a creation and for coloring the Sandwich Guy impressed with a BLT (not easy to do, by the way).
I will return to Walker's some day to indulge in another Green Tomato BLT. If you're ever in Jackson, MS, you have to stop by this place. The food is not typical drive-in food, and both of us (my wife and I) were extremely impressed. We were saddened by the fact that we couldn't make a return trip to Walker's on the way home.
Two stops. Two great sandwiches that are deserving of a place on the top ten list for this sandwich afficionado. And some bbq to boot! What a culinary trip!
On another more local note, the burger wars are heating up. If you read this blog and live in the Danville, IL area, please shoot me an email at ryan@ryanpstone.com regarding your favorite local burger joint. If you're not from the Danville area, I'd still love to hear about where to go when I'm in your neck of the woods for a dynamite burger.
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