10/02/00

M's win game two in Chicago, lead series 2-0. Next game is Friday in Seattle. Go Marys!

How to make a good sandwich in Seattle

First of all -- if you were raised on the West Coast, just make a regular sandwich. You don't know what a good sandwich is, so it doesn't matter. Ignorance is bliss.

For anyone raised in the Philadelphia area, here's what you do. Note -- these instructions won't make you an excellent sandwich, or even a very good sandwich, but you'll end up with a good sandwich.

The biggest problem is getting the right kind of bread. Face it, it's not do-able. (If you know better, send me email, I beg you.)

What I do is get Gai's French Sandwich Rolls from the QFC. It's okay as a substitute. From QFC also get salami and provolone. Get it from the deli, don't get pre-packaged. Please.

If you don't already have olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano, get whatever of those you need. Get tomato and lettuce. Optionally you can get onions and red peppers. (And salt and pepper, duh.)

The second biggest problem after bread is capocolla. They don't have it at QFC. If you must, you can make do with proscuitto, which they do have at QFC, but really, it's not the same. Capocolla makes the difference. In Ballard you can go to the Other Coast café in old Ballard. I'm not sure where else you can get capocolla, but I'd try DeLaurenti's in the Pike Place Market or Roxy's Deli in Crown Hill.

Capocolla is expensive. (So is proscuitto.) So you don't get to have a good sandwich every meal of every day, as utopian as the thought is.

Making the sandwich is pretty straightforward. Cut the bread, lay down the cold cuts -- be generous with the capocolla, it should be sliced thin, so it takes a bit of it. Then add whatever vegetables go on next. Add oregano and salt and pepper, then oil and vinegar. The oil is more important than the vinegar.

To go with, I like the jalapeno-flavored Tim's Cascade Chips. I'd rather have Herr's chips, but they're not available.

If you've managed to run across Dr. Brown's cherry soda, that's a good drink, otherwise I recommend root beer. Any old brand is fine, no need to be a snob. Don't drink YooHoo, it's for children.

You're totally fucked when it comes to dessert. No TastyKakes. Sorry.