SATURDAY NIGHT CLUB SANDWICHES AND CRINKLE FRIES

According to Wikipedia: The club sandwich may have originated at the Union Club of New York City. The earliest known reference to the sandwich, an article that appeared in The Evening World on November 18, 1889, is also an early recipe: “Have you tried a Union Club sandwich yet? Two toasted pieces of Graham bread, with a layer of turkey or chicken and ham between them, served warm.” Several other early references also credit the chef of the Union Club with creating the sandwich.

A club sandwich may be one of the ultimate comfort foods for me.  It reminds me of ROOM SERVICE and CASINO dinners (the latter reference being a somewhat blurry memory of eating club sandwiches in the middle of the night in Las Vegas).  The rules are simple: turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato on good toasted bread with a healthy slathering of mayo.  If you’re making crinkle fries to go with the sandwich, you can do the first fry and let the potatoes rest while you slice tomatoes and fry bacon.  Bring your oil up to temp before you toast the bread.  Then as the bread is toasting, toss the fries in the hot oil for a second fry.  On this particular SWELTERING Saturday New Orleans night, a cold bottle of Sancerre was the perfect accompaniment. This is BETTER than room service (well, okay, room service at a swanky hotel is hard to beat). Screen a good movie. Talk to your dogs.  Go on vacation in your own living room and celebrate your life.