111905 Tue Dec 10 17:47:19 -0800 2002 14 7 Chicago Area 0 606807 yesterday i was making myself a genoa salami/cornichon/butter/redhen demi-baguette sandwich, a wonderous combo i borrowed from mimi's deli and meditating on the simple pleasure that a good sandwich brings us, momentary tho it might be. then my thoughts turned to my mother, who used to say that i, as a child, 'could never be satisfied eating a sandwich like everyone else'. only true if the sandwich offered was boloney on wonder bread. then my thoughts turned to the chowhound thread on top 10 favorite sandwiches which generated lots of response and a thread awhile back on the general topics board about late night snacks; i believe quite a few were sandwiches. anyway, i had what i think is a really charming idea for a get together. your responses will tell me if i'm deluding myself. here's my idea: we gather at someone's house (mike, you are exempted from offering), and we each bring our favorite sandwich, but we bring 2 or 3 of them. originally, i was thinking homemade favorites, but if someone prefers to contribute their restaurant favorites, ie; johnnies italian beef,(VI?) or costellos submarines(just kidding), that's fine too, i dont care. we can put out a buffet of quartered sandwiches, maybe someone will contribute a pot of soup, some others can bring some side dishes, and we have a sandwich exchange going on. does this sound like a good way to spend an evening? i'm eager to hear your feedback, chowhounds, joan Tue Dec 10 17:47:19 -0800 2002 0 joan 1 606812 I love this idea. Especially if a lot of the sandwiches come from Italian places in places like Melrose Park. Tue Dec 10 20:24:33 -0800 2002 606807 0 Mike G 2 606815 You know a few weeks ago, pre-AndreaOK, I made some kinda versions of scandanavian open-faced sandwiches for dinner. A little ham here, some fresh anchovies there--really neat like Spanish bocarones, blue cheese and red peppers, sardines. I already forgot all the combinations, but they were fun to make, fun to look at and fun to eat. I actually suggested to the Condiment Queen that we do a smogersboard (hey who knows how to do one of those's o with a line thru it) party. She's not keen on people coming to the bungalow, but I am at least into the "concept". On the other hand, the herring and the giardinara* will really clash. VI *Speaking of giardinara, somewhere I have a list of like 20 types of giardinara I have found on the shelves in Chicago and not a single one contained olive oil. I will post at some point on this topic. Tue Dec 10 22:02:12 -0800 2002 606812 0 Vital Information 3 606817 Ǿ (g) on the giardinara front - something I've been meaning to ask about: Sunday we were having a meat holiday a noon-o-kabab and while wolfing down their great kababs noticed a jar behind the counter of what looked like persian giardinara. I meant to ask the owner about these but maybe because folks were waiting for our table our maybe because the kulaj at al basha sweets beckoned didn't get around to it. Does anyone know about this product (the "persian giardinara") BTW, there was a champurrado/atole/tamale vendor set up across the street from them on west side of kedzie. Wed Dec 11 09:33:08 -0800 2002 606815 0 zim 4 606820 I am not quite sure what you had seen at Noon-O-Kebab. I am familiar with few things that *may* be what you saw. First, is it the torshi. Torshi is the mouth puckering mix of pickles that looks a bit like giardinara. Although the tastes are totally different, they both explode in the mouth. Second, there is a green "chutney" a bit similiar to what they offer at the Afghan place. This has the heat like giardinara but it is more smooth in appearance. Of course it could be neither... Wed Dec 11 09:59:28 -0800 2002 606817 0 Vital Information 5 606822 Hi! Off the menu and by request only: Pita Inn offers homemade pickled turnips and green olives. The turnips are always pink because they use beet juice for coloring. Regards, CAthy2 Wed Dec 11 10:29:03 -0800 2002 606820 0 Cathy2 6 606823 Salaam of the indifferent service and great green salsa offers does offer the turnips and olives without the least bit of groveling. The chowhounditas, if given the choice, would simply make their meal from these items (and a few pieces of Pita bread). VI Wed Dec 11 10:44:10 -0800 2002 606822 0 Vital Information 7 606838 VI, You have mentioned indifferent service before in reference to Salam, I find just the opposite. In fact, I ate lunch there today and, given that I had just read your comments, was hyper aware of the service, which I found exemplary. I am of course referring to the context of the restaurant, by exemplary I don’t mean two-sided tape on their shoes and changing silver with each third bite. We were given a choice of tea, the sage infused was herbal and delicious, and there was simply an agreeing nod of the waiter’s head when I substituted hummus for rice in my combo platter. He was also on top of our water, olive, pickled turnip, pita, minced jalapeno needs etc, in no way solicitous, just an experienced waiter doing his job, well. By the way, I noticed that Salam Sweets, next door to Salam Restaurant, has changed its name to Al Basha, at least I think it is Al Basha, I neglected to write down the name and now am not sure. Either way, the sweets are still as delicious as ever, including my favorite, pistachio logs wrapped with toasted shredded wheat. Enjoy, Gary Salam Restaurant 4636 N Kedzie Ave Chicago, IL 60625 773-583-0776 Wed Dec 11 14:55:03 -0800 2002 606823 0 G Wiv 6 606833 Basha across the street from pita inn also offers them gratis in little containers along side the food (not in serve yourself tubs a la VI's dream) I also liked them at hashalom on devon. Wed Dec 11 13:11:23 -0800 2002 606822 0 zim 5 606832 I don't really know but I don't think it was either of those - i thought torshi was more of the pinkish turnips and stuff like cathy2 mentions below. It definitely was whole chunks of stuff not like the chutney at kabul house (which is very similar to a number of cilantro chutneys for sale and offer in indian groceries/restaurants) Wed Dec 11 13:09:55 -0800 2002 606820 0 zim 6 606855 First of all, strike one for, "learn something every day". In a quick google run, I've learned that torshi is just a name for pickles, not a KIND of pickle. It reminds of the word daikon. We refer to "daikon radishes", but in Japanese, daikon just means radish. So a daiko radish is a radish radish and a torshi pickle is a pickle pickle. So, if you think about it, giardniari is just another name for torshi! That said, I still think what you saw was what they would call at Noon-O-Kebab, torshi. A super-sour mix of vegetables in a yellow sluice. I love the stuff, hate the extra charge. VI Jar look like this? (Iranian torshi) Image: http://www.iranstore.com/images/products/food/torshi/Torshi-Litteh-imported.jpg Thu Dec 12 10:13:56 -0800 2002 606832 0 Vital Information 7 606866 bingo it didn't look quite as chopped up but was pretty similar and was homemade next to some jam looking things. by the way, kimchee and achar (indian) are also generic for pickles Thu Dec 12 14:08:44 -0800 2002 606855 0 zim 1 606840 Count me in Joan. My rare roast leg of lamb with carmelized onions, roasted garlic and goat cheese on Ciabatta has been looking for a new audience. If Dave Hammond shows up, I might even make a pot of soup. Wed Dec 11 16:09:08 -0800 2002 606807 0 YourPalWill 1 606842 back to the original topic....several people have contacted me offline. i'd like to keep this sandwich love-in on the board awhile longer...long enough to entice a few more people to join us. Will has my mouth watering with his lamb/carmelized onion sandwich, cathy2 is 'threatening' to make elvis' favorite, peanut butter and fried bananas.VI has the right idea, thinking of this as a smorgesbord. maybe some adventurous soul will do some genuine scandinavian sandwiches. we dont have a date yet, but i'm thinking a small event at my (small)place, possibly on a saturday night. I'm sorry, but this one will have to be without children, as i have a new cat who bites(playfully).i'm working on that. but it'd be safest to leave the kids at home, for their sake, as well as charlotte's sake. Wed Dec 11 20:17:03 -0800 2002 606807 0 joan 2 606859 Hi Joan, Since pickles seem to be an interesting sidebar here, I can bring my homemade pickles, which naturally accompany sandwiches. I have never had the Elvis sandwich but it might be better than it sounds: fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. Maybe it morphs like a Monte Cristo, where the final step melds the ingrediants together into something special. Regards, CAthy2 Thu Dec 12 11:48:42 -0800 2002 606842 0 Cathy2