A Relgious Sandwich Experience

As many Club:Sandwich members are likely aware, we are right in the middle of Passover. It's one of my favorite holidays in theory, but in practice, the whole prohibition on bread really can put a damper on sandwich eating.

Luckily, I celebrate Passover not only to commemorate the Jewish people's freedom from bondage in Egypt centuries ago, but also to celebrate my own much more recent liberation from the bonds of organized religion. In other words, I will happily eat a sandwich during Passover. Sorry, Grandma. 

In fact, I did just the other day. After a lunch run I stopped at the neighborhood pizza place and ordered their Italian sub.

The mortadella was the main attraction here, complemented by some salami, ham, and provolone. The calabrian chili oil and cherry peppers added the right combination of tang and heat, and the crusty, crunchy bread soaked up the oil and vinegar without getting too soggy.

Others may not be so open-minded as to scarf any Italian bread (soggy or not) during this holiday week.

But as anyone who has attended a Seder or two can tell you: a sandwich features rather prominently in the Passover tradition -- it's just not a sandwich most people would want to eat.

The Hillel Sandwich, named after a 1st Century rabbi and scholar, is generally made a few strips of raw horseradish, covered in a kind of apple-nut chutney called charoset, and sandwiched between two crisp pieces of matzah. It's mouthwatering only in the sense of the reaction the raw horseradish causes inside your mouth and sinuses.

In any case, before the holiday began I had the extreme pleasure of sampling yet another fried chicken sandwich from Oakland's fried chicken sandwich epicenter: Telegraph Avenue.

A few blocks between Ok's Deli and Bakesale Betty is Burma Bites - the take-out and delivery operation of Bay Area Institution Burma Superstar. They serve a fried chicken sandwich piled with strips of their fried chicken, with a papaya-cucumber slaw and ginger-lemongrass aioli.

Had any good sandwiches this week? Drop them in the MSD.

Until next week, Chag Sameach. 

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