HUNGRY GERALD

In general, HG is not a big sandwich fan. Most of the time HG feels that most things that could be stuck between slices of bread are improved by eliminating the bread. However, there are exceptions and these days HG enjoys just a few classic sandwiches: A traditional bacon-lettuce-tomato (when tomatoes are in season — flavorful and juicy) with good, thick cut bacon and mayo on toasted wheat bread; a pastrami on Jewish rye (alas, now only available in all its splendor at Katz’s in New York, Schwartz’s in Montreal and Langer’s in L.A.); and finally, a corned beef Reuben, also on Jewish rye. The Croque Monsieurs and Croque Madames HG has enjoyed in Paris don’t really qualify as classic sandwiches. In the past HG was more adventurous in sandwich choices. On Nantucket Island, HG liked the specialty of a health food shop there: Sharp cheddar cheese, avocado, sprouts and chutney on whole grain bread. On the opposite health pole, HG relished the roast beef sandwiches consumed many years ago at Henrich’s Restaurant (long closed) on B. 116th Street, Rockaway Park, N.Y. These were constructed of thinly sliced rare roast beef, sliced raw onion and Jewish rye bread spread with (your choice) 1/8th or 1/4th of an inch of chicken fat. This was sprinkled with coarse salt and black pepper. Accompanied by a sour dill pickle. HG ate another unhealthy treat at the late Gitlitz Deli on New York’s Upper West Side. This was a combination of chopped liver and pastrami on rye with Russian dressing. The Gitlitz waiters, food conservatives, did not approve. At another long closed New York eatery, Belmont Cafeteria, the hangout for taxi drivers on Lexington Avenue, HG would accompany morning coffee with a heavily buttered onion roll enclosing muenster cheese and lettuce. In the past, BSK based her sandwich choices on peanut butter. No PB and J for BSK. Instead, the young woman ate peanut butter with lettuce and mayo sandwiches or peanut butter and sweet pickle slices sandwiches. While off on a hike with her Girl Scout troop, BSK carried “walking sandwiches” — peanut butter wrapped in cabbage leaves. Apparently these peanut buttery treats were the norm for BSK’s midwestern environ, but for HG, they sounded as exotic as the Zanzibar speciality Boku-Boku. Yes, many Italians love mixing Nutella with roasted peanuts on white bread and Elvis Presley mixed peanut butter with bacon and bananas but, for pure messy eccentricity, nothing beats the HG retro delight: The chow mein on a bun served at Nathan’s Famous on Coney Island.

The De Gustibus Report in The New York Times noted the growing popularity of the peanut butter and pickle sandwich. Many claim that this unlikely combination is superior to the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the staple of children’s lunchboxes. This is old hat for BSK. She grew up in Ohio munching on peanut butter, pickle, lettuce and mayo sandwiches. Now a purist, BSK insists upon Bubbie’s Bread and Butter Pickles as an ingredient in this sandwich. BSK manages to get down a lot of peanut butter. Spreads it on slices of apple and dips carrot spears in a jar of peanut butter. However, BSK does not indulge in an Elvis Presley favorite sandwich: bacon, sliced bananas and peanut butter. HG is not a big peanut butter fan. But, there is an exception. HG likes to mix peanut butter with dark soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, Szechuan preserved vegetables, pungent Chinese chile-garlic paste. Pours this over shredded cold chicken or room temperature linguine. Showers it with sliced and shredded scallions plus some crushed Szechuan peppercorns. Great summer dinner.