Really, it's the food that keeps me in North Jersey (West Orange: home, move)

[HobokenGuy]

Originally Posted by tahiti

i like collard greens and fried okra. never had grits. KFC makes me gag, and i don't eat chick-fil-a. is there anything originally southern that's a mainstay up here? (serious question)

Suprisingly, grits aren't bad. But most places load them up with cheese, bacon, and butter. A dieters delight.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by tahiti

i like collard greens and fried okra. never had grits. KFC makes me gag, and i don't eat chick-fil-a. is there anything originally southern that's a mainstay up here? (serious question)

I dunno- I'll have to get back to you on that.

Bob

[JerZ]

Black and white cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drool.

You know what I really miss? Samwiches. No, not sandwiches. Samwiches are something different altogether. If you go to a deli anywhere else in the country (well, okay...I'm bluffing because I haven't been to every single other place in the entire country) and order a sandwich, you get two slices of bread, two slices of turkey and a few greens which may or may not be identifiable.

But go to Jersey to a good old deli and order a samwich and OH BOY. First of all, the server only asks you what kind of bread as a formality. Usually he makes the assumption himself, with an interesting question-that's-really-a-statement, "On a roll?"

Once in a while, you'll be bluffed with what would appear to be a choice. "Six inch or round roll?" If you answer, "Round roll," you'll get a surprised look and a stutter..."Oh...oh. Round roll?" Just to make sure, he will pick up a round roll with one hand and point to it with the other. "This one?"

Because, I mean...a round roll? It's, you know. Small. Who orders a samwich if he or she wants "small"? You want small, you go home, slap a piece of liverwurst between two pieces of Wonder Bread and you're done.

All the delis offer wheat, of course. And pumpernickel, and rye. But again, those are...small. So...you can get it. I mean...if that's what you really want...Okay. Next comes the protein. (You had to see the looks I used to get for ordering lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches. THAT'S no samwich.) When you select your protein--say, honey ham--the server proceeds to place an entire pig worth of honey ham onto your samwich.

And people complain that it's $5.75. You've gotta be kidding me, two pounds of ham, half a salad full of lettuce, tomato, three condiments ("a little" mayo is less than four tablespoons), and of course, by request (but did you really have to ask?) good oil and vinegar...I'll pay the $5.75.

Other places offer huge bread-and-protein-and-vegetable lunches. But they're not called sandwiches (and certainly not samwiches). They're given specific names, to identify just HOW HUGE they really are. Subs, grinders, hoagies, cheesesteaks, whatever. In New Jersey, there is no such distinction. It's not necessary, because you know that when you order up at the deli, it's going to be huge. If it has anything to do with bread and involves meat, it's going to be huge.

Samwiches!

I miss them...my thighs don't...but I do...

[juliann1977]

But most places load them up with cheese, bacon, and butter. A dieters delight.

Cheese grits are so yummy--plain grits, not so much.

I've only been one place down south where I thought the food was great!!!
New Orleans!! Usual southern fare..country fired steak, sweet tea..okra, red eye gravy ugh...it's fat artery clogging food..

N'awlins food is good; Creole cuisine is awesome. I think the thing with Southern food is you have to eat it a lot, and then it grows on you, and then you love it. It can be shocking to a Northerner's system at first. I hated sweet tea the first time I had it, but then started buying it by the gallon like people buy milk when I lived in AL.

[BobKovacs]

I agree. I used to go to "Barney's Sub Shop" in Avenel when I was a teenager and get a "Number 1"- the cheapest sub available. It was spiced ham, bologna and provolone, with lettuce, tomato, white (not red!) onion, oil/vinegar (not "balsamic vineagrette"!) salt, pepper and oregano on a white sub roll (no wheat, peppercorn-seeded, sesame, or other junk!). Something like $1.95 for a 1/2, $2.95 for a whole.

Now, most of the delis up there have closed up (and down south they're non-existent), and you're stuck with Subway, Quiznos, and all of the other semi-gourmet crap. While I like a good prosciutto and mozarella panini from time to time, it sure would be nice to find a good 'ole "Number 1"........

Bob

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

See, now, a comment like that makes it sound as if the potato pancake and the black-and-white are NJ originals. In reality, the potato pancake traces it's origins back to Eastern Europe, and was made popular in the NY/NJ area by all of the immigrants who came from there in the last century

I actually hadn't heard the claim that the black and white *came from* New Jersey or New York...and definitely not the potato pancake!--but then again, I'm the grandchild of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants...but black and whites are associated as a northeast favorite. A tradition.

This is an interesting thing to bring up, though, and it works both ways (i.e. pizza not originating in Italy, and corned beef and cabbage being rarely, if ever, consumed in Ireland, etc.).

[HobokenGuy]

God I should have never started this thread. The black and white was purchased because well...they make awesome black and whites.

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by HobokenGuy

God I should have never started this thread. The black and white was purchased because well...they make awesome black and whites.

Yeah, how come all the NJ threads lately seem to go south? (Yar! Har!)

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I agree. I used to go to "Barney's Sub Shop" in Avenel when I was a teenager and get a "Number 1"- the cheapest sub available. It was spiced ham, bologna and provolone, with lettuce, tomato, white (not red!) onion, oil/vinegar (not "balsamic vineagrette"!) salt, pepper and oregano on a white sub roll (no wheat, peppercorn-seeded, sesame, or other junk!). Something like $1.95 for a 1/2, $2.95 for a whole.

Now, most of the delis up there have closed up (and down south they're non-existent), and you're stuck with Subway, Quiznos, and all of the other semi-gourmet crap. While I like a good prosciutto and mozarella panini from time to time, it sure would be nice to find a good 'ole "Number 1"........

Bob

both of those places make me want to barf. the only time I had Quiznos was in Costa Mesa, CA during a break from class, and it took all my might to choke it down. Subway? OMG - blech. I do like Blimpie though....

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by JerZ

Yeah, how come all the NJ threads lately seem to go south? (Yar! Har!)

hey!! you made a punny!! LOL