In the South, they have Krystal. In the Midwest, they have White Castle. In a few places (like Nashville), we’ve got both. Each restaurant serves up tiny sammies packed full-a calories, grease, and questionable meat products. Each restaurant has its late-night, post-drinking devotees (I like a Krystal chick after midnight myself…as a matter of fact, we hit Krystal last night around 12:05 after The Felice Brothers show).
But a funny thing’s been happening for a couple of years now: high-end restaurants have been picking up on the slider concept, creating endless (and sometimes tedious) variations on the theme. The best I’ve had were at Cabana: country ham on sweet potato biscuits with peach preserves (an assault of sugar and salt).
And even middle of the road chain restaurants are picking up on the tiny burger/sandwich concept. For undisclosed reasons, I was required to eat at an O’Charley’s this past Sunday, and their menu now features a plate of four small hamburgers (cooked to a CRISP with no input from the diner on doneness).
All this thinking about tiny sandwiches brought to mind a dish that I loved finding at church potlucks when I was a kid. From the ages of about 8 to 15, these were what I always went for at the potluck and woe unto him who got there before me and gobbled them all up. There are a few variations on the recipe here and here. I propose we bring these guys into the mainstream–or at least back for Thanksgiving dinner. Mom? Please? The ham sandwiches with the poppy seeds?
Ahh yes….. THE SANDWICHES as they were so reverently referred to when you were but a young foodie. I looked up the recipe just this past weekend as I searched for something to bring to a party. I didn’t have the ingredients on hand but I promised myself to treat Alan to the little delectables soon. Thanksgiving might be just the time to put them on the table. They have to be better than anything at a restaurant.