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Sandwich musings

September 4th, 2011

Over the past year or so, I’ve had some interesting sandwiches, and here they are collected in one blog post:

The Fat Magnum at Fat Sandwich Company. Please don’t tell me how many calories are in this sandwich, because I’ve now eaten it … twice. It is an eight-inch roll with a double cheeseburger, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bacon, eggs, french fries, mayo and ketchup. Despite an unlikely combination of ingredients, it’s actually really good, especially with a beer.

The Bobbie at Capriotti’s. I received a coupon in the mail to try it, which was a good idea since I don’t know if I would have spent money on a sandwich that came with turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing, but boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I usually don’t mix sweet and salty, but the flavors in this popular item were perfectly balanced, and I definitely would recommend it to anyone.

The Aloha Slider at Fit Fresh Cuisine. Again, here’s my hesitation of combining sweet and salty–this burger had a slice of pineapple on it, plus a slightly spicy sauce.  But it was delivered to me while I was a judge for Taste of Madison, and I was impressed. The nice kick that you get as you bite in sealed the deal for me. (You still won’t catch me adding pineapple to pizza, though.)

Tropical Cuisine

August 28th, 2011

Tropical Cuisine opened quietly last month on Broom Street between W. Washington and W. Mifflin. It claims to be the “first authentic Puerto Rican restaurant in Madtown.”

With only a table of four as the only other diners during a recent lunch, I was surprised and annoyed that my order took 34 minutes. It’s probably why the restaurant has flat screens–which would otherwise be out of place–in the corners: so that you have something to do while you wait and wait and wait.

The appetizers list includes stuffed bananas ($1.75), cod fritters ($1.75) and rib tips (8/$4.50 and 16/$9). I tried the meat turnover ($1.75), and while eating it I couldn’t help but think that the meat patty at Jamerica is much more enjoyable than the bland counterpart I was consuming. It probably would have been better if it came with some sort of dipping sauce.

The steak jibarito, which is a sandwich that uses plantains, was better.  I liked the creamy sauce and the steak, though as a whole it was pretty messy. Note, if you don’t like plantains, which are much less flavorful than bananas, you may not like jibaritos.

The disappointment continued in my other sandwich, as I ordered the Tripleta ($6.25), which has ham, pork, pastrami and turkey, but instead I was given just a pork sandwich ($5.75). On top of missing several meats, there was very little pork; the sandwich was mostly just bread.

Other menu items include a steam table, which is one meat and two sides from the daily menu for $8.50; stuffed plantains, including one with octopus for $14.95; and soups, salads and a kids menu.

Tropical Cuisine is open Mon-Sat for lunch, dinner and carryout. There are metered spots in front, or you can park in the Metropolitan Place ramp behind it.

How to cook a pizza without an oven

August 21st, 2011

Over the weekend I found myself in a situation with a frozen pizza and no oven to cook it. I’ll explain how I fried it, but here’s a quick side note on grilling a made-from-scratch pizza.

First, before you put any toppings on, put the crust on the grill for about three minutes–basically long enough so it is firm. Remove the crust from grill and flip it over, adding the toppings on this “cooked” side. Put the pizza back on the grill and cook until done.

Now onto frying. You will need a large, non-stick pot with a cover. The pizza should be defrosted but kept in the fridge so it is somewhat firm. Carefully fold the pizza in half (some of the toppings will fall off) as you are essentially constructing a calzone.

Add vegetable oil to the pot, coating the entire surface. I suggest cutting the pizza into strips, which will help it fit into the pot. Turn the stove to medium-low (e.g. 3-4 on a scale of 1-to-10). Once the oil is hot, add the strips of folded pizza and cover the pot.

After about 8-10 minutes, when the bottom crust is browned, flip the strips over. Cover and fry for another 10 or so minutes, checking that the cheese and toppings are cooked thoroughly. Avoid the temptation of increasing the heat, as that will only burn the crust without cooking the toppings.

I will be as bold to say you will enjoy this pizza/calzone more than if it was baked, simply because of the fried crust.

    Madison Symphony Orchestra Urban Air

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