Sandwiches

"Whether you’re an avid Grilled Cheese lover or want to whip up something totally indulgent (and worth it) with one of summer’s finest foods—lobster- you'll want to make this amazing recipe courtesy of Iron Chef Marc Forgione. Forgione’s unique twist on the classic grilled cheese makes the perfect mouth-watering meal."

Lobster Grilled Cheese courtesy of Marc Forgione and T-fal

Ingredients:

For the Chili Lobster:

2 cups Lobster Stock (If you can’t find Lobster Stock, get seafood stock, which should be available at Whole Foods or Fox & Obels)

4 (1 1/2 pound) lobsters, claws removed
1/4 cup Sriracha
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes
6 ounces (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
4 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
8 slices of fontina cheese
4 slices Pullman Loaf or other high-quality thick sliced white bread (1” thick)

“I’m hungry. Can someone please help me?  Please. This is serious.  I haven’t eaten since early this morning. Please.” The plea came from a diminutive man I had just rushed passed on 8th Avenue in New York City.  He was wearing a grey cap pulled down over his forehead and held a tattered white plastic shopping bag.  It was 12:30 a.m. A hard March wind was blowing through Chelsea and everyone who passed this pleading man, was hurrying to someplace warm, including me. 

I had just eaten at one of my favorite joints Casa Mono. I started with the  pulpo with fennel and grapefruit and followed with the dorada with artichokes and langostinos (the langoustine tail meat was a bit mushy but still flavorful.) My belly was full and I still had the glow of a quarto of solid Spanish red. 

For a reason I still do not know, after getting a few steps past this man, who was all but invisible to passers-by, I stopped and waited for him to catch up. When I offered  a dollar bill to him, he said, “No man, didn’t you hear,  I’m hungry. This is no joke.  I don’t want money. I’m just very  hungry.” “Really, no bullshit?”  I said.

We're not sure who makes these decisions...

April is not only National Grilled Cheese Month, but also National Poetry Month.  In an effort to celebrate both, The Pop Shop in Collingswood, New Jersey, is holding their 3rd Annual Cheesy Poetry Contest, which honors the best poem, ode or haiku about the joy of eating grilled cheese at their shop.

Since they make over 30 different types of grilled cheese, they are clearly a great place to find inspiration. The contest is open to all ages with two winners being selected – one adult and one child.

To enter, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by April 24th. For full contest rules and more information about the joys of Grilled Cheese go to The Pop Shop.

Living in California, my only problem is how to collect the free lunch when I win. 

Since I photograph at least 50% of what I cook and bake, just in case I might someday wish to write about it and preserve an ephemeral cupcake or casserole for posterity, my camera is always where I can easily find it. Today, however, my camera was at a Minor League baseball game with Sam, after a prolonged series of “pleaspleasepleasei’llbe caaaaaaaaareful!” attacks wore me out. It didn’t occur to me until after we had eaten what I considered to be an interesting lunch that I could have photographed it using my phone – I just scrapped the whole project when I remembered that my camera was on walkabout among a herd of sugar-addled sixth graders.

I had made really good sandwiches based on things lying around the house: leftover whole grain buns, two different kinds of cheese with hot peppers, pulled pork with barbecue sauce, an abandoned avocado…stuff like that. Mr. Annie got two giant sandwiches piled high with pork, Cabot Habanero Cheddar and avocado, and I made myself a more modest vegetarian model with no pork and a healthy pile of spicy alfalfa sprouts. Alas, these gems of thrifty husbandry were doomed to slip away (literally and figuratively), unmarked.