2nd Annual Sandwich Party

Hi,

This has been sitting on my harddrive for months, it is a belated bouquet for an inspired mid-winters party:

Last year, Joan was inspired to have party featuring one of her favorite foods: sandwiches. The premise was simple: everyone would bring a sandwich to share. It was conducted recently by invitation only, simply an issue of availability of space as well as located in a private home. However it was a chowcentric event worth sharing with our friends:

Cathy2 brought unsweetened cream puffs (Choux pastry) filled with a cheese mixture consisting of finely grated Havarti cheese, sour cream and garlic. The first time I had these was at a birthday party in Moscow during the mid 1980's. The hostess obtained the recipe during a summer student working vacation (an activity designed to keep them modest and appreciative of the working man) in the hinterlands of the USSR (Siberia or Urals, I just don't recall at the moment). I also brought a potato salad, which included shrimps, Canadian bacon and green beans in a cream cheese and mayonnaise dressing. A recipe adapted from a (girl) friend who grew up eating it in the Philippines.

Catherine and Robert brought a terrine of rillettes along with French bread. They confessed it was an experiment driven by a food vendor who claimed they needed vast amounts for our gathering. The experiment tasted very good (as well as my lunch the following day). They also brought a grated carrot salad whose origin was from a visit to Africa: finely grated carrots, juice of a lime and sugar to taste.

Aaron D and Joan both prepared roast beef sandwiches. I missed Aaron's sandwich as it was devoured while I performed a Mitzvah. Joan's sandwich was a delicious with lots going on -- I expect she can more adequately explain its composition than I.

VI and the Condiment Queen brought pork carnitas and tortillas.

Hat Hammond's wife prepared "Eisenhower Era" Checkerboard sandwiches. It was really up there with the Seven Wonders of the World: how did these Eisenhower Era housewives put these things together! Carolyn explained having to pound cold butter to incorporate the herbs. If the butter had reached an undesirable room temperature, then the butter would become oily which was something to avoid. The precisely cut strips of white and dark bread were "glued" together by the pounded herb butter. Carolyn added her own touch, a bread substrate the sandwich was mounted on.

Ourpalwill was missing in action due to illness. Too bad, I was looking forward to trying an example of Riviera-type submarine sandwiches reported on so richly lately.

Other dishes present, but I am uncertain who brought them, was Chicharon with a tomatillo dipping sauce. There was also something from India, however there were trace amounts available when I returned -- not enough left for identification.

Joan prepared desserts. She made chocolate macaroons filled with chocolate cream (ganache?). They reminded me of mass produced cream filled snacks but now refined and elevated to adult tastes! The raspberry and lemon panne cotta was sublime. She also prepared a fruit cobbler, which was accompanied by a dessert sauce -- I'm fuzzy on this because I ate the cobbler only today without any sauce.

Special mention to Erik M who prepared homemade ice cream sandwiches, which he later commented was silly bringing a dessert to someone who specializes in desserts -- sort of in the line of bringing coals to Newcastle. These sandwiches were never consumed because of a Murphy's Law intervention: Erik got locked out his home. However, it did not stop him from coming for the warm glow of friends and food. Thank goodness there is always next year!

(I hope those who attended will correct any omissions or errors.)

Thank you Joan for being such a wonderful and imaginative hostess. It was fun to see the different forms a sandwich could take.

Thanks ever so much!

Best regards,
Cathy2

I've made those! You could buy unsliced loaves of very squared bread I think just for that purpose, or at least my mother, who otherwise made all our bread, bought them only for that purpose. I'm sure, however, knowing my mother, that we made them with margarine, which at my mother's house is never refrigerated. Then, of course, you have to serve them on a glass plate that incorporates its own holder for for the matching glass cup. Lots of fun!

VI and Sheila should not be held responsible for the carnitas, which I brought from Carnitas el Paisa, and which really didn't taste so hot.