Cheese

Cubicle life is not something you can really avoid anymore. Before I was ever a full-time employee, I thought that the world depicted in The Office, Dilbert, and Office Space was hyperbole of the mundane. Not so much. It really is the most peculiar thing to be surrounded by people you cannot see, but of course, can clearly hear. The separation-yet-not gives both a false sense of separation and closeness. Simultaneously building and breaking collegiality. The ongoing desire for an office is not to get away from people, it’s to get away from the cubicle existence. Getting an office gives you a chance to break free, however closed off you may then end up being.

The curve ball that I’ve been thrown for the past three out of four jobs is sharing a space, either offices or a cubicle—which despite the confusion I assume is written all over your face, is unfortunately possible. For all the cursing I may do about bad luck that comes my way, I will never stop thanking the stars above for giving me the best office and cubicle mates I could ever ask for. Kind, thoughtful, intelligent, funny. Each has been a person I will never forget and will certainly a lifelong friend. Many a workday doldrum has been saved by turning to my neighbor and asking/bugging them about their day/evening/weekend/lunch. I love being solo in an office, but sharing a space is a close second.

Ham

I almost always pack my lunch (good for saving money and the waistline), but going out is of course a nice treat. My office location in Midtown Manhattan makes it pretty easy to pack a lunch because the dining options are so dismal. My office mate reminded me, however, that a short jaunt on the subway could yield culinary excitement. And how happy was I that he suggested one day that we make our way to No. 7 Sub, a place I was interested in trying.

Subs in hand, we parked ourselves in Madison Square Park and shared the Cheese (cheese, broccoli sauce, pickled red onions, fried chickpeas, and mayo) and Ham (pickled blueberries, pickled red onions, cheese, ham, potato chips, and mayo). I preferred the Cheese, he preferred the Ham. But overall, we were not in love with any of it—for a place that specializes in subs and only makes a few of them, they could avoid repeating ingredients for a bit more creativity and be much less reliant on mayo.

But, whatevs. I have a new friend. End of story.

No. 7 Sub
1188 Broadway (Ace Hotel), New York

My love affair with breakfast started as a wee toddler with a hankering for pancakes. My annual Saturday morning ritual at the age of five was to rise and shine bright and early to watch the Little Rascals under the protection of my little satin trimmed yellow blanket, which was always followed by making pancakes. With parents still asleep, I would haul out the Aunt Jemima, push a chair up to the stove, and get cooking. How hard could it be really? In no time at all I was a fully independent pancake maker…except for the time that somehow I managed to produce a blue pancake product, they were pretty good for a toddler. No more Aunt Jemima for me. Now my weekend carb fix is all about the stuffed French Toast and perfect buttery pancakes.

Carbohydrate number one goes something like this with two variations….

Banana Brie French Toast & Ham Gruyere French Toast

2 eggs

2 Tbsp whole milk

8 thick slices of French bread

1 sliced banana or pear (as pictured) if you prefer

4 slices of brie

4 slices of Swiss Gruyere

4 slices of Tuscan ham

maple syrup

Lightly beat eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Set aside.

Cut a slit in the French bread slices as though you were slicing them into thinner slices, but don’t cut all the way through. Stuff half of the slices with a layer of bananas and brie, and stuff the other half with the Swiss Gruyere and Tuscan Ham.

Heat a cast iron pan or griddle to medium/high. Lightly dip both sides of each piece of French Bread and place on hot buttered grill one by one. Flip when golden brown and serve with maple syrup for the sweet version, and Dijon mustard for the salty version.

Carbohydrate number two is courtesy of my friend, and brilliant artist, Dana Holst. A fellow connoisseur of the pancake, we talked about the attributes of the little fluffy pan treats. We reviewed density (can’t be too heavy), crispiness (has to have a little crunch along the delicate edges), fluffiness which is of course essential, and memories of pancakes from days gone by made by the hands of women we love. So when Dana told me she had discovered the perfect recipe for a light, fluffy, crisp, thin pancake, I was thrilled. She was right. Sunday morning perfection!

Dana’s Pancakes

1 ½ cups flour (wholewheat if you want)

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp baking powder

2 eggs separated

1 2/3 cups milk

¼  cups canola oil

Butter for cooking

Sift dry ingredients together.  Blend egg yolks, milk and oil well in a blender.  Beat egg whites until stiff in separate bowl.  Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just mixed and still lumpy.  Gently fold in egg whites until just mixed.  Cook in butter, on medium/high heat. Butter and syrup….yum!

Now keep those PJs on and get cooking already. I won’t tell…..

I will admit that my first reaction the proposition “Do you want to come over for ham buns?” was not one of excitement and anticipation, but I would soon have my mind changed. Trusting that my aunt and uncle, who whip up a batch of cookies like they’re making toast, and a turkey dinner on a whim because they woke up in the mood for Christmas, would only be extending the excited invite for something divine, I headed straight over. Since that salty day, it’s become a comfort food staple that feeds the masses, makes for days of post ham enjoyment, and almost always leads to jambalaya a few days later…but that’s a whole other story.

So here’s the breakdown…a bone in ham, slow roasted with about 4 inches of water in a covered roasting pan at 350 degrees for 4 hours, sliced up while it’s still hot from the oven and served on soft kaiser buns (we require the sobey’s kaisers)…add butter, medium or aged cheddar, mustard (I fancy plain old French’s but grainy is nice too), and pickles (Claussen’s please). And don’t forget to drink some water before you go for the second bun in an attempt to avoid the midnight in the desert wake up call.