Delis

maybe once a year i'll treat myself to a pastrami on rye.
believe it or not, i can get it right across the street from my office...

<drool>
Pastrami. I love that stuff. I haven't seen it in such a long time, I had forgotten.

First choice: tie between a) latkes with sour cream and a dill pickle.
b) toasted rye bagle spread with whitefish.

Second choice: ruben on toasted rye with a dill pickle.

I like black cherry soda to drink too- or for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it.

As a former Noo Yawker, I have often pined for a good kosher deli. A couple of years ago, they opened a place called TooJays, near the Tampa airport, which is about 45 minutes away from my house.

http://www.toojays.com/about/

Whenever we get to town, Mr. P and I head for TooJays. We usually order a cup of matzo ball soup, a corned beef and a chopped liver sandwich, on challah. We each eat half of each other's sandwich. I top my meal off with a Dr. Brown's cream soda.

The food is the closest thing that you can get to a New York deli, 'round these parts. It is a bit disconcerting to see ham sandwiches and shrimp salad next to the whitefish salad on the menu, but what the hell, they need to satisfy the local crowd.

I've been frequenting a kosher deli of late. The smell, that glorious kosher deli smell, hits you in the face when you walk in the door.

In addition to my beloved corned beef, I've tried the kishke (very good), matzo ball soup (very good), stuffed cabbage (disappointing), and chopped liver (NG).

Ooops. I got so carried away, I forgot to comment on your responses. Sorry.

Pastrami once a year? Reg. This is a form of food celibacy.

Edgar, Come to Noo Yawk. We'll go to the deli. You'll have your pastrami. I'll have my corned beef. We'll schmooze.

Aidan, Latkes with sour cream. Can't beat that. I'm a little surprised at the accompanying pickle. Don't worry. I'll get over it. Bagel with whitefish sounds excellent. Is that whitefish or whitefish salad? Both delish. Reuben. You can't go wrong.

Phoenix, So haul your ass here already. You keep saying you will, but something always stops you. Think about that deli smell. Not in Florida. Perfume. I love good chopped liver on challah. Did I ever tell you that I make the very best chopped liver? Da best!!! I use my grandmother's wooden chopping bowl and my mother's chopper. Uh oh. My tongue is dragging on the floor again.

Roberta- I'll eat a good dill pickle anytime, anywhere with anything- so when I walk in a deli- the sight of them in that garlic-y brine or whatever it is they're in, is irresistable to me- usually I'll buy one to eat while I'm waiting for my order.

I like whitefish salad on bagels best- but also like smoked whitefish on it's own.

I also love matzo ball soup- and good chicken noodle soup too.
Stuffed cabbage is one of my favorites- but I have to say- the best stuffed cabbage I ever had was made by my Polish neighbor- Joe- who was a Catholic, I think. He used to make a big batch of it and bring me a tray of about ten or so each time- I'd have them for supper that night, for breakfast AND lunch the next day until they were gone (with sour cream).

Hmmm.... deli food. You'd be hard pressed to find any of those things out here in the sticks where I am. I did see a deli once in Bath, and actually I think it was a Polish deli if I remember correctly, but I didn't get the chance to go in and see what they had- maybe they'd have some good stuffed cabbage.
I bet they have some good delis in London. I've found the food from all different ethnicities is abundant and usually excellent, in London

When I was pregnant with my son, I craved two things..............stuffed cabbage and kishka. There was a little kosher deli in my neighborhood, where I would stop to get my "fix"!

I miss Vito's deli in Hoboken. Sandwiches to die for.


(and possibly from)


But worth every bite.

true, but the long wait makes it taste incredibly good.
the main downside is i get serious pastrami coma -- puts me right to sleep!

The meatball sandwich in the deli section of International Foods on Lincoln in Santa Monica: best ever ever ever. Always a line near out the door, but orders went fast. I always ate mine along with an ice cold diet coke (I'm over those now) and riffed through LA Weekly at a table on the terrace just by Lincoln Blvd. Noise, diesel grit, sometimes rain, cold wind, whatever. Heaven.

The deli at Sorrento deli/market in Culver City... prosciutti hanging overhead...
vast selection of imported this and that meats, large selection of variously aged cheeses from Eurp (as Harvey used to call it) plus all the usual. Then the counter with the cannoli and other delicacies.

Pastrami, corned beef, you're killing me. Maybe I'll ferret out a recipe and cook myself some corned beef..

What am I craving? Whitefish. Aidan. This is on you. Speaking of pickles, I'm not a dill pickle fan. I like the sour ones. But you're right. A good pickle goes with anything.

The best stuffed cabbage I ever had was made by my grandmother. She was a stellar cook.

Lion Tamer, It's pointless to consider health issues when thinking about and eating deli food. Dream of Vito's and savor the memories.

Reg, Pastrami coma? Worth every bite, though.

osso, A good meatball sandwich so depends on the bread. I've had a few where the innards were good but the outers were lacking. You're gonna make corned beef? I thought only my grandmother did such a thing. If you do it, let me know how it turns out. Mmmmmmmmm.

There is a deli called Milano Gourmet on 89th and Third where I used to go get a breaded chicken breast sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, onions and mayo, topped with a quarter-inch thick slice of fresh semi-melted mozzarella cheese. I haven't been there in a while. I should go back.

So good. SO GOOD!

Abie's in Montreal for smoked meat on rye...oh man, it must be five years ago...<<sigh>>

Centre Street Deli in Thornhill

appies to share

first, The Deli Pooh Pooh (one scoop of chopped liver, turkey, old fashioned, karnatzel, sours, coleslaw) - then whitefish salad

if anyone's got room (I do), maybe a toasted twister with lox or brisket on rye

I know this jernt, kicky. Haven't had the chicken breast sandwich. I'll add it to my list of must tries.

Tai, What kinda smoked meat. Don't leave us hanging.

Beth, Oooh. I love places where you can try a bissel of this and a bissel of that. You had to say brisket on rye? You had to do it. This could end up in my cooking in this heat. Fie on you I say.

Roberta, Montreal Smoked Meat is exactly that. It's similar to pastrami, but it's not pastrami (no matter what the wikipedia volunteers think)

Kinda famous. Major yummmmm.

I have friends who drive to Montreal from Toronto (about 6 hours) just to get some REAL Montreal Smoked Meat.

Schwartz's - another Montreal smoked meat traditional.

http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/index_eng.html

Thanks ehBeth. I was about to "out" myself as someone who knows little about delis except that I, you know, like what I like. (Guess I just did.) Growing up in small town WASP Canada I knew little about delis and nothing about kosher. (I once ordered milk with a meat meal at Moishe's on Spadina. The waitress was freaked; I was oblivious...) Now Moishe's -- there was a restaurant (once I got the hang of things).

Tai Chi, I miss all the delis that used to be down on Spadina.

I still make an occasional trip up to the United Bakers Dairy up at Bathurst and Lawrence. They moved there when they closed the Spadina location. You can get milk there - but no meat.

Their toasted twister platter with fresh cream cheese, lox, sliced tomato, half-sour, and a handful of fries ...

<drooling>

I've convinced people to take me there for my birthday over the years. "you want to go to a Dairy?". "YES!!!"

~~~

The real Shopsy's on Spadina. That was a place. I learned a lot about half-sour pickles there, and Knockers.