Friendwiches

You've probably never looked at your circle of friends and imagined them as sandwiches. Please don't ask me why I have...there is no logical answer. The closest I can come is that it's just another way of describing their personalities. It's an interesting, if not humorous, way of looking at your people. Let me go ahead and apologize if you're craving a sandwich by the time this little diversion comes to an end. There are worse things.

The Uncle Les: Homegrown tomato on his wife's (Aunt Laura) homemade bread...with JFG mayo and plenty of salt and pepper. When in season, that tomato needs to be a Grainger Ranger. Grainger County, Tennessee produces some of the finest tomatoes you could ever eat. A tomato sandwich is humble, laid back, unassuming, but full of goodness. Just like Uncle Les.

The Aunt Patty: Homemade pimento cheese (with real mayonnaise) on wheat, crustless and cut into quarters like you might find at any reputable Southern tea room. 

The Mr. Snark: Roast beef, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda with a bit of Gulden's Spicy Brown mustard and JFG mayo. Why JFG? He grew up with it and it is made in Knoxville. All of this goes on a hoagie roll and gets put into a Fresh-O-Matic steamer. Everything comes out warm and melty in all the right places. 

The JHP: Like his name, his favorite sandwich is also a trio...turkey, ham, and pastrami on a Brazilian sandwich roll with Havarti cheese, a secret aioli, and house made muffuletta. Toasted. This sandwich must be toasted and consumed with a cup of black coffee.  

The Luke T: Nicknamed "The PowWow" after discovering that hot sauce on a hot skillet creates vapor that will steal your breath and make your eyes water. Thickly sliced oatmeal bread with real mayo on the outside surfaces of each slice. Between the bread, Black Forest ham and two pieces of Provolone cheese. Grill until toasty...couple dashes of hot sauce on the bread, sprinkle with shredded cheddar and melt. Do this to both sides of the sandwich.

The Missy:  Spinach, olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese and extra pickles. By extra pickles I mean, half the jar of dill chips. Open faced on a piece of Naan and toasted. Presented on a lovely plate with a fork and knife...but most likely, pulled apart in chunks and eaten like finger food. Bougie? Just a little.

The Little Fox: Feijoa jam on brioche, topped with chia seeds and dried hibiscus flowers. It's food for pixies and fairy-folk.

The Mama: Fried Koegel bologna with a slice of hoop cheese on white bread. That, folks, is pure nostalgia. Wash it all down with an ice cold bottle of Vernor's.

The 1L: a homemade biscuit sandwich...a sausage biscuit...with sausage gravy on the side. 

The Flann'l Dan'l: a dessert offering of two, fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies with dollop of peanut butter between the cookies. 

The Sweet Rebekah:  Quality tuna with a bit of chopped sweet pickle, chopped egg, and chopped celery...toasted sunflower bread with leaves of red lettuce to keep the tuna salad from making the bread soggy. Maybe a little quieter, than the others, but full of the things your soul needs.

The MJ: another dessert option...the most perfect chocolate cupcake frosted with the most delicious buttercream...cut in half across the width and the top half turned upside down so the frosting is between the layers of cake.

The She Duke: Chicken breast cutlet Southern fried to perfection and encased in a Sister Schubert yeast roll. May God bless the good sister in her ministry.

The He Duke: Pulled pork BBQ that hits in a way that only backyard BBQ can. I mean, this stuff would be so good, it will sing it's own praises. Get some extra napkins and don't wear a white shirt. This one is a messy kind of delicious.

The Katbird: Fried egg and bacon on toasted wheat bread. The yolk is still liquid at the very center and the bacon is crispy with just the right amount of chewiness. Best eaten after Sunday evening worship while solving the world's problems.

The Jenny-la: A healthy schmeer of good cream cheese on a GOOD bagel, topped with smoked salmon and a little red onion. Just a little. This is so good, you'll be kvelling.

The Misha: Find an international grocery store that has an eastern European section. You're going to need the darkest rye or pumpernickel bread that you can find. Find the salami that would make a cardiologist run screaming in the opposite direction at the amount of fat in the meat. You want the white cheese with the little tiny pin holes in it...has a red wrapper on it inside the cheese case. Good amount of mayo on both pieces of bread and hot mustard that has been made so by the addition of a couple glugs of homemade hot sauce. This sandwich is not for children or people who sweat if they look at the pepper shaker.

The Wife of Cedric: It's Keto friendly, if that's a concern for you. Roasted chicken with a black pepper seasoning. Just enough spice to keep you on your toes. Lettuce wrapped with avocado, tomato, and cucumber.

The Sister: A perfect fish taco...with the most perfect sauce. No tomatoes...at all...whatsoever.

The Sister-Cousin: For the plant eaters among us. Plenty of grilled veggies...eggplant (not if I'm ordering), bell pepper, onion, zucchini. Topped with a fresh basil pesto and served on a 50-11 grain bread that is non GMO.

The Keavs: A ham and cheese toastie on Irish soda bread...and a pint.

The YankeeBelle: An open faced (because my face can't lie) turkey sandwich with gravy and a side of homemade cranberry-orange relish. A little sass to cut through and cleanse the palate.

This list...evidence of the goodness of God in my life. An odd way of looking at it to be sure, but goodness, however it's framed. My life is all the better for the presence of each one of these people...and for the ones not named, because this is not anywhere close to a full accounting of my loved ones. Bon appetit, y'all...in the sense that you have an appetite for beautiful friendships that enrich your life and the world around you.