It was in honor of my sister's birthday - she gets a bit more vintage today, along with my friend Bunny.
So I felt like I should travel backwards in time for lunch, and I was shocked to discover a forty year old sandwich in absolutely perfect condition.
The sandwich was from Schlotzsky's. Schlotzsky's opened their first store not too far from where I live now in 1971. But they didn't enter my life until 1977, when they opened their first store in Bryan College Station, where we were living then.
It was truly earthshaking and different food at the time, and quickly became a very crowded favorite in our little 40,000 person town.
If you're not lucky enough to live near one, you must know that their sourdough batter bread that they make the sandwich buns from can actually cause you to lose your mind temporarily. Then they build a hot sandwich with fresh veggies and a few kinds of meat, black olives, mustard and fairy dust that is smack-yo-momma-good. Add to that a prime location next to the putt putt golf course we used to go to and you really had a little slice of heaven.
After I moved to New York and then later Austin, I didn't have these for a long, long time. Today, it seemed like a good idea to pick up an old fave and I was completely dumbfounded when I tasted it.
It tasted EXACTLY the same as it did in the teeny little shop we ate them in in the 70s. It was like time travel, truly. Yummy, yummy time travel.
Most things I loved when I was growing up are nowhere NEAR as tasty today - Hershey bars, popsicles, Coke, Nacho Cheese Doritos, Taco Bell - all these things have suffered over the decades from various ingredient or process changes that have been made and I don't enjoy them anymore.
But Schlotzsky's - Schlotzsky's hasn't changed a bit. Completely amazing and delicious.
What a nice surprise.
Here's a little ditty I made for my vintage sis. :)
I took the positive part of the Summer Smooches stencil and laid it down on a piece of Sweet Shop DSP and then sprayed it with Electric Blue Smooch Spritz. I finished it with Happiest Birthday Wishes and Daffodil Delight seam binding.
Lay it on me, stringbean! :)
Loveyameanitbye.
HAHA! A co-worker used to work at a Schlotzsky's, and I've heard all the good stories. I've never eaten at one. Best sammie I've ever had was at a local place called Roy's Place. They sell their menus so people stop stealing them, and they tell you if you are in a hurry, you will not be happy there. Yes, the place is that good. Next to that, I'd have to go with The Carnegie Deli in NYC.
ReplyDeleteI need to get out my stencils and play with sprays. I love that card!
Oooh! I love Schlotzky's too but I don't think they have them around here anymore! At least I haven't seen one in forever. My childhood favorite would be at this little family run pizza joint, Bob's Pizza. We would go every year after our Christmas program at church. They had the best pepperoni because it would curl up and get a little bit burned on the top edges. Completely delicious!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, my parents owned a small restaurant. My mother made these crazy-delicious steak sandwiches... Super thinly sliced steak, grilled and topped with grilled onions and provolone on an incredible toasted Italian roll that was slathered in butter. Unfreakingbelievable. I tell her all the time that i wish I could have one more of her steak sandwiches. She just smiles ... she can't remember them any longer as she has Alzheimers.
ReplyDeleteAhhh....food memories! I still dream about the awesome hamburger I once had a gas station restaurant which is now closed. It was sooooo good. Lightly buttered and toasted bun, just the right amount of condiments and a burger grilled so perfectly that no other burger has met that height of perfection.(excuse me while I drool for a minute! Thank you!)
ReplyDeleteLove your pretty card. I am enjoying trying out masking with different layers and mediums. Fun!
Thank you for sharing and happy belated birthday to your sister! :)
I'd be back at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor for a wonderful sandwich similar to the one you described!
ReplyDeleteMy sister will be 40 in Nov. This post made me smile. I am the older sister by 6 years.. There used to be a JAN'S ice-cream parlor where you could get great sundaes. Boy they were great. My dad would take me for black/white milkshakes and the pretzel rods were a penny... Boy, those were fun outings. I take my nieces or nephews for plain water ice, and it costs a fortune...
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