On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 13:34:13 GMT, Stark > wrote:

>In article >, this one
> wrote:
>
>> Curly Sue wrote:
>>
>> > On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:31:59 -0500, "mary" >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >>I am reading a book called "Luncheonette" by Steven Sorrentino about his
>> >>family's diner in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The diner's specialty is a
>> >>porkroll-egg-cheese sandwich. He pretty well describes how it is made, but I
>> >>am not clear the type of meat that is used for the "porkroll" part of the
>> >>sandwich. Anyone have any ideas?
>> >
>> > The NJ pork roll is an acquired taste. It's similar in concept to
>> > Spam.
>>
>> Not really like Spam. Back in the 50's in my parents' South River, New
>> Jersey resto, we served it sliced and fried with any of several other
>> fixings. We called it "Taylor Ham" I guess because everybody else did.
>> Sliced off a slab about 1/4 inch thick and cut four radial slits in it
>> so it wouldn't "cup" while cooking. On a roll with other stuff.
>>
>> Pastorio
>>
>It's a Taylor Pork Roll and it's available here in Memphis alongside
>all the Boar's Head products. I'm tempted. But the "acquired taste" bit
>bothers me. Now I've eaten a few smoked balogna logs which look pretty
>grostesque when done and we used to have Spam Smackdowns in college,
>but I'm hesitant on the pork roll.

It's not disgusting or terribly expensive. So go ahead and try it if
it's right there and you're curious. But it's not worth longing after
or sending away for. My intention is really just to provide a
balanced view of the stuff.

Let me explain my "acquired taste" phrase. It's one of those
regional foods that one hears a lot about here and you feel like
you're missing out if you don't try it. So when I lived in Trenton
another non-NJ friend and I bought some. We tried it as suggested and
were shocked at how ...uninteresting it is and how out-of-proportion
its press. I was looking at it the wrong way- I thought it was
something that one added to an egg-and cheese sandwich that would
punch it up a bit, like bacon would. In fact, the egg, cheese, and
bread are there to make the TPR interesting.

So in searching for a justification for its continued existence in a
global world of good food and affluence, the only thing we could come
up with was that it was something people retained an affection for
because they grew up with it.

I'm going to stop there because I can sense the daggers pointed my way
from NJ. ;>

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!