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?

Thanks

Tom

"mary" > wrote in message
...
>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?
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom
>
>

Probably Taylor pork roll. Extremely popular in New Jersey. Very tasty for
breakfast. Also becoming available in other parts of the country. We have
it in Texas, but I would have never have heard of it without knowing an
acquaintance from New Jersey.

Chris in Pearland, TX

"mary" > wrote in message
...
>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?

Go over by the bacon case and look up. You might not see Taylor Pork Roll,
but maybe another brand. It might be in a roll wrapped in burlap, or in
boxes
of slices. Use a good American cheese and soft Kaiser rolls.

Heart attack on a plate but sometimes, what the hell.

nancy

In article >,
"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?

Pork roll IS the meat. Speaking as a citizen of the Garden State, Taylor
pork roll is similar to Canadian bacon or bologna. If you are curious to
try some pork roll, you might be able to find it in a supermarket in the
section where the bacon and breakfast sausage are sold. You can also buy
Taylor pork roll online.

Stan Horwitz wrote:

> Pork roll IS the meat. Speaking as a citizen of the Garden State, Taylor
> pork roll is similar to Canadian bacon or bologna. If you are curious to
> try some pork roll, you might be able to find it in a supermarket in the
> section where the bacon and breakfast sausage are sold. You can also buy
> Taylor pork roll online.

Publix supermarkets in the south carry small boxes
of it. I found some this week. I was pretty
excited to get some.
I personally like it with toast and apple butter,
no eggs or cheese for me.
Goomba

I live in Neptune N.J. not to far from there and more then like lee it's
Taylor pork roll but it could be Trenton pork roll which is made by the same
company
"Stan Horwitz" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "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?
>
> Pork roll IS the meat. Speaking as a citizen of the Garden State, Taylor
> pork roll is similar to Canadian bacon or bologna. If you are curious to
> try some pork roll, you might be able to find it in a supermarket in the
> section where the bacon and breakfast sausage are sold. You can also buy
> Taylor pork roll online.

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?
>
>Thanks

The NJ pork roll is an acquired taste. It's similar in concept to
Spam.

Disclaimer: I am one of the people who never acquired a taste for the
stuff. :>

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

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

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.

"Stark" > wrote in message
...

> 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.

When it was said that it's an acquired taste, I think it was because people
who grew up with it seem to crave it when they leave the area. So you
figure, this stuff must be great! Then they try it and don't see what the
big
deal is. It's not something to be scared of. Try it once just for a joke,
to
see what people are talking about, then take it or leave it.

nancy

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!

I like it and even eat some of it raw while the other cooks
"Curly Sue" > wrote in message
...
> 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!

In article >, Curly Sue
> wrote:

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

> >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.
>

Point taken. Tks.

"mary" wrote in message
>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?
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom

Since the diner is in New Jersey, it's most likely the meat is Taylor pork
roll. I like the slices that are cut off a roll, rather than the pre-cut
slices in the package - but the slices are a good place to start in case you
don't care for it. As others have said - near the bacon in the supermarket
cases.
Yum, I love the stuff, on a bun. Must remember to pick some up.

Dora

"limey" > wrote in message
...
>
> Since the diner is in New Jersey, it's most likely the meat is Taylor pork
> roll. I like the slices that are cut off a roll, rather than the pre-cut
> slices in the package - but the slices are a good place to start in case
you
> don't care for it. As others have said - near the bacon in the
supermarket
> cases.

In the Houston area, I've usually found it with the packaged Boar's Head
products in the deli dept. (right by the deli case where meats/cheeses are
sliced to order).

Mary