South St. Special

Many chefs draw on their childhood for inspiration for help with new dishes. As a proud Philadelphian, I have fond memories of the glorious cheesesteak, a sandwich that has been reproduced all over the country but rarely done justice. When my family moved from Philadelphia to Minneapolis, I remember going to a place that claimed to be a Philadelphia-style sandwich shop with cheesesteaks, hoagies and Tastykakes!!! (this was a big deal back then). The cheesesteak was laughable at best, thick slices of beef with a choice of provolone or……..swiss? Where was the Cheeze Whiz? I hate to be a snob about this (am I still considered a snob when it involves Cheeze Whiz?), but a true Philly cheesesteak is made with the orange stuff in the jar.  If you disagree, I’m sorry. I think my sister asked if they had Cheeze Whiz and the girl behind the counter looked like she had been asked to defecate on the sandwich.

The Philadelphia classic is something I’ve attempted to recreate sans meat throughout my career, and this week I’ve decided to put it on the menu at Ipanema. Take a look at caramelized onions and peppers, sliced seitan and a vegan cheese sauce to replace the stuff in the jar, all piled in a Flour Garden Torpedo roll. 

Are there any favorites you associate with your hometown or family that can’t be duplicated elsewhere?  Or maybe this made you think of a dish you’d like to see veganized?  Who knows, maybe I’ll get some guest bloggers on here to show off!

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