As many of you know, today’s would have been Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday.  He left an indelible impression on our culture in many ways; primarily through music, but also with food.  I mean, this guy loved to eat – maybe a little too much, actually.  That said, when you think Elvis and food, you likely think of his seminal creation: the fried peanut butter, banana (and sometimes bacon) sandwich.  I have never had this combination together, but as Elvis knew good food, especially the kind that would literally inflate you as you ate it, we should follow his lead.

Per the NY Times’ Diner’s Journal recipe, we should all go home today and make this sandwich while thinking of The King.

Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches

4 tablespoons commercial peanut butter
4 slices white sandwich bread
2 ripe bananas, sliced into thin rounds, approximately half a cup
4 slices bacon (optional, but what would Elvis do?)
3 tablespoons butter

1. If using bacon, fry in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan and drain over paper towel. Wipe out skillet.
2. Spread peanut butter evenly over 2 slices of bread, then pile banana slices over these. Add bacon, if using, then complete sandwiches with remaining slices of bread. Press together gently.
3. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat until it foams, then fry sandwiches, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes total. Serve immediately.

H/t to The Sweetest Kitchen for the picture.  Oh, and Elvis had another favorite sandwich: the Fool’s Gold Loaf.  Yikes.

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So how terrible would this be: you’ve been taken prisoner in North Korea. You don’t know when you’re coming home – you could rot in jail for the rest of your life.  You finally get released, and here is the photo that the national/international news media uses (from CNN frontpage):

Hahahahahaha. Look, I know this woman just went through the extremely unpleasant/horrible ordeal of being held hostage by a vicious dictatorship that is part of the “Axis of Evil”, but there is something hilariously comical about CNN using a photo of the woman holding a giant sub/hero/hoagie/grinder. I mean, seriously, was that the ONLY photo they could find of her? You would think CNN would have tracked down a normal, respectable photo. You would think that would have been something they would have done a few months ago, like, I dunno, how about RIGHT AFTER SHE WAS TAKEN HOSTAGE???

Doesn’t this woman have a Facebook page? Vacation photos? A family they could have contacted for a better picture? A headshot from her employer’s website? Then again, maybe I don’t know the full details here. Maybe they did contact the family, and this is the photo they supplied to CNN. Heck, maybe CNN even said “uh, are you sure you want to use a photo with that giant sandwich in it?” to which they probably responded, “she LOOOOVES sub sandwiches. When she is released, nothing will make her happier than to know that the photo of her that appeared on the news showed her with a giant sandwich.”

Kind of makes me afraid that if I ever die, get lost in the mountains for days, or am taken hostage, the newspapers will randomly settle on this as a stock photo:

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After a bit of a hiatus while Phelps was serving his suspension, Subway has finally put the swimming superstar back on the air.  For hidden message seeking stoners and freedom lovers everywhere, the ad could be viewed as either a subtle dig at Kellogg’s and/or nod of approval toward Phelp’s activities.  The new ad pairs Phelps with will-he-just-vanish-off-the-face-of-the-earth-already Subway icon Jared Fogle, and features Sly and the Family Stone’s “Thank You.”  The name of the ad? “Be Yourself.” That’s right Phelps, you should be be yourself! Toke up if you want!

Dan Neil, writing for the Los Angeles Times, examines the (lack of) endorsement fallout from the Phelps story and notes:

To the extent that endorsement opportunities are a rough metric of how well someone in public life is liked, admired, respected, the bong-heard-round-the-world scandal might as well never have happened. With the benefit of hindsight, Kellogg execs might well be kicking themselves.

With Phelps back on the air for Subway and still challenging world records in recent swim tournaments, it’s clear that American’s are happy to have him back, and their collective shrug in response to his pot use shows just how outside the mainstream Kellogg’s is.

Welcome back Michael Phelps, and way to go Subway. I knew there was a reason I worked for one of your franchises for 4 years.

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“In tough economic times, more people than ever are turning to fast food options as a way to stretch their paycheck.  Playboy.com has taken note of this trend with its own ‘video salute’ to lunchtime. The site’s editors recognized that Quiznos seems to have a good sense of humor about their brand, and didn’t hesitate in selecting them as one of the best bargains out there.”

When pressed with specific questions about if Quiznos had knowledge of the video’s release or gave tacit approval of the video, Playboy did not directly address my question, but simply replied with this statement:

“Playboy.com is responsible for the video and put it together as its ’salute to lunchtime’.”

Does the mystery continue?

Update: Confusion is swirling online as to whether or not Quiznos had any involvement in making this video.  We knew all along that it was produced by Playboy, but the assumption from most seemed to be that the prominent featuring of a Quiznos sub made clear Quiznos was part of it. AdAge reports that they have spoken with Quiznos, and the company has denied any involvement in the ad. However, many bloggers seem skeptical.

Jezebel:

“It seems unlikely that Playboy independently produced a viral video advertising their sandwiches.”

The Denver Egotist:

“We’re calling bullshit, especially after watching that creepy sex-addled talking oven spot they’ve been running.”

Adrants:

“We can’t help but wonder just how many people over at Quiznos are loving (even hoping) this thing gets as much exposure as it’s getting. We still think there’s some shenanigans going on here.”

Cafe Society:

“We say bullshit. We’ve seen those creepy mutant hamster commercials and “Put it in me” talking-oven spots, so we know for a fact that the folks at Quiznos are sick enough to make this ad happen.”

Original Post:

Oh. My. God. I cannot believe that Quiznos made this ad.  First off, for those of you unfamiliar, this ad title/concept is based off the popular viral internet video “2 girls, 1 cup.” If you haven’t seen the video before, don’t bother looking it up. I can’t even begin to describe it to you in any level of detail without losing half my readers, but lets just say that it involves 2 women, eating, a cup, human excrement, and vomit. Enough. I don’t even want to say more.

Well some marketing genius over at Quiznos decided that a phrase (2 girls, 1 cup) that most users of the internet associate with one of the most disgusting, revolting and abhorrent things they have ever seen in their lives, should also be associated with the Quiznos brand name! Yay! Think Quiznos! Think human feces and vomit!

The execution of the ad is no less appalling than the fact that some moron even thought up this idea in the first place.  Two months ago, we asked in good fun if the new Padma Lakshmi Hardee’s commercial was “Soft Core Porn.” Ha! We were just joshing you. Compared to that ad, this one is like Deep Throat 7 – Tonsil’s Revenge. We also wondered if the Stacker 2 “6 hour power” ad was the most sexually explicit ad ever. Ha! That ad might as well have featured bunny rabbits and snowflakes compared to this one.

A YouTube video of the commercial is below the fold. I will tell you that while there is no nudity, this ad is about as NSFW as it can possibly be short of nudity or actual sexual intercourse – pay attention to those headphones people, there is plenty of sound! Be sure to keep reading on for my full thoughts on why this is such a horrendously awful ad.

So we have a few problems here. For starters, readers of this blog know that I think Quiznos sandwiches taste disgusting. I was already associating them with excrement and vomit. Now Quiznos has basically taken the next step and formalized my suspicions: even people in their marketing department can see the link between the taste of human excrement and vomit and the taste of their sandwiches! Otherwise, how would they have thought up this ad?

The next issue, of course, is that the two models, 21 year old Kari Nautique, and Playboy playmate Hiromi Oshima, are making noises, and writhing around, as if they are mid-orgasm while eating the sandwich. Not to mention deliberately allowing the “mayo” to become smeared all over their faces from their messy eating. I don’t even think we need to broach the subject of the phallic shape of Quizno’s sandwiches.  Oh yeah, and of course, they are sitting on a bench wearing bikinis while eating the sandwich, because why wouldn’t they be?

Now as a 28 year-old male, I’m not complaining about a hot 21 year-old in a bikini. Besides, sex sells. I get it, and I don’t have a problem with that. But who is the target market for this ad? Obviously not women. Probably not old people.   I’m guessing 18 – 34 year old males is the exact target demographic they are going for.  Well, I fall into that demographic.  When I’m watching an ad that is trying to sell me something using sex, I should either be turned on by it or excited by the idea of watching it. Watching this ad, I felt neither of those things. I felt gross, icky and uncomfortable just watching it from the privacy of my own desk and computer screen.  That’s me, a 28 year-old male. Imagine how offended/uncomfortable a woman of any age or a parent might be when they see this? Oh, and I never even mentioned the fact that Quiznos made this ad in collaboration with Playboy.

Now I could make some bold proclaimation like “I will never eat at Quizno’s again!” but that would be meaningless, because I never eat at Quizno’s anyways, because their food is horrid.  But if you are a parent, and you ever take your kid to Quizno’s, stop doing so immediately. Seriously. I’m not into drawing lines for how far advertising should go, but this ad makes anti-line-drawers suddenly realize that yep, now that I’ve seen this, I know the definition of crossing the line, and this is it.

So just to re-cap the stupidity of Quizno’s on this:

• Name our ad after the most disgusting viral video ever? Check.
• Offend anyone over the age of 35 and probably almost any female? Check.
• Make even your target demo of 18-34 year old males feel uncomfortable? Check.

and finally……

• Associate your food with BOTH human excrement AND vomit? CHECK.

Well, you did it Quiznos. You made possibly the most appaling, offensive commercial possible. Now thousands, if not millions, of people who weren’t already doing so will begin to associate your food with vomit and shit. Reapeat after me: Quiznos = vomit & shit, vomit & shit, vomit & shit. Well done Quiznos marketing department, well done.

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Ever wondered how old peanut butter & jelly sandwiches are? or who first dreamed them up? eHow says:

Legend has it that American soldiers in World War II mixed their ratios of peanut butter and jelly to make a new treat. When they returned sales of peanut butter and jelly soared. Everyone was soon making PBJ sandwiches.

A piece from the Orlando Sentinel seems to confirm this:

The first mention of the sandwich came during World War II, when peanut butter and jelly sandwiches became part of the US military rations.  While soldiers enjoyed them abroad, word got out here at home about the concoction and with limited supplies of meats and milks Americans adopted the sandwich as a low-cost meal.

However, Kitchen Project reports:

The first located reference to the now immortal peanut butter and jelly sandwich was published by Julia Davis Chandler in 1901. This immediately became a hit with America’s youth, who loved the double-sweet combination, and it has remained a favorite ever since

I was planning on a tuna sandwich for lunch, but I think I’m going to alter my lunch plan for today now that I know that it’s PB&J day.

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Following up on the Domino’s/Subway sandwich grudge match first reported by Eick a few weeks back, it seems that Domino’s has taken the battle to the next level.  According to this press release,

“Domino’s received a letter from Subway demanding it cease and desist from running advertising featuring the independently researched claim.”

The advertising referenced is Domino’s new campaign that cites a “national taste test” that says people prefer the Domino’s subs two to one over Subway.  In response to this letter, and as you might have witnessed during a recent American Idol episode, the CEO of Domino’s, David Brandon,  was featured in a commercial burning the letter in a sandwich roasting oven. 

Brandon (in his first commercial appearance) justifies this action by saying,

“This is as much fun as a good, old-fashioned school cafeteria food fight … We’re flattered that Subway would consider us a threat, since we’re still new to the sandwich game – but we also thought the best way to respond to their letter was in an irreverent fashion. I think I did what any red-blooded American always wants to do with a letter from a lawyer: burn it to a crisp.”

Further, on Domino’s website, you can see this commercial, and also “Bake the Letter” – where you can hit a button and watch the letter burn. The site claims that over 60k people have burnt the letter so far.

Subtle, this campaign is not.

Now I think that we all know, and as Eick alluded to before, the reason people like Domino’s subs more is likely due to the higher fat content, and thus increased flavor/taste. That said, I have to say I like the way Domino’s has taken on the sandwich king.  Now I have no love for Subway for a number of reasons, and I am happy to see a competitor emerge that will stir the pot.  I am also glad that Subway was called on the carpet for their weak response to the initial campaign.  To me, it comes off as pretty sad for someone at Subway to squeal, “Call the lawyers,” rather than, “Let’s take them on!”  What Subway’s response will be from here, we will see.  I can’t wait.

h/t to AdWeek for pict.

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Domino’s CEO David Brandon didn’t mince any words with his statement about the new commercial, expressing supreme confidence in their product:

“We knew we would win in any side-by-side comparison, but the margin of victory was overwhelming even to us. Having two-thirds of a national study prefer your product over the leader is virtually unheard of — until now.”

Zing. Take that Subway.  However, as BrandFreak notes, Subway isn’t exactly considered by consumers to be a franchise with poor tasting food:

“According to a recent BrandIndex survey of 5,000 consumers, on a scale of -100 to 100, Subway food received an overall score of 55.1, while Domino’s pulled in a -8.3.”

Another issue to be considered is Subway has a near lock on the claims of healthy food when it comes to the top chains, touting a popular menu of low-fat subs. The four subs Domino’s is offering so far? Philly cheese steak, chicken parm, Italian and chicken bacon ranch. That’s not exactly a lineup of healthy options. It makes sense that when purely taste is considered, subs that don’t worry about their fat content are more likely to win out.

Will Subway strike back? Or merely sit on their lead as the dominant sandwich chain and dismiss Domino’s as any sort of serious threat to their sales?

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Photo credit to Stuart Ramson, via Adage.

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The Clubby will consist of ham, turkey, bacon, provolone cheese and ranch dressing.  The most interesting aspect of it though, is that Potbelly’s will be straying from their “all sandwiches for the same price” formula.  The Clubby will have 30% more meat than Potbelly’s 11 other sandwiches and will cost $5.39, compared with the standard $4.19 for their other sandwiches.

My thoughts? I have three.

1. Um….isn’t extra meat only $.50 or $1.00? And if so, doesn’t that mean this isn’t a particularly good deal in terms of the amount of meat you get?

2. Ham, Turkey, bacon, provolone? Sure, sounds yummy.  But ranch dressing? Ick. Keep that off my sandwiches. Ranch has a time and a place, and sandwiches ain’t it.

3. While the idea of a larger sandwiches at Potbelly’s is intriguing, I think their current sandwiches are perfect size for a meal, and I’m guessing most people agree.

It remains to be seen how the Clubby will do, but rest assured, I will be ordering a Wreck with the works just like I always do.

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This just in from Jacksonville, Florida…

“The sauce for a spicy Italian sandwich was apparently a must have for one Florida man. The man, Reginald Peterson, called 911 twice after a sandwich shop left off the sauce. Peterson initially called the emergency number Thursday so that officers could have his subs made correctly, according to a police report. The second call was to complain that police officers weren’t arriving fast enough.”

I think we have all been there on this one. For someone like me – who painstakingly assembles his sandwiches like a master craftsman forming a piece of art from a block of wood – this almost makes sense. Sitting down to enjoy a delicious meal, when you suddenly notice that something is off. Did I undertoast? Did the cheese melt just the right amount? Were dill pickles the way to go over bread and butter? Ahh… THE SAUCE!!! The sauce is the lubrication that keeps the engine of a sandwich running, my friends – no small matter. I can therefore somewhat understand the dire circumstances of a sandwich lacking this crucial element. However, is 5-0 the answer? Probably not. I appreciate the creativity, but the fridge is probably the best bet – especially in my house.

*Aside: Please notice my restraint at the fact that the “sandwich shop” in question was a Subway, and I failed to represent my true feelings for the quality of the food they produce. I know, I am very strong.

*Aside 2: When I found this story, I could not get one thing out of my mind. Please enjoy.

audio

Both via YTMND

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via consumerist

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Well a week and a half ago, at a BBQ for my friends birthday, I finally got to try making them myself. First I delved into a huge pot of pulled pork, deliciously prepared by my friend Dave:

Next step, throw the pork on a griddle along with some sliced onions and red peppers.

As the pork, peppers and onions were cooking, I spread some olive oil on each of our rolls and threw them on the griddle to give the rolls a little toasty crisp.

(Your humble So Good writer and creator manning the griddle)

Once it’s been cooked for a few minutes and the peppers and onions have been cooked, throw some cheese on top. We tried using both cheddar and provolone, ultimately deciding that provolone worked the best:

As the cheese begins to melt, place your rolls on top so that when it comes time to take the pork off the griddle you can scoop under the pork, flip it over and stuff it into the roll.

After trying several variations (all delicious) we decided the sandwich went best with provolone cheese and some creamy horseradish spread. When the final sandwiches were complete, it was time to dig in and enjoy:

If anyone at home decides to try this themselves, either the same way I did it, or with a different approach, be sure to let me know how it turns out!

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Via Fast Food Critic.

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The world is filled with crazy food combinations. Burgers with Krispy Kreme donuts for buns. Deep fried Mars bars. Cherry Chocolate soda. In this day and age, almost nothing is off limits. If food item A is delicious, and food item B is delicious, someone is going to try combining the two, for better or worse. Which makes it so baffling to me that, as far as I can tell, no one has ever attempted to make or sell a pulled pork cheese steak. A quick Google search confirms this.

We have chicken cheese steaks, so why not a pulled pork cheese steak? Pulled pork is delicious, and melted cheese is delicious, so why not? I know what the haters will say, that putting cheese on pulled pork would ruin an already classic food, that cheese doesn’t go with BBQ etc. etc. Doubters, all of you.

The geniuses of the world are always called crazy until people come to understand the genius of their creations. “Hey look at me, I’m Ben Franklin, and I’m going to fly a kite and capture a magical force called electricity!” Sounds crazy doesn’t it? Turns out? Genius.

Do you not think people said the same thing about deep frying Oreos? Or using donuts as buns for a burger? That must have sounded like INSANITY the first time it was mentioned. It all sounds crazy until you make it work. And I’m telling you right now readers, a pulled pork cheese steak can WORK.

Sure, there are some kinks to work out. Like what kind of cheese? I’m thinking white cheddar, but am open to other ideas. And what else goes on it? I’m thinking just some grilled onions (coleslaw and cheese together does not sound promising). But couldn’t you also order the cheese steak “all the way” which would include baked beans and/or coleslaw ON the sandwich? I haven’t totally pinned it down.

I think one important factor, is that rather than the pulled pork coming out of a pan and being placed on the bread, it would be thrown on the grill with cheese and onions…I think a couple minutes on the grill could give the pulled pork a slight charring and maybe a little extra flavor.

That being said, I think the basic idea is about as awesome as it gets. Pulled pork is delicious. Cheese steaks are delicious…the time has come to create the world’s next great sandwich. Ladies and gentlemen, I submit, for your consideration: The Pulled Pork Cheese Steak.

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Pulled Pork picture via jenyu.net.

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