Top of The Block Sandwich Shoppe – Southwest Chicken wrap

Top of The Block Sandwich Shoppe - Burlington Vermont

In honor of my iPhone 3G no longer being broken,  I thought I would update the blog. I like Top of the Block Sandwich Shoppe for two reasons:

1) Excellent chicken wraps

2) part of a weird internal mall.

It’s located ironically at the top block of Church Street in Burlington Vermont.

Top of The Block Sandwich Shoppe - Southwest chicken wrap

This was a special of the day: spiced chicken, black beans, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, corn, cheddar, all on a toasted/grilled wrap. $7.43 with tax and it’s yours.

I didn’t take any pictures of the internal mall, but the “Shoppe” and seating area opened up to a basement and second level containing various “shops”, very interesting.

Ben and Jerry’s – Free Cone Day 2009

Ben and Jerry's - Free Cone Day 2009

Ben and Jerry's - Free Cone Day 2009 - The line

Ben and Jerry's - Free Cone Day 2009 - The line

Ben and Jerry's - Free Cone Day 2009 - The band

Ben and Jerry's - Free Cone Day 2009 - The scoopers

Ben and Jerry's - Free Cone Day 2009 - The Mayor Bob Kiss

Ben and Jerry’s Free Cone Day Tomorrow.

Get it while it’s cold!

Official details here , the scoop is that it’s 12pm-8pm on Church St in Burlington Vermont, see the website for the details for your location.

New World Tortilla – New Pine Street Location Open

New World Tortilla - Pine Street - rear entrance

New World Tortilla is finally open! The now take cards and they have coffee.

New World Tortilla - Pine Street - Thai Chicken

New World Tortilla - Pine Street - Beef Rice Plate

St. Patricks Day – Burlington Vermont

Burlington Vermont Saint Patricks Day 2009, just a few of the options. Now in iPhone-o-vision.

RJ's St. Patrick's Day - Burlington Vermont 2009

RIRA's St. Patrick's Day - Burlington Vermont 2009

VPB St. Patrick's Day - Burlington Vermont 2009

Scuffer - St. Patrick's Day - Burlington Vermont 2009

Scuffer – St. Patrick’s Day – Burlington Vermont 2009

Finnigan's - Saint Patrick's Day 2009

Lake Champlain Chocolates – Valentines Day

Lake Champlain Chocolates - Burlington Vermont (Pine Street Factory)

If you’re picking up some chocolate for your sweetie, I would suggest Lake Champlain Chocolates. They have a Church Street location as well as there factory / store on Pine Street in Burlington Vermont.

Lake Champlain Chocolates - Valentine's Day Truffles

They make the chocolates (I recommend the truffles) right at the Pine Street location. There are tours available if your lover is a chocoholic or foodie.

Baking (Dakin) Bacon – How-to

Dakin Farm - Bacon

A couple readers have asked me if I cook. The answer is yes, especially when something is interesting to me; to help explain have a look at this comic.

In addition I feel somewhat obligated to recommend a cooking method for the Dakin bacon I proselytized. This Dakin product is thick cut bacon, so while the microwave oven can be ideal for “normal” cut bacon, both microwave energy and the fry pan proved ineffective for thicker cuts. So begins the first Whats4lunch how-to.

In addition to my own experiences Alton Brown recommends cooking bacon in the oven. Although he suggests using a rack, I found that to be unnecessary.

Bacon on foil-lined sheet pan

I like using a foil-lined edged pan for easy clean up. I pre-heated my small gas oven for 375F.

Bacon pre-flip

I like giving the bacon a flip half way through (I use a fork), around 12 minutes in. More important than the using the cooking time to decide when to flip, is to look for the golden outline of cooked fat on the foil, and slight foam coming off the bacon. The ends of the strips may be curling up a bit and the pork will be just slightly stiffer than when it’s raw. An advantage of Alton’s rack technique would be the elimination of the need for the flip, since the bacon would be suspended on the rack leaving convection cooking to cook both sides.

Done bacon in the oven

When the bacon is done it will be almost completely covered in foam as shown. This took about 22-24 minutes in my oven at 375F including time out for the flip. Also note the color change in the bacon and particles on the foil as telling clues to doneness. Finally the bacon should be fairly stiff, but not the level of complete rigidity of done pork belly. The bacon will cook just a little bit more while you’re transferring it to paper towels, where it will finish cooking.

bacon - final product

One nice thing about cooking bacon in a sheet pan, is it doesn’t curl significantly, making it easy to work with for sandwiches and presents nicely on a plate.

If you get this method right, the fat will be crispy and meat chewy, and it will be amazing. The crispy chewy thing, seems to be a pattern for me.

Rite Aid – Easter Egg Candy

Rite Aid - Easter Egg Candy

Oh yes Reese’s eggs you will be mine.

Dakin Farms – “Dakin Bacon”

Dakin Farm - South Burlington, Vermont

Dakin Farm in South Burlington, is home to the best bacon I’ve ever eaten. Colloquially I refer to it as “Dakin Bacon.”

Currently this bacon is on sale for $4.69 a lb (normally $6.49), during their “Smokehouse sale:”

Dakin Farm - Sale

Kountry Kart Deli – Turkey Reuben

KKD - T-Reuben with Extra Kraut on French

KKD – T-Reuben with Extra Kraut on French

Besides the Philly, this t-reuben is my other recommendation at KKD.

Components:
-French Bread
-Turkey
-Sour Kraut (extra)
-Swiss Cheese (the default)
-Thousand Island dressing (the default)

This is my second favorite version of the t-reuben sandwich. When ordering this sandwich sans-extra kraut, I sometimes like a bead of ketchup across it to supplant the lacking moisture and sourness from the extra kraut.

$8.82 with tax.