I’m a Hoochie Koochie, Turkey Sandwich Man

Upon the recommendation of old friend, Mark Phillip, I paid a visit to the Blues City Deli on my last trip to St. Louis.  I’m from the St. Louis area, but I had never heard of this place.  Honestly, he talked it up so big that I thought it would never reach my expectations.

A few things I noticed on my visit:

1) This place has an outstanding selection of chips.  I don’t often talk about chips here on the Turkey Sandwich Report, but a good bad of chips to accompany your Turkey Sandwich is important.  Blues City Deli had Jay’s (Chicago brand, so fuck them), Vitner’s, Durty’s, Kruncher’s, Zapp’s and of course Old Vienna (STL brand).  How could I turn down Pork Steak flavored potato chips?

If you’re not from the STL area, you probably don’t get the whole Pork Steak thing and that’s fine.  You don’t need to.  In fact, we don’t want you to get it.  I’ll just tell you that we like over-cooked, flabby-ass pig steaks that are smothered in BBQ sauce in the Midwest.

2) The Blues City Deli has a bad case of the Blues.  In case you didn’t know, STL has rightfully staked their claim on a fairly solid reputation of producing great blues musicians.  You might have heard of a guy named Chuck Berry or maybe Ike Turner.  I could tell you about dozens of other great Blues legend that have come out of St. Louis, but you’ve probably never heard of them, so I won’t waste our time.  Just trust me that St. Louis knows the Blues.  They didn’t name the Hockey team that just for shits and giggles.

3) The Blues City Deli makes a damn fine sandwich.  I got a straight Turkey Sandwich that they call the “Turkey Supreme”.  It came with Provel cheese and as you probably know, you can only get that shit in St. Louis.  If I go back, I will get The Redbird which has Turkey Capicolla, Provel and sweet red-pepper sauce.  That sounds nice.

Bottom line, if you’re in STL, get yo’ ass down to the Blues City Deli for a Turkey Sandwich and a bag of Pork Steak Chips.

The Turkey Sandwich Report Hits the Road

Breaking News:  2008 is going to be a year of travel for the The Turkey Sandwich Report.  I will be giving you more Turkey Sandwich reviews from airports, truck-stops and convenience stores.  More Turkey Sandwich reviews from cafes, bistros and sandwich shops.  More Turkey Sandwiches than ever before.

First Stop: Frederick, MD.  There’s a nice little Boar’s Head deli in Downtown Frederick and I plan on going there this week.  I’ve actually been there before, but I have not reviewed on TSR.

Second Stop: St. Louis, MO for Soulard Mardi Gras.  I will be there for the Saturday Parade and will have a Cajun Turkey Sandwich with me.  I will also be making a stop by P’sghetti’s in South County to enjoy their delicious Turkey and Swiss.

If anyone would like to have a Turkey Sandwich with me while I am in town, leave a comment here and I’ll get in touch.

Reader Mail: No Love for Turkey Sandwiches in The Lou?

I am originally from the St. Louis area.  I grew up there, but I last lived there in the Summer of 2000 – so it’s been a while.

My best friend in the whole wide world, Pat Murphy (who still lives in St. Louis) left me a message this week and asked, “Why I aren’t you giving St. Louis any “Turkey Sandwich Report Love”?

Great question, Pat.

Here’s the reason:  Back in the day, when I lived in St. Louis, there was a place called “St. Louis Bread Company.”  They were a nice little business and expanded across the St. Louis metropolitan area.  They even opened up a store down in Cape Girardeau, MO.  Bread was their name, but sandwiches was their game – and maybe their soup in a bread bowl.  But for me, it was their TURKEY Sandwiches.

Fast forward a couple years.  As I traveled the country, I started to see sandwich shops called PANERA Bread popping up all over the place.

Panera Bread?  It looked like St. Louis Bread Company.  It smelled like St. Louis Louis Bread Company?  It tasted like St. Louis Bread Company? What the hell is going on here?

I’ll tell you what’s going on here.  St. Louis Bread Company expanded.  But when they expanded, they pussed out and changed their name because the name of the city (St. Louis) could have potentially been polarizing to mainstream America.

So, to answer Pat’s question directly: I’m bitter about Panera Bread.  Their name was ST. LOUIS BREAD COMPANY.  And if they don’t have the balls to name all of their stores that, then it shames ALL of the Turkey Sandwiches that come out of the City of St. Louis.

What?  You don’t think that’s fair?  I really don’t give a shit.  I’ll change my opinion when the Panera Bread down the street from me sacks up and rightfully changes their name back to St. Louis Bread Company.