This funny thing happens every summer. Produce, when not parasitic, tastes vivacious. Eating is joyful. We excitedly spend egregious amounts on tomatoes of all shapes and sizes, so excited about heirlooms that we don’t even bitch and moan about the cost. Aggressive stone fruit consumption makes us hydrated and happy. We plan errands around farmer’s markets, buying all the fresh things of food dreams. Some of us even load up to preserve summer’s bounty for [oh gosh don’t say it] …. not summer…
You may pay more for great local produce than you would at a conventional grocery store. That’s fine; this is the time of year where more of people understand that. Buying directly from the people growing your food is awesome. We love knowing where the things that we eat come from and supporting hardworking farmers. Put your phone on silent, sit in the sun, enjoy those strawberries and blueberries. Pure bliss.
The sandwich testament to all of this is the BLT.
The ingredients are ~technically~ available year-round, but it’s inarguably superior Right Now. If you’ve ever questioned why high-quality ingredients matter, consider the BLT. Get one from a nationwide chain that uses a generic [less costly] supplier – supposedly Arby’s has the tomatoes AND the meats on their secret menu, if that helps. Eat that next to a freshly made BLT with good bread, your favorite mayonnaise, great bacon and hopefully local tomatoes. I rest my case.
In Philadelphia, one BLT rules all. Shockingly, it’s not from Arby’s.
The Middle Child BLT is a phenomenon, a sandwich revolution that commands insane lines and demand year after year. Did you even summer in Philadelphia if you don’t have photographic evidence of this sandwich? The tomatoes dictate availability; they’re from one grower, or they don’t have it. If you’re in Philly area, you know. If you’re reading from elsewhere, more info here, here and on the Google.
You know what’s excellent with sandwiches? Wine. Don’t take it from me, take it from Middle Child Beverage Maestro / boss man of many things Brandon Thrash. He loves all the best things in life: great wine, excellent food, creating programs that set his team members up for learning and growth, and having genuine actionable care about putting your money where your sourcing mouth is. His fiancée rules too.
I watched a few too many Cunk on Earth episodes and sent him the following. Enjoy!
It’s your first BLT of the season. Expectations are high, pressure is even higher. What dream wine would you open?
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Blanc. In general, I think Sauvignon Blanc goes well with tomatoes, but this one goes much deeper. My first Middle Child BLT wasn’t until 2021, long after Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet retired in 2014 so I never got to make this pairing. One of the hard things about pairing with the Middle Child BLT is the salt content needs a fatty wine to stand up to it, but also high acid because there’s a lot of acid on that sandwich. This wine is perfect because it’s fruity and fatty but still has a lot of salinity and acid.
Same question but now it’s gushing burrata as well.
Any Chablis. Adds a crisp apple note to an already delicious combination of bacon, cheese, and tomato. It has enough acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese, but it’s a big enough bully to not get overpowered by how rich that sandwich is.
Pick a summer sandwich pairing wine that starts with the letters B, L, T.
B: Bubbles! Sparkling goes with everything. Bonus points if it’s a bubble that has extended lees contact. The brioche and toastiness pairs well with the toasted rye bread.
L: Loureiro. This is just my way of putting Vinho Verde in here. Crisp, green, cheap. Is there a better summer picnic wine to go with your BLT?
T: Touriga Nacional rosé. I’ve yet to mention r rosé wines, which is kind of a disservice to all things summer. Portuguese wines always have great value but especially rose. This is a crusher.
If you could eat a BLT in any other country, where would you choose?
San Marzano, Italy, maybe? That’s almost too on the nose. I’ll also throw in that I read about Bulgarian Tomatoes in an in-flight magazine years ago, so I’d go visit the Balkans and find a nice Baba that would share her tomatoes.
Can you think of any wines that smell like bacon, lettuce and/or tomato?
I feel like old Rhone reds smell pretty bacony and smoky. We use arugula on our BLT at Middle Child; Gruner Veltliner has both that green note and the pepper you get from fresh arugula. And then of course, Italian reds almost all smell like tomato to me. Maybe it’s an association thing, but Chianti especially. I just picture a bottle next to cans of Cento San Marzano with a big pot of gravy on the stove.
All three at the same time? Let’s make a little custom cuvee and blend all three together! See what happens!
Is there a wine pairing for mayonnaise. Explain your rationale.
Again, you’re going to need something that’s rich enough to stand up to our fatty overlord, but also high acid enough to cut through and doesn’t leave you feeling like you just drank a gulp of oil. Sparkling wine does this especially well, so that’s my general go to.
Our dream president Dolly Parton has a partnership with Duke’s Mayo, as evidenced by this mayonnaise statue at her very perfect amusement park Dollywood. What’s your favorite Dolly album?
What dream world have you created? What a life this would be. Coat of Many Colors has some POWERFUL songs that get me in the feels every time. Also “9 to 5 and Odd Jobs” is such a banger back to front. And The Grass is Blue has some of my favorite bluegrass ever on it. How do I choose?!
And finally, because Philadelphia: BLT or Cheesesteak. Rocky theme music plays in the background as you debate which sandwich is Rocky and which is Apollo. What surprise third sandwich would be spider Rico??
For me? BLT, but only during tomato season. The Urban Roots tomatoes do really make all the difference and it’s because they’re in season from some of the best farmers to do it.
I mean, Rocky must be the Cheesesteak as much as I’d love for it to be the opposite. He’s blue-collar, South Philly born and bred. Not too fancy, but he gets the job done even if he’s beat up and ugly. Apollo is put together, all American, and although he makes it look effortless, he’s meticulous and precise just like the Middle Child BLT.
Spider Rico is an Eggplant Parm. Not for everyone but hated by no one. He’s not going to outsell the famous ones, but he’s got his own little following.
This is a single-circle Venn diagram of my interests.
Wow! Don’t think I ever thought to pair wine with a BLT