Today’s the day. I’m totally pumped. It will all be decided in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, my plans didn’t quite work out as planned. I had hoped to go to Philly for the game, but bars would be too expensive (Chickie ‘n Pete’s wanted $125/person!) and probably no the most fun for Lisa and I. Work has been so crazy lately that I never got around to making the plans I should have – hanging out with my family for the game. By the time I made the effort, everybody had their plans elsewhere. Instead I’ll just have to enjoy the game here at home in beautiful Hi-Def glory.
Hey, I love me Dad (and he did teach me the game), but I’m still looking forward to the crisp picture I’ll be getting courtesy of Comcast.
This weekend has been a big Philly sendup for me. Yesterday morning I introduced Lisa to the glories of Pork Roll. Of course it was Taylor, and straight from the log – the way it was meant to be. Then we headed south to find a sporting goods store that admits teams other than the Yankees exist (have I mentioned how much the NYC area sucks). I picked up a championship shirt to go under my jersey. After putzing around Princeton Forrestal Village we stopped by my parents’ and went out to dinner with my Mom. I love that my Mom will end up picking a pub for dinner. On our way home we stopped by the 24-hour Acme and picked up a “One” shirt (which Lisa is now wearing). My Mom also provided us with some scrapple to start our Philly Super Bowl day. Mmm mmm!
Now I’ve got the DVR fired up, some Yuengling in the fridge, kielbasa defrosting, and a big ol’ bag of Sour Cream and Onion Herrs chips to help me cheer on an Eagles victory. If all goes well, I’ll be on Broad Stree come Tuesday morning.
Once this is all over, I’m sure that this space will return to it’s regularly scheduled blog…
For your sake, I hope your team wins. Seeing as I explained 1 day cricket to you, perhaps you could explain to me…
“Pork Roll from Taylors straight off the log”?
and what the hell is “scrapple”??????
Oops – I just saw a 3rd quarter score of 21-14…
Hope it won’t be a case of “The Eagle has Floundered”!
I’ll get to the game later. As for pork roll and scrapple, they are what you might call Philadelphia delicacies. They are both almost exactly what they sound like.
Pork roll is sometimes called Taylor ham, and is more or less ground pork (I believe the shoulder) pressed into a roll (or log). Like most other deli meats, it is now commonly found pre-sliced and plastic-wrapped for convenience, but also with added preservatives, etc. The original form is the best (as pictured in the article I linked) – a cloth-wrapped log or roll. You slice it off to whatever thickness you desire, cut three slits around to make sure it doesn’t curl, fry it up and then serve it on a roll with an egg or on an English muffin. Technically it’s from Trenton, NJ, but they’re right across the river from Philly and the food is shared.
Scrapple is a bit more frightening if you haven’t grown up with it. I’ll admit that as an adult I’d be hard pressed to buy a 1 pound brick of tannish-grey mash consisting of all the parts of the pig that didn’t make it into other products. But it’s wonderfully seasoned, so all you have to do is cut it into squares, fry it heavily (the top and bottom should be crisp, but the inside will still be a bit mushy) and serve with ketchup. It’s hard to believe for most outsiders, but even my girlfriend thinks it’s great, and she tends to steer clear of food like that.
Firstly, commisserations on the game result.
Secondly, the Taylor’s ham sounds good.
Thirdly, please don’t tell anyone else in Australia about scrapple in case they decide to make it here (or worse still import it!)
Some things are better left secret…
cheers.
Scrapple… eeeeew. I always see it when we go to Lancaster. Frighteningly large-assed people in grease stained Eagles jerseys piling plates with mounds of scrapple and biscuits, topped off with “white gravy.”
*shudder*
Well, I’m not going to try to defend what goes on in Lancaster. But I have heard great things about those biscuits and gravy. Mmm mmmm.
I’d recommend only trying Scrapple in the Philly area. I can’t guarantee what those farm folk are doing these days 🙂
Taylor Ham is great and readily available. (As is Trenton Pork Roll, cheaper, but not quite the “original” Taylor Ham. Where do you buy scrapple? I get questions about selling it online often, and since I’m from the east side of the Delaware, it’s news to me. Also, how is is sold? Little vacuum packages or what?