27 replies to this topic

[jogoode]

Hi Mr. C,

Pork belly and lamb tongue have had their moments, so what's the next innard to reach high-end restaurants? And, more importantly, where can I get a good tripe sandwich in NY? Is that in your book?

[Mister_Cutlets]

Jogoode,

Tripe is all over the place. I love in with red sauce, a
l'ancienne, and in all its chinese versions too. But I
haven't had a good tripe sandwich in a long time,
now that you mention it! I do, though, regularly enjoy
something very close. The next innard to hit the
foodar of New York's feinshmeckers may well be spleen.
At First Avenue's Foccacceria, I often pop in for a vesteddi
sandwich -- boiled slices of spleen reheated in shortening,
and then popped onto a roll with some fresh ricotta and
a handful of caciocavallo cheese. Stay lean with spleen!

Hope this helps.

Mr. Cutlets

[jogoode]

Sounds delicious!

[Pan]

Seconded.

Which animal's spleen do they use, and is this the place on 1st between 7th and St. Mark's Place? That's right around the corner from me!

[Mister_Cutlets]

beef spleen.

Mr. C

[Scrappleking]

" El Tripa! El tripa!"He would yell
I grew used to the welcome call of an old italaian vendor who would cruise up and down the narrow streets of Hoboken in his old chevy pickup selling fresh tripe and brocoli rabe.

Ah yes! tripe sandwich.Well the best best one I ever had was on a trip to Europe with Mr. Cutlets.I reckon back to the fall of 1987 .It was a cold late evening and I was wandering the cobblestone streets of Florence when I spied beacon shining in the darkness.a stainless steel vending cart lit by a gas lantern with half a dozen men hanging round.Whats all the hub bub?A steam table,a carver and many pounds of freshly steamed tripe.The tripe was sliced thinly to order served on a fresh baguette with and warmed herbed extra vigin olive oil and a healthy dose of salt .The thing that got me was the oil .It had big leaves of fresh sage ,rosemary and or basil and oregano.I cant be sure .To this day that sandwich remains in my memory as one of the most perfect sandwiches Ive ever eaten.That sandwich embodies a harmony in which a few basic almost base materials can come together to accent each other in such a way that is almost magical.I realize that not many people could call a hot tub full of cows stomachs in the middle of the street magical,at least not people that live around here but if you were to ask any of the men standing around that night and eating I bet they would side with me.The tripe itself was rich and savory .It was tender and melted in your mouth in the way that the fat might fall from the (not to lean ,perhaps even untrimmed)corned beef between the rye bread to form its own meat butter.The kind of sandwich experience you might have at Katz's.Take a fresh italian crusty bread and some olive oil,a no brainer.but take a handful of fresh herbs ,right out of the ground from your garden or farmers market and wake them up in a hot bath of extra vigin olive oil and drench your bread and your freshly sliced tripe the mixture with a sprinkling of coarse salt and you are on on your way to something awesome.Hey perhaps you should try it for your self.Firenze probably isnt walking distance.Isuggest fresh tripe not frozen but those goes just about anything.Cooking is a little tricky .I prefer not not boil .Like many lesser cuts of meat ,tripe needs to cooks slow and low for a long time , till it gets real tender .A slow simmer in a pot with a tight fitting lid and a minimal amount of water for several hours .You get the idea.
Sadly my old pal Mr Cutlets was not disposed to share this particular sandwich experience with my self at that time and was probably back at the hotel room snoozing off some wine and lambchops from hours previous.
Bon appetite Sincerely Scrappleking

[Mister_Cutlets]

More's the pity! How could I have missed out on that sandwich! That mouth-watering post was from my old meat-brother the Scrapple King. Truly a man who belongs on E-gullet. Welcome him as you would me!
(And forgive him his shitty typing.)

Mr. Cutlets

[jogoode]

Truly a man who belongs on E-gullet. Welcome him as you would me!
(And forgive him his shitty typing.)

Welcome Scrappleking, my lord.

I was in Florence in July and I think I ate that same tripe sandwich! A small square, a cart, a dose of salt, and maybe some salsa verde (tho, could've been herbed oil). This Florentine sandwich, even if it isn't your sandwich, inspired my post, so it's quite a coincidence that you mentioned Florence.

[Mark Sommelier]

I nominate duck testicles.
When I worked for Jean-Louis, people would tell us how delicious it was, then ask what it is. The answer was always "We'll tell you on the way out".

[Peter B Wolf]

What are your thoughts about Cow's Udder?

A dish served during the 'Weimar Republik': Berliner Schnitzel.

Utterly delicious.

[Bux]

I've never had a tripe sandwich. It's nice to know there's something out there for me to try if I ever get tired of my current tripe favorites. As if ...

I've given up on trying to get a real French andouille, or andouillette in New York, but surely there's some place that serves a good tripe stew in Manhattan outside of Chinatown. My guess is that it might be a neighborhood Italian restaurtant. I'm not looking for a recreation of any particular style I've loved in Europe. I watched a friend consume a bowlful of trip in Cafe Boulud and he declared it the best he's had. I wasn't too jealous at the time as my order was also excellent, but it was a lost opportunity as it's not often on the menu--as in I haven't seen it appear again. So, where do I go in New York for tripe stew?

[Scrappleking]

Jogoode,
Wow ! Thats amazing it does seem that we are both refering to the same sandwich.Incredible.I guess its a small world after all.Let me how your search for a nice tripe sandwich in NYC goes and Ill try some for my self.
Thanx Scrappleking

[Jim Dixon]

vesteddi sandwich -- boiled slices of spleen reheated in shortening, and then popped onto a roll with some fresh ricotta and a handful of caciocavallo cheese.

I think I had this in Palermo's vucciria market, but without the ricotta and caciocavallo. The vendor stood next to a large propane cylinder topped with a burner and what looked like an inverted hubcap (the Sicilian wok?). He slid a few very thin slices of some kind of meat (parlo un po, ma non siciliano) into a pool of hot fat, then scooped it onto a hard roll. A half lemon was squeezed over the meat, and I sucked it down. If my wife wasn't already wandering off toward a rack of leather goods, I would've eaten a few more.

Jim

[jogoode]

Bux,

I watched a friend consume a bowlful of trip in Cafe Boulud and he declared it the best he's had. I wasn't too jealous at the ... not often on the menu

I would do just about anything to have tripe at Cafe Boulud. I've only been during restaurant week (I think they offer the best bargain in the city) and once had a beautiful salad of warm veal's tongue, served crispy and cured. Keep an eye on the menu and let me know if entrails hit!

So, where do I go in New York for tripe stew?

I've had a great tripe soup ($2.50) at Teresa's, the polish diner in Brooklyn Heights.

[jogoode]

I nominate duck testicles.
When I worked for Jean-Louis, people would tell us how delicious it was, then ask what it is. The answer was always "We'll tell you on the way out".

I've heard lamb's testicles are often served at Easter eve dinners in Romagna.

[Tam]

There is a thick Polish soup called flaschke that I partake of quite often. It is a very rich meaty broth with onion, garlic, a little carrot and wonderful soft strips of tripe (the consistency of noodles). The Polish butcher in my nearest city makes it. It is truly a comfort on a cold winter night or when suffering the after-effects of alcohol. Very soothing to the palate and the tummy. The butcher tells me that is takes a long to make with many changes of water and hours of simmering. He learned from his family in the old country. I am glad he learned because I love his soup.

[herbacidal]

just this saturday, i enjoyed a lovely tripe soup at El Malecon on Amsterdam just north of 97th.
only problem is that while i was eating it, couldn't help but think it would be better if it was spicy.

[Mister_Cutlets]

There's just so much good tripe available in the Enn Why See.
Just off the top of my head I think of:

trippa parmigiana at babbo
tripe pho at Thai Son
Tripe à la mode de Caen at Tour va Bien
Stewed tripe in red sauce at Tony and Elena's
braised tripe at Union Square Cafe

and that's not even touching on all the caribbean and Indian tripe curries available in Sietsema / Leff territory.

There's a stomach for every stomach!

Mr. Cutlets

[Pan]

just this saturday, i enjoyed a lovely tripe soup at El Malecon on Amsterdam just north of 97th. 
only problem is that while i was eating it, couldn't help but think it would be better if it was spicy.

Next time, just add hot sauce! I'd recommend adding fresh lime, too.

Also, I want to mention for anyone who might not know that Teresa's also has a branch on 1st Av. between 6th and 7th in Manhattan.

[Pan]

Oh, one other thing: There's a Dominican place right on the corner of Houston and Clinton - I think it's called the Clinton Restaurant or something. Anyway, in late July, I had some very nice mondongo there that comes in a red sauce. I think it cost $7.50 or $7 for a large plateful.

[herbacidal]

for the most part, i don't really add hot sauce to things. i prefer for them to already be spicy enough. it's just not something i think to do.

i think the only things i put hot sauce on are fried chicken, and in noodle soups if they don't have beef brisket (in that case a hot chili sauce).

[Scrappleking]

I confess .Ive become a hot sauce-aholic and now I keep a bottle of Habenero sauce handy on the dash board of my truck for any road sde fried chicken that Imight happen upon.
Scrappleking

[Suzanne F]

. . .
Also, I want to mention for anyone who might not know that Teresa's also has a branch on 1st Av. between 6th and 7th in Manhattan.

I know this is heresy on this forum, but the spinach blintzes and spinach pierogi at the East Village Teresa's are terrific! What can I say, I usually eat there with my beloved Aunt Bette who keeps kosher. But also, mmmmm kielbasa.

[jogoode]

for the most part, i don't really add hot sauce to things. i prefer for them to already be spicy enough. it's just not something i think to do.

respect is due. i try to do the same.

[Pan]

for the most part, i don't really add hot sauce to things.  i prefer for them to already be spicy enough.  it's just not something i think to do.

But it is something the customers at El Malecon do, often. I've been offered hot sauce without asking for it. To be honest, I don't always remember they have it if they don't offer it and I don't see it.

[balex]

vesteddi sandwich -- boiled slices of spleen reheated in shortening, and then popped onto a roll with some fresh ricotta and a handful of caciocavallo cheese.

I think I had this in Palermo's vucciria market, but without the ricotta and caciocavallo. The vendor stood next to a large propane cylinder topped with a burner and what looked like an inverted hubcap (the Sicilian wok?). He slid a few very thin slices of some kind of meat (parlo un po, ma non siciliano) into a pool of hot fat, then scooped it onto a hard roll. A half lemon was squeezed over the meat, and I sucked it down. If my wife wasn't already wandering off toward a rack of leather goods, I would've eaten a few more.

Jim

Exactly -- this is generally called 'panino con milza' which is generally spleen and with a bit of lung sometimes. I have never heard the word 'vesteddi' used in this context (and Google only lists articles about that particular restaurant with that word.

Traditionally this is served on a sesame seed bun (the Arab influence) and Sicilians claim this is the ORIGIN OF THE SESAME SEED BUN for fast food.
You can get it all over Palermo, especially at a place called Antica foccaceria di San Francesco in front of the church of the same name. There they have it simmering in a big vat with an inch thick layer of saturated fat on the top, that they occasionally mix back into the juice. The two cheeses are quite correct as well. It's really good.

There are some pictures on this page here

[jogoode]

Whenever I try to get my friends to eat tripe and other offal, they, mostly being other 22 year olds, get grossed out. I try to be patient as I understand that they're not used to seeing organ meat offered and also, altho they might not be aware of the fact, because organ meats do degrade faster than flesh. Initial aversion to organ meats might come from an ignorance in judging quality from taste and appearance. How much faster do these meats degrade and what are some of the tell-tale signs of quality?

[Jim Dixon]

balex,

thanks for putting a name on that panino....

Jim