Why I Cook

[Hawthorne]

It may be totally Toad in the Hole where you are but in the southern San Joaquin Valley (California) in the early '50's, it was Egg-In-The-Middle-Of-The-Toast.  Thanks Mom!

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Speaking of which...what the hell ever happened to soft boiled eggs? I remember cups, cutters and all kinds of gear to deal with them. At least two or three days a week this was what my mother made me for breakfast. She was a definite believer in breaking the fast, fast. She worked and was always running behind. Can't get a much quicker fastbreaker than a three-minute egg or two...

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Because nobody can be bothered to figure out *exactly* how long to cook their particular preference for the things .. and in some places it's impossible to buy egg cups! I was looking at some in Kitchen Kaboodle yesterday, and the price ... can you say 'l-o-o-n-e-y ..?

But you're dissembling ... we still haven't heard the rest of the story!

Tell! Tell!

[ChefCarey]

It may be totally Toad in the Hole where you are but in the southern San Joaquin Valley (California) in the early '50's, it was Egg-In-The-Middle-Of-The-Toast.   Thanks Mom!

←

Speaking of which...what the hell ever happened to soft boiled eggs? I remember cups, cutters and all kinds of gear to deal with them. At least two or three days a week this was what my mother made me for breakfast. She was a definite believer in breaking the fast, fast. She worked and was always running behind. Can't get a much quicker fastbreaker than a three-minute egg or two...

←

Because nobody can be bothered to figure out *exactly* how long to cook their particular preference for the things .. and in some places it's impossible to buy egg cups! I was looking at some in Kitchen Kaboodle yesterday, and the price ... can you say 'l-o-o-n-e-y ..?

But you're dissembling ... we still haven't heard the rest of the story!

Tell! Tell!

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It's coming. I'm under a literary injunction - I can't leave Indiana yet. Actually, there are a couple of more episodes - after I escape The Hoosier State - coming up in The Dailly Gullet.

Catch up on your weaving.

[ChefCarey]

The rumors of my demise are premature and somewhat (not a *lot*, though) exaggerated. I am told the next episode in my lifelong culinary angst, birthed with the assistance of an auto-inflicted cranial episiotomy, will more than satisfy all the culinary schadenfreudians out there.

Next week. If anybody cares.

[but you're dissembling ... we still haven't heard the rest of the story!

Tell! Tell!

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[Carrot Top]

I look forward very much to reading all these stories shared, by those who put pen to paper with heart in hand, wishing to offer up a perfect apple or peach or pumpkin pie in essence of generous care but not in form of factual thing to put into one's mouth, so am glad to hear that more of your own story will be arriving here soon.

birthed with the assistance of an auto-inflicted cranial episiotomy

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Ouch.

[mamagotcha]

I've come to the party late but eager nonetheless... will stay tuned as instructed.

You're a fabulous storyteller, and thanks for spinning your yarns for us here at eG!

[ChefCarey]

Thanks for your thanks. Late arrivals always welcome.

I've come to the party late but eager nonetheless... will stay tuned as instructed.

You're a fabulous storyteller, and thanks for spinning your yarns for us here at eG!

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[ChefCarey]

Didn't really hurt that much. Lots of scar tissue.

birthed with the assistance of an auto-inflicted cranial episiotomy

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Ouch.

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[project]

I remember Indiana and Indiana University at Bloomington. In

Bloomington, I taught calculus and got started on violin. On

a map at Google, I see Richmond: It is just south of I-70

between Dayton and Indianapolis. I remember Dayton for the

air show, the B-70, the first F-15, the Enola Gay -- lots of

really warm fuzzy memories (Maggie: This is an example of

being facetious!). I remember much more about Indiana further

north at Fort Wayne, about 30 miles west at Warsaw, and about

15 miles south at Claypool. On the south side of Claypool is

a cemetery, and in the north-west corner is a tombstone facing

north for a graduate of Indiana University at Bloomington, Phi

Beta Kappa, 'Summa Cum Laude', Woodrow Wilson, and

Valedictorian of the high school that was there in Claypool.

I met her in Bloomington; she was my wife.

<br>

<br>

There is a lot of potential in Indiana. E.g., Charlie Trotter

was correct in going to Indiana for some special produce,

e.g., small potatoes. There is no end of the special beef,

pork, lamb, poultry, vegetables, that could be grown in

Indiana and supplied to cities near and far.

<br>

<br>

Generally restaurant food in Indiana has a lot of room for

improvement. Good food is easy enough to like; plenty of

people in Indiana can like it. E.g., much like Indiana is

Cincinnati, and at one time it had the restaurant in the US

with the longest record of five stars from Mobil Travel Guide.

[ChefCarey]

I remember Indiana and Indiana University at Bloomington.  In

Bloomington, I taught calculus and got started on violin.  On

a map at Google, I see Richmond:  It is just south of I-70

between Dayton and Indianapolis.  I remember Dayton for the

air show, the B-70, the first F-15, the Enola Gay -- lots of

really warm fuzzy memories (Maggie:  This is an example of

being facetious!).  I remember much more about Indiana further

north at Fort Wayne, about 30 miles west at Warsaw, and about

15 miles south at Claypool.  On the south side of Claypool is

a cemetery, and in the north-west corner is a tombstone facing

north for a graduate of Indiana University at Bloomington, Phi

Beta Kappa, 'Summa Cum Laude', Woodrow Wilson, and

Valedictorian of the high school that was there in Claypool.

I met her in Bloomington; she was my wife.

<br>

<br>

There is a lot of potential in Indiana.  E.g., Charlie Trotter

was correct in going to Indiana for some special produce,

e.g., small potatoes.  There is no end of the special beef,

pork, lamb, poultry, vegetables, that could be grown in

Indiana and supplied to cities near and far.

<br>

<br>

Generally restaurant food in Indiana has a lot of room for

improvement.  Good food is easy enough to like; plenty of

people in Indiana can like it.  E.g., much like Indiana is

Cincinnati, and at one time it had the restaurant in the US

with the longest record of five stars from Mobil Travel Guide.

←

I do hope that potential is realized. There was certainly not a hell of a lot of food going on in and around Richmond, Indiana when I was there.

I used to escape to Dayton or Cincinnati whenever possible.

Later I discovered the limestone lettuce and the Culver Duck Company in Middlebury.

I have better food memories of southern Indiana. There was a sandwich to which I was addicted.

Evansville, Indiana, my mother's home, had a large German population and the food tended to the heavy and basic, but there was one truly wonderful "dish."

Deep-fried pork tenderloin on a bun with chopped lettuce and tomatoes and mustard. This was nothing more or less than a large, thin pork schnitzel, breaded and fried. There was a joint that looked like it had been a Dairy Queen in some previous incarnation right across the street from Benjamin Bosse High School. I would sneak away during the lunch hour two or three days per week to get one of these. The meat extended out of the bun at least an inch all the way round. You ate that part first as the starter and then proceeded to the complex interior where the real lettuce, yellow mustard and the real tomato resided. Damn!

I still make this sandwich today - my sons love it.

[Davydd]

Ah! You mean these...

http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com

Let the pictures explain.

[ChefCarey]

Ah! You mean these...

http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com

Let the pictures explain. 

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Outrageous. Is there nothing with which man cannot become obsessed?

Looked at your photos - the one closest to what I like is the one from Gnaw Bone (I've actually had that one.)

Your technique is quite sound and you mention all the relevant frying classic tips for successful deep-frying. I do, however, think it worth the extra money for the peanut oil as opposed to canola. And I use the Panko.

Also, the marinade - including the buttermilk (which I do use for frying chicken) - is not necessary as the meat is already as tender as it could possibly be.

I mention this sandwhich is my recent book (in the Wiener Schnitzel recipe) and indicate it's origins in Indiana.

Good job, with the site, Davydd!

[Davydd]

Thank you Chef.

I have done enough experimenting now to know the buttermilk does make a difference. The pork tenderloin is indeed tender as its name implies but the buttermilk marinade makes it a melt in your mouth experience. Few restaurants achieve this. Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, IN does and that is where I picked up that technique. I have had a few chewy over fried tenderloins. The Gnaw Bone tenderloin is "broasted". It is good but is not the best I have had.

We must be about the same age. I attempted to explain how this "obsession" came about in the blog portion of my web site in "What Can You Say?". It really is just kind of a fun hobby to experience the online interaction. It also gets me out and about in the road food adventure in always being on the lookout wherever I travel rather than falling back on the tried, true and safe. No way would I have ventured to the tiny town of St. Olaf, Iowa nestled in a valley way off even state highways if it were not for this. And absolutely no way would I sought out and gone to the Heights Camphouse BBQ in Houston were it not for this and turn in a reimbursable invoice of $8.85 for dinner at my company.

What is really interesting about the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is how many restaurants, mostly small independent places, are obsessed themselves about trying to make the best one. It is going on in both Indiana and Iowa that way right now. I think more so than 10, 20, 30 or 40 years ago.

[ChefCarey]

Thank you Chef.

I have done enough experimenting now to know the buttermilk does make a difference. The pork tenderloin is indeed tender as its name implies but the buttermilk marinade makes it a melt in your mouth experience. Few restaurants achieve this. Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, IN does and that is where I picked up that technique. I have had a few chewy over fried tenderloins. The Gnaw Bone tenderloin is "broasted". It is good but is not the best I have had.

We must be about the same age. I attempted to explain how this "obsession" came about in the blog portion of my web site in "What Can You Say?". It really is just kind of a fun hobby to experience the online interaction. It also gets me out and about in the road food adventure in always being on the lookout wherever I travel rather than falling back on the tried, true and safe. No way would I have ventured to the tiny town of St. Olaf, Iowa nestled in a valley way off even state highways if it were not for this. And absolutely no way would I sought out and gone to the Heights Camphouse BBQ in Houston were it not for this and turn in a reimbursable invoice of $8.85 for dinner at my company. 

What is really interesting about the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is how many restaurants, mostly small independent places, are obsessed themselves about trying to make the best one. It is going on in both Indiana and Iowa that way right now. I think more so than 10, 20, 30 or 40 years ago.

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I am certainly going to have to agree with you on your last point. Today I received an email from one of my oldest friends (from Indiana) Steve Newman. He read our discussion here. It contained a link to this site:

Pork Tenderloin

Who would have ever thought?

(Still reserving judgment on the buttermilk. )

By the way, I think your obsession is great!

[Davydd]

That web page unfortunately is way out of date. I think it is at least 2 years old and all the contact information is obsolete and the show dates long past. Jensen Rufe made the documentary "In Search of the Famous Hoosier Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich" back around 1998. It is a 16 minute documentary but Jensen Rufe does have a short excerpt posted on his website an JensenRufe.com. Here is the direct shortcut to the Quicktime movie.

In Search of the Famous Hoosier Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

This short version captures the essence of the full documentary. Enjoy.

[ChefCarey]

That web page unfortunately is way out of date. I think it is at least 2 years old and all the contact information is obsolete and the show dates long past. Jensen Rufe made the documentary "In Search of the Famous Hoosier Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich" back around 1998. It is a 16 minute documentary but Jensen Rufe does have a short excerpt posted on his website an JensenRufe.com. Here is the direct shortcut to the Quicktime movie.

In Search of the Famous Hoosier Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

This short version captures the essence of the full documentary. Enjoy. 

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That's all well and good. However, I was just responding to your indication that the obsession was more prevalent now than 10, 20, 30, or 40 years ago. And cited the fact that the video existed in support of that assertion. Merely that.

My friend Steve was at Humboldt State for many, many years and apparently knew Jensen Rufe and, consequently, of the film,which was part of his master's thesis.

As to the Quicktime, well, I'll leave others to enjoy that as my computer has never fancied Quicktime.