A is for...

It's time for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 

The theme this year is food and for the most part it's food found in Manhattan. I hope to venture out on a few adventures during the month and focus on other areas of New York City, but I've been amazed and delighted with the many places that have caught my attention right in my neighborhood. Today was the first really true spring day and I loved being outside and taking pictures to share this month. I will make every effort to blog Monday through Saturday in alphabetical order. Sunday is a quiet day for the A to Z Challenge. Please stop by often. There's yummy viewing ahead and that's no April Fool's joke. 

Today we're celebrating Artie's, the local deli a few blocks from my building. I've written about Arties in the past, for a celebration of National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day and I'm happy to start this month's Challenge with a tried and true favorite. 

    My favorite neighborhood deli.

My favorite food at Artie's -- or any deli -- is  pastrami. Pastrami is brisket that has been brined, dried, seasoned, spiced and steamed. The result is delicious. I'm a pastrami purist. I like it on rye bread with mustard, which is how it is traditionally served in New York City. The first pastrami sandwiches are considered to have originated in New York in 1887, and the delicacy was introduced by Jewish immigrants from Romania. Like so many other foods of the time the curing was a way to preserve the meat without refrigeration.

Artie's is a lot more than pastrami. There is just about any kind of smoked meat, brisket and stuffed cabbage, as well as half sour pickles and slaw, just to make sure you've had enough to eat. I've never ordered dessert in a deli, but the black and white cookies -- a vanilla cookie with vanilla frosting on one side and chocolate frosting on the other half of the cookie -- is a popular choice.

Pastrami is a treat -- too rich for daily dining -- but it's one I look forward to. I've had the fun of introducing several blog friends to New York deli food and they became fans, too. Pastrami was imported here, but the pastrami sandwich is a native New Yorker.

As always, thanks for visiting. A big welcome to my Blogging from A to Z April Challenge visitors. I'm looking forward to getting to know you this month. And to all, a very happy spring!

Spicy Saturday

Yesterday was sweet Friday and tonight is spicy Saturday. No hijinks, just a tribute to the pastrami sandwich. Those of us lucky enough to be familiar with pastrami know it as some of the best and most flavorful sandwich material one can ever eat. The classic New York pastrami is beef that has been smoked, dried and seasoned. I am a purist and like my pastrami on rye bread with mustard. I like cole slaw on the side and if I am throwing all caution to the wind, there are also french fries on the table. I rarely eat pastrami, but when I am entertaining visitors and I want to show them an archetypal New York restaurant, I head for the delicatessen for pastrami.

I took my first subway ride in several months last week and in one of those moments that makes New York City feel like a small town I saw my BlogHer buddy from Zimbabwe standing on the subway platform. We decided to have dinner together and I wanted to go somewhere unique to New York. We met Thursday at the local deli. These restaurants are becoming rarer and I am lucky that there one in my neighborhood. I am pleased to say that the choice was a happy one and the pastrami was very well received.

I don't have a picture of the sandwich, but I did think to take a picture of the must-have condiment and my favorite deli beverage, Dr. Brown's cream soda. My blog buddy Lynda prefers Dr. Brown's black cherry soda, but we both are pastrami fans.

This is one of my favorite comfort foods, and if calories weren't a factor I would eat it much more often. Much! If your go-to comfort food had the same calorie count as celery (wouldn't that be terrific!) what would you choose?

Wishes for a sweet and spicy Sunday!