This is a short and (not so) sweet review.  I was intrigued by the packaging and photo, but unimpressed with the product.  The Private Selections brand (a house brand for Kroger affiliated stores) Marble Hearth Pizza, with pepperoni and roasted garlic didn’t have much going for it.  While the crust was OK, and the presence of the roasted garlic “felt”, after that, the pizza fell down.  Bland sauce, non-distinguishable pepperoni, high price point.

For the same money, I could have purchased 4-5 Totino’s or Jeno’s economy pies, and been just as happy. #Fail.  Won’t purchase again.

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Mrs. Burgerdogboy came back from an outing with her pals at ScarletGirl.com, with a most unusual rave – no, not the latest in intimate playthings for couples, but rather a tip on a pizza her husband must try!

So Sunday nite she urged us out the door as the punctuation for a week we have both been suffering from the Portland winter crud sickness – either as a very loving jesture or in fact as an excuse to pick up some ice cream – the cure all for any known feminine malady.

We motored over to Uncle John’s Market in Burlingame, long the destination of Portland pizza whisperers, but heretofore unvisited by Portland’s leading “pizza expert.” (Moi).

So here’s the drill.  There is a strictly take-out pizzeria inside this neighborhood market, offering slices or one-sized (x-large) pies to go, with your choice of toppings.

The mistress of Scarletgirl had recommended the pie as a thinner crust rendition of typical NY pizza, a two-handed slice, and she was spot on in both her description, and her understanding of what Burgerdogboy likes.

We grabbed a single slice of pepperoni for $2.75, and both enjoyed noshing on it on our way to ice cream land.

It’s thinner than typical NY pie, bordering on a cracker-thin, crispy slice, with nice cheese bubbles and a little char on the crust.

I grabbed a take-out menu, as it’s near to impossible to find details (or a phone number) for this neighborhood gem online.

For a quick slice in SW Portland, hit up Uncle John’s, or call ahead and order a large pie to go, or to enjoy al fresco (in your car) as we did!

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Was home sick, decided to treat myself for lunch.  “Feed a cold, feed a fever, feed a hangnail,” my ma used to say.

So I mulled over my delivery options and opted for Tigard Pizza Kitchen.  I have about five delivery options at the noon hour for my sector, so why Tigard?   One of the very few places I have found in Portland that offers sliced green olives as a topping, and that’s one of my toppings of choice.

I used d-dish.com for delivery, which adds a wallop to the price of a pie.  This medium, with delivery and tip, topped $30.   That’s a chunk of change for pizza.

But to the meat of the matter.  This pie suits my taste.  It’s a little more doughy than I prefer, but acceptable.  Real cheese, mild sauce, and hand pulled chunks of Italian sausage.   Those joints that use “crumbles” I cross off my list.

We’ve been into TPK once before, and in addition to pizza, they have a full line of Middle Eastern foods, including some great hummus.

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Mrs. Burgerdogboy love getting our pork on for weekend breakfasts, and this can take many forms:  bacon, ham chops, jowls, links, patties, smoked or fresh sausage.  This weekend, we picked up some linguica from Uli’s Sausage of Seattle, being sold in the Portland area at Sheridan Fruit Market.

Linguica (for those of you who didn’t click the link to wikipedia) is  “Portuguese sausage” a smoked pork link seasoned with garlic and paprika.  Outside of the Iberian peninsula, you’ll find it popular in Massachusetts, NJ, Washington and environs, and most of all, in Hawaii.  Especially Hawaii, where you’ll find it even on the McDonald’s breakfast menu.

Uli’s is a fresh sausage, that is, one has to cook it prior to consuming.  I have a habit of parboiling fresh sausage before frying or grilling, a holdover from days in the Upper Midwest and they want locals treat bratwurst sausages (parboiled in beer).

Uli’s is a very fine grind, which I personally prefer (if you’ve ever ordered andouille in France, you’ll know what I mean).  The flavors are strong, but I can’t identify them to you, as the label only lists (in addition to garlic, paprika and red wine), “spices” as an ingredient.

After some discussion on the home front, and multiple tastes, we’re gonna guess that Uli has some finely ground fennel in the links, as well.

It’s a great product.  I’ll try others of his as I run across them.

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I had my cap set on some natural casing hot dogs the other day; after all, I had just received a new shipment of Skyline Chili in the post, and I needed something to slather it on!

Natural casing hot dogs are my favorite, but not America’s – less than 5% of the hot dogs sold in the US coming in casings (sheep intestines, usually).   People that prefer NC dogs like the “snap” one gets when biting in to the dog; an additional plus is the casing locks in flavor and juices.  I enjoy both attributes of this type of wiener.

Being as the masses like the skinless dogs, that’s what you’ll find in most groceries.  I had to hit four stores before scoring my dogs the other day.  Store # 3 usually has Boar’s Head in the deli case, but they were out, so it was on to Sheridan Fruit Market; Sheridan whips up about 30 different kind of sausages on site their meat counter, I figured franks would be among them.

I figured wrong.  But Sheridan also has a separate deli counter, featuring New Jersey’s Thumann line.   They had a pack of weenies just for me.   The Thumann’s natural casing beef wieners are a bit over-sized – six to a package, and retail for just north of $7, a bit spendy for a grocery dog.    But you get what you pay for.

And Thumann’s packs a punch of flavor.  Most of America’s hot dogs are rather bland affairs, I’ve heard people describe them as “basically rolled up bologna,” but Thumann’s follows a more traditional “old world” recipe, and the delicate flavor of the combination of herbs and spices is quite evident, and enjoyable.  The “snap” is great.

Most hot dogs we purchase are pre-cooked, and thus require only reheating at home.  Natural casing dogs require a “gentle” reheating, so as to not split the casing open during the cooking process.   You’ll hear many different methods of doing this, whether it’s boiling water, shutting it off, and letting the dogs take a hot water bath for five minutes;  slow grill;  simmer; steam.    For today, I did low and slow in a skillet.

I like the Skyline “chili”, and I have that word in quotes, because in a fair amount of the country, you’ll see a product like this referred to as “hot dog sauce.”  The Midwest version is usually minced ground beef in a tomato-based sauce, with herbs and spices.  Ohioans like some cinnamon in the mix.   In the Deep South, you’ll find onion-based sauces.

I prefer the Midwestern style, as it was what I was first exposed to, at my all time favorite go-to dog place, Deluxe Coney Island in Duluth.  The Duluth version doesn’t include cinnamon, but today, in Portland, Oregon, at 330 AM in my kitchen, the Skyline Chili was just what the doctor (some doctor, somewhere, certainly not mine!) ordered!

Skyline Chili

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I’m generally thought to be a fairly good internet researcher, tho I have not been able to come up with the origin of “SOS” or “Shit on a Shingle” as it was referred to by generations of US armed service employees.  (A more polite version of the abbreviation might be “Stuff on a shingle’ or “Same old stuff.”)

A common description for chipped beef in a cream sauce, served over toast, “SOS” is thought to have been created in the Southern United States prior to 1900 as a way of extending leftovers.  It may be a variant of sausage gravy.  The Stouffer’s package describes it as “tender strips of dried beef in a seasoned creamy sauce.”

Variations on the dish may include using ground beef in lieu of chipped beef.

What is chipped beef?  Hormel used to describe their own version of this as “an air-dried product that is similar to bresaola, but not as tasty.”

The meat is swimming in a white sauce, and served over toast, generally as a breakfast dish.  It used to be a standard in diners, but is difficult to find these days.  Chain restaurants have replaced it with sausage gravy, for the most part.

It is generally very salty, and Stouffer’s version (a boiling bag product) has a half-day’s RDA of sodium in a serving.

In my memory, we were never served this at home when I was growing up, but we did frequently have jars of the Hormel processed meat product in the pantry.  I’m not really sure what for.

Stouffer’s instructions tell you to place the sealed pouch in boiling water for 18 minutes; alternatively, you may elect to pierce the pouch, place it in a bowl, and microwave for 9 minutes.   Open pouch, pour over toast.

I’ve always had a fondness for this dish, probably because (some would say) I’m addicted to salt.

Regardless of my motivation, I picked up a packet of it recently, and enjoyed it last nite.

If you’re inclined to make it at home, from scratch, here’s a recipe that serves 60, from the 1910 edition of “Manual for Army Cooks.”

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Fletcher’s, “proudly Canadian since 1917″, arguably makes some of the best mass-market bacon around.  And you’ll pay for it, as well.  A full line-up of their processed pork products is here.

We’re enjoyed their bacon from time to time, and last week I picked up a pack of their Louisiana style hot links smoked sausage.

They are fat, juicy, and full of flavor.  Great snap.  And they are HOT.

This is one of the ‘hotter’ mass market smoked sausages I have found.  Probably the only one we regularly purchase that gives off more heat, is Fred Meyer’s house brand “Italian hot.”

I liked these.  For breakfast, dinner, in gumbo, or any other reason you have to use a smoked sausage, Fletcher’s is a good choice.

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Founded in 1977 in California, Claim Jumper has grown to 37 locations, mostly in the Western US.  With a decor resembling a rustic hunting lodge, and a menu that offers virtually “something for everyone”, the chain maintains its popularity because of quality food, large portions, and friendly, prompt service.

The seating capacity at the outlet we visited was 550, according to the occupancy sign at the door, and since we had to wait (very briefly) for a table, one would guess the joint was full up.

Service was prompt, regardless.   We started with the pretzel stick appetizer (choice of butter and salt coating, or parmesan / garlic), which comes with your choice of a cheese or mustard dipping sauce.  These aren’t your standard pretzel bits, but rather a half dozen nearly foot long soft rods, warm, chewy, and flavorful.

Mrs. Burgerdogboy went for the chopped Cobb salad, with an add on of chopped tenderloin steak; the salad was artfully arranged on the plate, and the beef was flavorful and very tender.

I opted for the “light” portion of country fried steak, which came with mash and white gravy.  The steak coating was crispy, and the meat was tender.   A lot of prep of CFS use a less than premium cut of beef, but I can’t say that was the case here.  It’s a good piece of beef.

My entree is not for the feint of heart or carb counters, however.  With a single plate topping 2000 calories and nearly 200 carbs, that’s a lot of “nutrition.”

We passed on dessert, tho we have had their chocolate mother-lode cake before, six layers, and 11 bucks worth of a slice of cake that can feed an entire table.

I don’t know where Claim Jumper fits in the restaurant hierarchy. It’s a few notches above what I would call “fast casual”, but a few notches below “fine dining.”

The bill for an appetizer, two entrees, 1 cocktail, 1 coffee came in at $52 including tip.

Claim Jumper is a great place for good food, prepared well, and parties of diners with diverse palates.  With virtually every food category offered on the menu, from grills, to salads, to pasta, to sandwiches, no one in your party will go away hungry.

Location finder.  Full menu online.

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Back in the day, before there were national chains that offered TNB, there was a local one in my home town.  It was next door to a place that sold soda by the case, in a myriad of flavors, with their own label on it.  I don’t remember the names of either place.

Every week, I get Papa Murphy’s coupons in the mail, they come on Tuesdays with some other postal flyers.   They are usually a better deal than any of the other chains, today it was $10 for a large 5 meat stuffed pie.

This pizza has the usual cheese, sauce, and is topped with pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, and the other kind of bacon, then a second crust is placed on top of that, and some more sauce, cheese, and ground beef is sprinkled atop the outer crust.

I swear this puppy weighed in at 5 pounds, making it a terrific value.  It could feed a large family, I am sure. (I was only good for two small slices, which still blew my carb allowance for the day).

Papa Murphy’s supplies their pies on a disposable baking tray, so all you have to do is follow the instructions, 425, center rack, 25-30 minutes, take it off the tray and place directly on the rack after 20 for a crispier crust.

It’s been eons since I had a Papa Murphy’s, and I have to say, for the “value chains”, this is my new bestest favorite.   The crust was crispy, there is tons of cheese, mild sauce, and it is crammed full of processed pork products.

Below are pix of the pie uncooked, cooked, and of a slice.  The side view of the slice shows the ample ingredients.

I don’t know why I haven’t picked these up more often. I will  in the future.

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Cracked open a one pound package of Hoffy Premium Bacon for breakfast this morning; like most people these days, Mrs. BDB and I are bacon crazy, and we’re constantly on the look out for bacon that suits our palate.

Hoffy gets about 18 slices to the pound, thicker than some, thinner than others.  We liked it.

It’s my own personal conclusion that Hoffy is building their reputation and product line based on creating product that caters to the widest possible audience, and that’s a good thing.

The basis for my opinion is fairly straight forward: quality products, good taste, and not burdened with extreme flavors – and by that I mean, the product tastes the way you would expect, rather than having some overpowering flavor imparted from additives.

There is an occasional conflict in the BurgerDogBoy household about how to cook bacon – my personal preference is to fry it in a skillet or on a cast iron griddle on the stove top, and the reason I like doing this is to be able to collect the residual fat left after cooking – to use it in other things I concoct in the kitchen during the week.

Mrs. Burgerdogboy prefers that we bake our pork strips in the oven, and how she does this is to put a bread rack on cookie sheet and pop it in a 350 oven for 20 minutes, and turning and watching after that milestone.

The baking method has its advantages, for sure, less shrinkage, the strips cook up flat and straight, and she insists (OK, I agree with her) that the bacon cooks more evenly.

And thus we baked our Hoffy Bacon this morning.   The first thing one notices when the baking is partially into the process, you get an overwhelming odor sensation of “OMG – there’s PORK cooking!”

That’s right, Hoffy Bacon actually smells and tastes like a bonafide pork product.  It’s relatively lean, and it tastes (in our opinion) like bacon is supposed to taste.

Maybe Hoffy could adopt that tag line you see lately for other products? “Bacon, the way it was meant to be!”

It’s so easy to be disappointed in bacon these days, we’ve purchased on of the largest national brands lately and watched it virtually “melt” into nothingness in the skillet.  Not to mention sticker shock, lately.  I’ve seen a pound package of another brand for $15.  What?  We do like Hoffy comes in a 1 lb package, a lot of bacon these days is packed in 12 oz units.

Congrats on a great product, Hoffy people!  We’ll be regulars.

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