In search of Ruben…

To aficionados, the traditional Ruben sandwich is served just hot enough to allow the Swiss cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut and Russian dressing to delicately meld together between to slices of toasted rye bread. fantastic! A tangy burst of goodness in every bite that is unmatched to any other sandwich experience. The origins of the meal are many, from a 1920’s weekly poker game in omaha Nebraska where the players spent more time exchanging sandwich recipes than dealing cards, to restaurateur Arnold Ruben, the founder of the once famous Ruben’s deli in New York. Wherever its start, the Ruben, and its many variations continue to be a mainstay menu offering at fine eateries everywhere. The following are three great local choices: holdren’s Steakhouse, 512 State St, 805-965-3363. Scarlett Begonia, 11 W. Victoria St, 805-770-2143. Three Pickles deli, 126 e. Canon Perdido St, 805-965-1015. –RB.

Cider Rules!

hard apple ciders have been a staple beverage in england for well over two centuries. After the Pilgrims brought apple seeds to the New World, American farmers made their own ciders for hundreds of years, until the Temperance movement and Prohibition effectively made hard cider as scarce as royalty in the U.S. But the past decade has seen an enormous upswing in the popularity of this palatable drink, with NPR reporting that sales have soared 65% over last year.

Local pioneering cider enthusiast Paul Quackenbush was one of the first in this country to import english hard ciders, including his gold-medal-winning apple cider, excalibur, and his pear cider, Sir Perry. As Paul says “There are ciders and then there are ciders. We set out to make the healthiest cider we could.” his William’s orchards ciders are produced with real fruit, not flavoring, and made without chemicals, sulfites, high fructose corn syrup, glutens or Gmo’s, making them especially appealing to contemporary tastes.

Recognizing the potential for delicious cider-and-food pairings, Quackenbush invited talented caterer Lara mislang to come up with recipes inspired by their potential to pair brilliantly with his ciders. “Cider reduction in cooking,” she says, “is similar to using a wine or port reduction, but I found the cider flavor profile to have a great balance of acidity, sweetness and fruit flavor—whether it be apple, pear or strawberry. Reducing the cider intensifies the flavors and allows you to capture them in your dish without having to use as much liquid, which can be important, especially in salad dressings.”

Sourcing as many local ingredients as possible, Lara devised a butter lettuce salad that takes advantage of cider’s virtuosity in a reduction sauce, proving that William’s orchard cider and her cooking is a marriage made in a heavenly orchard. —Hilary

Dole Klein

Butter Lettuce SaLad with cider

Vinaigrette, candied waLnutS, PearS and goat cheeSe Serves 4 for the dressing:

1/4 cup walnut oil from Il fustino

1 tablespoon canola oil

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