Arts Life The Best Of Everything All Agog And Gooey home-cooked food didn't really care as they dug in with lip-smacking zest. Folks from all walks of life came to Samuels Brothers ... judges, showbiz celebrities, sports figures, etc ... in seating that was twice the size of when it first opened many years before. Those who didn't look for atmos- pastrami combinations. But for phere ... other than signs all over the always knew that a PB&J, all you really need is a walls ... and didn't mind cafeteria din- George Cantor was a good piece of white or whole ing ... enjoyed it as a real treat. heck of a good writer, wheat. For those special occa- TO SCOTCH 'N SIRLOIN in but I never realized sions, or when you're serving Detroit that actually began back in that he had such a luscious guests, a piece of challah or egg 1921 when the late Buddy Meyerson passion for the favorite bread is also appropriate. But had a confectionery and soda shop on sandwich of so many. then there is no sandwich in the corner of Oakland and Holbrook Or at least he did 24 years the world that doesn't taste bet- ... People enjoyed such pleasures as-a ago. DANNY ter with challah. stroll to the corner for a dish of ice Back in 1980, George RASKIN "The bread should be firm. cream and penny rock candy and wrote a swell piece ... which Local Columnist Nothing is more annoying licorice sticks for the kids. I happened upon while rum- than to have your bread tear as Buddy's and Mary's three sons, maging through some old you administer the layer of peanut Arlyn, Jerry and Aubrey each served books I had stashed away. butter. It gets all over the counter and boyhood apprenticeships at mom and Luckily they weren't at the office you have to wipe it off with a sponge dad's Buddy's Log Cabin Barbeque on and destroyed with everything else in and it just looks sickening. So be sure the corner of 12th and Clairmount the tragic Jewish News fire of 2002 ... your bread is firm and can stand As young men, they decided to open or else George's treatise that I found up to the plastering it will under- their own eatery. on peanut butter sandwiches would go. Detroit was enjoying the post- have also gone up in smoke. "I prefer a butter knife with a war boom and expanding into It originally appeared in the 1980 thick handle for my spreading the suburbs ... When a location edition of Meet, Eat c Enjoy Detroit implement. It is easy to grip and on the far northwest corner of (ME6ED) by Harry Satchwell and gives you certain flexibility, as the city became available, they Mary Conway ... which I had written well. were ready. about at the time. "The peanut butter goes on Result was the Scotch 'n Sirloin, George, who now writes a weekly first. This should be self-evident which marked another milestone column for the Jewish News, was then a in the Meyerson family's long his- Detroit News columnist ... and wrote in but I have heard tales of mixing the two ingredients in advance tory of food service. MEth-ED how to make one properly. and spreading them on the bread TO BENNO'S in Detroit ... "Proper preparation of the peanut as an entry. If true, this is so with only nine tables ...-and the butter and jelly sandwich is a decep- revolting an idea that I don't even owner greeting you in an apron tively simple operation that has snared want to talk about it. was the same fellow who did the more than one cook. "Being a lifelong Detroiter, I cooking and everything else ... No "Actually, I only say that because it prefer Velvet peanut butter. Any reservation? No getting in ... makes me feel good. Peanut butter major brand will do, though, even if the place was empty. and jelly sandwiches are about the except for the one that Annette TO JAKKS LOUNGE in Oak only kitchen function, aside from eat- Funicello gives those smarmy TV Park, to see what they meant by ing, that I can perform. When I was commercials for. Those things are having a first ... soup and an alco- single, the oven in my apartment enough to make you switch to holic drink at the same time ... It remained unlit for four years. Friends grilled cheese. was called Gazpacho Bloody Mary came over to marvel at its virginal "The peanut butter should be ... with the cold soup from appearance. The only items found in spread evenly so as to completely PB6j aficionado and JN columnist George Cantor Harriett and Jack Goldberg's Stage my refrigerator were a carton of cover the top surface of the Delicatessen in Oak Park and chocolate milk, a six-pack of beer, a bread. Do not let it slop over the the vodka from their nephew loaf of bread and a jar of jelly. (Peanut burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. crusts, though. This reeks of excess Herb Goldberg of Jakks, who com- butter is never kept in the refrigerator, With peanut butter coming back and I find it in bad taste. bined soup and vodka. but should be stored on a shelf and into its own as a great health food ... "Now for the jelly. Smuckers is my TO THE RASCAL HOUSE served at room temperature. If you hopefully more and more restaurants preferred brand because the name is opened by Bernie Glieberman, Al have no shelf, use a card table.) will put back those wonderful peanut hilarious. And, I must confess, I favor Hacker and Jack Meyers ... predecessor "To make an unforgettable PB&J butter and jelly sandwiches many folks to the now-closed Golden Mushroom preserves over true jelly. This may sandwich, one needs only a knife still enjoy so much. offend the purists who will argue the ... It was the location where many besides the necessary food ingredients. MAKING SOME ROUNDS of sandwich I am describing is actually a folks thought that Darbys, after its "The right bread is essential. Many yesteryears ... peanut butter and PRESERVES. My fire; would be the new restaurant people make the mistake of permitting TO SAMUELS BROTHERS only response is that it's my sandwich opening in Southfield ... Darbys did the bread to overpower the spreads. restaurant in Detroit's Eastern Market and I'll call it what I damn well please. open again ... by owner Sam Boesky Rye, corn and pumpernickel are per- for an enjoyable experience. "I believe the jelly should be spread and general manager stepson Bernie fectly fine breads for serious sandwiches The place may not have been much lightly. I know that gobs of jelly look Kerner ... but as Darbys Stanley such as corned beef, chopped liver and to look at, but people who liked good attractive placed upon the peanut but- _Steamer in Oak Park. ❑ Passion for peanut butter is not just kids' stu I - ra,:7 2/ 6 2004 46 ter, but jelly does not have very good adhesive qualities and one may wind up with large clots of it on one's lap if one is not as neat as one should be. "Strawberry is the best flavor, but I am willing to countenance cherry, grape, raspberry — as long as it is red- dish. The one thing I won't stand for is apple jelly or another flavor that is similar in color to the peanut butter. This is aesthetically a disaster and it can't be very healthy for you, either. "Eat the sandwich either open or • closed face, according to choice. For best results, it should be accompanied by a large glass of chocolate milk, which helps clear the- peanut butter from the roof your mouth." The passing of the peanut butter sandwich from the restaurant scene years ago was not a popular one ... and is something that I and, hopefully, George, too, would like to see reversed. At one time, the peanut butter sand: wich was a staple on many restaurant menus ... along with hot dogs, ham- .