Home is where the 'Weck is

America has had a reputation as a culinary wasteland. We saw ourselves and were seen as having no true character, no soul, no history. Somehow, tuna noodle casserole and meatloaf became iconic American dishes. And yet, what lay and lies a bit under that stereotype is a truly imposing variety of regional cuisines, all of which have their own history, and often, their own ingredients, on account of the climate and location. I can't think of Maine without thinking of lobster and shrimp. I can't think of Maryland without craving crab-cakes. Living in Rhode Island I loved the fried calamari you would find in dozens of variations, the Portuguese chorizos and seafood stews, the deep fried clams I ate at the beach. The pacific northwest has its wild salmon, and incredible variety of produce. So-cal and the Southwest have their Mexican influence and BBQ traditions. Jason has often mentioned his love of Louisiana Creole cuisine.

There's no shortage of regional flavors and recipes, but one that is particularly close to my heart and is the iconic food of my hometown, Buffalo, NY. Buffalo has had a number of waves of immigrants in its history including Poles, Germans and Italians. Some of the great butcher shops in Buffalo are remnants of these old school food-cultures. One great hold over from a more German era is the Kummelweck roll. Supposedly brought from the Black Forest to Buffalo by immigrants working on the Erie Canal in the 1800s, this kaiser-esque bread is studded with caraway seeds and sprinkled with sea salt. In Buffalo the roll is then turned into what is lovingly known as Beef on 'Weck, slow roasted beef, kummelweck roll, beef jus, and as much prepared horseradish as you can stand. There are only 4 components really, the roll, the meat, the jus and the horseradish, but it is shockingly delicious. Heart clogging and sensational. If you didn't make a mess, you didn't do it right. To cut straight to the chase, I wish I was eating one right now.