Ode to a Grocery Store Sandwich
"I grew up afraid of the grocery store, as I imagine most hungry children do. I was always worried the pitiless eyes of the upstairs offices could tell I was both hungry and poor, posing a threat to the merchandise and to the order that decrees even hungry children need to pay. Coins counted in a calloused palm and always last-minute sacrifices removed from the bag, I remember the grocery store as an ache on top of hunger, a scorching shame and a tragically visible vulnerability; when you fail at the checkout counter of your neighborhood market, everybody knows.
This fear and watchful certainty of degradation by the pound kept me away from the outer edges of a good supermarket: the butcher counter, the bakery, and the deli. It is only because of this that I did not discover the joy of a grocery store deli sandwich until I was nearly an adult."
Meg Elison writes powerfully about growing up hungry, grocery store sandwiches, and the care that can go into the simplest of meals. This essay is accompanied by a recipe for the perfect grocery-store-style roast beef sandwich. I can attest that following this recipe will produce a deluxe sandwich - Elison shares a secret step that brings it to a whole other level.
Go read the essay and get the recipe here!