Just can't get it in northern VA. That's why every time I come up to New Jersey all semblance of a diet I may be trying to stick to goes out the window. The food is just better here - at least everyday type food that is. Pizza, bagels, cheesesteaks, Boar's Head deli meat, bread, even burgers are better.
Well today Jack (age seven) and I broke away from the clan and went on a bike ride to Neptune Market. I just love the fact that my boy is getting old enough to go on some significant jaunts with me. We did this last year too, so I guess you can say it's become our little tradition.
We cruised north on Long Beach Blvd a mile and a half to the 'market.' It's really a general store. The boulevard has a narrow strip for a bike lane along either side of the road. Lots of obstacles...joggers, sandy driveways, drainage sewers, and packs of kids riding their bikes to the beach on the wrong side of the road...all while cars are whizzing by at 40 mph. Very nerve wracking for a father trying to teach his son the rules of the road.
Anyway, once Jack and I got to the Neptune we parked the bikes, squeezed past a few of the regulars getting their morning paper, and hopped on a pair of stools at the counter. These were 360 stools. Jack started spinning around "daddy...I remember this...I remember that..."
The grill hand turned to take our order.
"Two pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwhiches please."
"On a hard roll, right?"
"Of course."
Let me tell you about a pork roll, egg, and cheese on a hard roll. It's like a cheesesteak for the morning. I'm sure some of you are asking "what's pork roll?" I'll try to explain. Pork roll (aka Taylor Ham - Taylor is a brand name you know) is a kind of mild sausage that is sliced from a "roll" and resembles bologna. There's just a mild spice and a slight sweetness to it. When the grease from this sweet goodness mixes with the buttery but loosely cooked egg and melted cheese all kinds of taste sensations ooze from the flattened hard roll.
Now the hard roll is a bit of a misnomer. The hard roll is actually soft. Only it's outer shell is hard. Actually, more like...crisp. Picture the crisp you get from an authentic flaky croissant. This outer shell is very thin and delicate while the inside of the roll is extremely light and airy. The roll...this texture...is absolutely critical to the experience as it will soak up the greasy mixture the way buttered italian bread soaks up spaghetti sauce.
Needless to say, I wolfed mine down in about 15 seconds. Jack (and let me tell you, that boy can eat) on the other hand could only down a little more than half. So I did what every self respecting father would do and chomped down on his other half.
After Jack bought some Bubble Tape (would you believe gum that's rolled up like a tape measure?) with the loose change from the shore house we cycled back and got ready to spend the day at the beach.
As we arrived Jack proclaimed "daddy...I'm still full." And after one and a half of those bad boys, so was I. Would you believe they carried us through a day of boogie boarding, lasting until dinnertime?
Later that night Jack and I went out on the dock together just the two of us. "Daddy...can we bike to the Neptune Market again tomorrow? This time I'm gonna eat the whole thing."
So we did.
And there you have the story of a boy, a dad, two bikes, and five pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwhiches.
