When you’re traveling and looking for the best restaurants to eat at on your trip, who do you ask? You could, of course, go to social media and ask for recommendations, or maybe call or text friends in the area, but how about asking a tire company?
Brothers Edouard and Andre Michelin founded the Michelin tire company in 1889, and their removable pneumatic tire changed long distance cycling forever. But it was the company's car tires that pushed them to develop the first of the now-famous Michelin Red Guides.
In 1900 there were only 3,000 cars registered in France, and the brothers felt they needed to help boost automobile sales, which would of course increase the need for tires, so they developed guides for motorists. These guides included listings for petrol stations, mechanics and hotels.
In 1926 the guide began to include what has made it famous -- restaurants -- and in 1931 they developed the three-star model. Restaurants may be listed in a guide with no stars, but the best restaurants in the area are awarded one star for being very good, two stars for being excellent and worth a detour, and three stars for exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.
The Michelin guide began in France and spread throughout Europe. Today there are more than 33 area Michelin guides around the globe, with 4 in the United States: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. There are currently only ten 3-star-rated restaurants in the United States.
The awarding of Michelin Stars can make or break a chef’s career, but what about the career of a pitmaster? Sadly, Michelin has not awarded a star to a barbecue restaurant…but we can dream.
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The guys wrap up their recipes-based-on-movies series in the Cooking with Fire podcast. In this episode they make the World's Greatest Sandwich, inspired by the movie Spanglish.
World's Greatest Sandwich (Spanglish Sandwich)
1 serving
- 3-4 slices thick cut bacon
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 (3/4” thick) slices of bread from French Boule
- 2 slices Monterey jack cheese
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 2-4 slices tomato
- 1-2 leaves butter lettuce
- kosher salt
- Cook the bacon in a skillet or on a rack over a pan, in the oven, to desired doneness.
- Melt two tablespoons butter in a skillet, over medium-low heat. Place the two slices of bread over the melted butter. Place the two slices of jack cheese on one slice of bread. Cover the skillet and cook until the cheese is melted and bread is lightly toasted.
- Spread the mayo over the not toasted side of the slice of bread without cheese. Layer on the bacon, then the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt. Top the tomatoes with the lettuce.
- Melt the one remaining tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Cook the egg over medium-low heat until the thick white is nearly set. Turn and cook another 10 seconds to set the white. The Slide the egg out of the skillet and onto the lettuce. Top with the cheesy bread. Slice through the yolk, and enjoy!
