This is something of an embarrassing question to ask, since all of us who've done time in the Garden State carry a residual shame, a sense of terrible inferiority and unworthiness, about the whole thing. Still, I've spent many years pondering this query and have yet to find a satisfactory answer: Why is it so goddamn hard to get a Taylor Ham & Cheese sandwich in this fucking town?
For those of you unfamiliar with the comestible treasure that is Taylor Ham (also known as "pork roll," "the Jersey breakfast," "the Garden State garbage plate," "Bon Jovi bologna," "the Cheesequake colon corrupter," and "Jimmy Hoffa's final resting place"), here is a helpful Wikipedia entry on the subject. Though often abused for its unsavory contents, its role as a contributing factor in a majority of diabetes cases, and its perceived culinary inferiority-even the inbred Pennsylvanians who turn their noses up at it, comparing it unfavorably to scrapple, have a point-Taylor Ham is one of those foodstuffs that, one having grown up consuming it, is deeply necessary for personal comfort and sodium replenishment. You used to be able to find the packaged version in some Met stores, but as for the menus of this allegedly cosmopolitan city's finer dining establishments, you will search in vain for even the hint of a glistening slab of reconstituted jowl meat.
Having worked here at the Awl offices for what is rapidly approaching a year's time now, I only today ventured over to Crif Dogs, where I was thrilled to discover the "Morning Jersey," a frankfurter wrapped in Taylor Ham, deep fried, smothered in cheese and topped with a fried egg. Still, it was not enough. (Although, BELIEVE ME, it was enough; I'm supposed to have some blood work done next week and now I'm going to need to push it back to February so that it will have left my system by then.) Where else in New York can I find Taylor Ham, preferably served in between a hard roll, with cheese? Alcohol and cigarettes are not killing me fast enough; I feel like this might just put me over the top. Stop holding out on me, you hidden Jerseyans out there: Spill. I mean, not for nothing, it's the least you could do, right?
When you find one, make sure you get it with saltpepperketchup (one word!)
agree!
(Don't Be Surprised by Your Bleeding) Hole Foods?
I have spent the past two years trying to find any consistently decent breakfast sandwich in San Francisco, and am constantly frustrated and disappointed. I dream of the egg sandwiches from the family-owned deli near my parents' house in New Jersey, and when I went home for Christmas, it turned out that the family had sold it and left.
But anyway, despite my Jersey upbringing I prefer bacon to ham.
It's "Taylor Ham" not just any old ham!
Oh, I'm well aware. But still. Bacon > any other breakfast sandwich meat option, regardless of local cultural importance.
Somehow my dad always has a loaf of this in the fridge and makes a fried Taylor ham sandwich every day that he's not at work. He's in PA so someone must bring it to him? I don't know where he gets it really. He got back on Taylor ham after a nostalgia vacation back to Ocean City NJ and he went off on his own everyday to get a sandwich for lunch. I've never tasted it because he does not share nor make sandwiches for his kids.
I feel like I've seen it in a grocery store someplace in NY? I'll think on this...
For whatever reason, pork roll has crossed the Delaware but not the Hudson. It's sort of the opposite of the White Castle Dilemma: you can find them in New York and New Jersey, but not in PA. I submit that it's no coincidence that Jersey is the center of this Venn diagram of delicious treats.
I grew up outside of Philadelphia, and it's around...although easier to find in places such as Delaware County. It's funny you mention OCNJ, my family rented a house there every summer for years. My Grandpa would make us pork roll (Taylor ham) sandwiches for lunch every day at the beach, but NEVER in PA. So I understand the beach nostalgia.
God, just reading this makes me want to get an angioplasty.
I think I'm getting stigmata.
That's just ketchup.
So what you're asking for is vomit on a hard roll? Because I think I can get that to you within a half hour.
At the College Diner in New Paltz. I know that this is not helpfully located in NYC, but it is in New York State and it does serve Taylor Ham, which is surprising and of note. I don't think one has to have grwon up with Taylor Ham to love it - I convert people all the time!
On a related (or sort of unrelated note), does anyone in New York order "coffee regular" anymore? This used to mean coffee with milk and 1 sugar as I recall.
Nic when I moved to NYC it took me 6 months before I could properly order my coffee the way I liked it (i.e., with mile and sugar). I would say "light coffee with sugar" and always get anything but. Finally one day a kind soul replied "you mean a coffee regular?". It was an epiphany. And from that day on that is what I requested and that is what I received.
A lady friend of dieting age complains she can't get served coffee with whole milk on the UES. What is the code word she must use?
Having previously worked at a deli in New Jersey for 5 years, Taylor Ham by far produced the most grease out of any food I ever had to prepare. That includes the frozen pre-cooked bacon we served (it was a classy place).
Perhaps you can get in touch with the people mentioned in this story and they can help you? Though you'd have to make it yourself, which I believe it biologically impossible for a New Yorker (Hooked on take out!!You CAN kick the habit! Help IS available!")
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E5D71030F935A15751C1A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
A place called Dogs on Park on East 7th Street between Avenues A and B used to serve Taylor ham sandwiches with eggs or whatever you wanted really. The place shut down a year or two ago and is now a crappy falafel joint. The woman who owned Dogs on Park was really sweet and I was sad to see it go.
I'll settle for a Taylor Lautner sandwich.
2nded
I haven't lived in NYC since '92... But I seem to recall picking up Taylor Pork Roll at Gristede's in the West Village somewhere... Does Gristede's still exist? What about the West Village..?
My mom's family is from NJ - and she used to bring boxes of pork roll back with her to the West Coast after every trip east... This went on from childhood to well beyond my college years... And I don't know why, but we called it "Pork Taylor Roll."
I prefer it served between two slices of Pepperidge Farms white bread.
Also: 1-866-4NJ-PORK
http://www.jerseyporkroll.com/
Gristedes in the West Village still exists. It's my local grocery though I don't recall seeing Taylor Pork Roll anywhere.
You can find pork roll in Delaware and Philly pretty easily. New York is just a bunch of SNOBS.
But isn't the real question on which side of the divide you fall on the Taylor Ham Pork Roll Map?
I'm from Morris County and everyone I know says Taylor Ham, so, accurate map!
Fiction. I'm from Hudson County, and the ubiquity of "pork roll" as a term was so complete that for years I actually thought Taylor ham was synonymous with Canadian bacon. Of course, I could just be an blithering moron, too.
I always thought this too!
Taylor Ham is just the brand name of pork roll, no? (too many comments from me on the Taylor Ham post)
Right, two names for the same thing, essentially.
In the spirit of continued earnest helpfulness, here's a dude who claims to have found the elusive sandwich on West 44th Street.
I spend way too much time in the Lehigh Valley of PA, where pork roll rolls. You can even get it on a variety of breads at the WaWa.
please tell me you've seen the breakfast hoagie promo from wawa?
I have not. When I was there last weekend they were all turkey-something or other.
http://www.breakfasthoagie.com/
Do NOT click that. Autoplay commercial with peppy songs. Yikes.
http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=pork+roll&word2=taylor+ham
Listen, in DC, we can't even get a good hard roll, for fuck's sake. Be happy with what you do have.
Note: while this comment sounds like it could be about fucking, it is actually about a bread product. I am sorry for any confusion this may cause.
You want confusion? In my yoof they were called Kaiser rolls. In my last trips back to NYC that did not ring a bell to the average deli worker.
I always thought Kaiser rolls had poppy seeds on them? Because poppy seeds are sort of prevalent in Germany, where they use the word Kaiser? But I am now unsure.
Ladies, I feel your pain.
Some folks call it a Kaiser roll, I call it a sling roll.
You're not going to like this answer, but take the PATH to Hoboken. If my foggy memory of that town serves me, Hoboken Hot Bagels serves Taylor Ham, and I'm assuming other spots do as well.
Get the fuck outta here.
Hey, desperate times, desperate measures, my friend.
http://www.allmenus.com/nj/hoboken/205791-hoboken-hot-bagels/menu/
Yours for a mere $3.25.
actually, you should take the PATH to exchange place and go to the Flamingo Restaurant. There you can consume Taylor Ham in the most optimal environment.
http://www.menupix.com/jerseycity/restaurants.php?id=306660#
hats off to anything that gets compared unfavorably to SCRAPPLE, king of the maligned pork-byproducts. (this message brought to you by an ex-pennsylvanian.)
Learn to fucking cook you lazy fuck.
See my comment above. Living in Yurp, where take-out (much less home-delivered) is hard to find, one adapts very quickly to the reality of cooking for yourself a lot. It really can be done...even you Starbucks junkies can be saved.
Also: sandwiches.
I bet he doesn't even know how to cook a steak.
i'm pretty sure Taylor Ham is one of those new young stars that's in a show i never watch who everyone is waiting for to turn 18.
"You Belong With Meat"
Am I the only one secretly waiting for "boyofdestiny [#1243]" to respond to a comment by " Hobbesian
[#255]" (or vice-versa)?
I get the sammie-- that's SOP after a night of drinking-- but not the affinity for meat described as "pork-like." No likey! Unless you convince me otherwise, I say settle for some Canadian bacon.
Also, can we get an update to reflect that said dog has indeed worked its way through your system? Thanks!
Also also, let's say someone knows how to get his hands on a package of this delicacy. Can you take it from there?
You can buy pork roll at the Shop Rite in Brooklyn at 1080 McDonald Ave. They might sell it at the Foodtown on McDonald and Albemarle Road too.
Balk: order the No. 8. Tell 'em I. W. Harper sent you. You'll get what you crave.
http://worldfoodsnyc.com/2009/04/banh-mi-cart/
you can order pork roll at Applejack Diner on 55th and Broadway in Manhattan. The only con: they thick slice it. Instead of several thin slices, you'll get one fat hunk o'Taylor Ham. But for true TH lovers, this shouldn't be a problem.
Enjoy!
You fucker! Now he will be complacent and un-Balk like!!!
That's how they do on the boardwalk!
With all due respect - honestly - how is Taylor Ham different from Spam?
Cause I read the wiki. And it sounds like Spam.
one starts with "sp" and the other starts with "taylor h".
This is late I KNOW! But seamlessweb to the rescue: Bully's on 759 BROADWAY (8th & Broadway) lists Taylor Meat Traditional Sandwich on the menu, and "Taylor Ham ($2.20)" in the meat selection!
I have an entire frozen log of this stuff sitting in my freezer - but I'm afraid to take it out to thaw in fear I'll eat the entire thing. Real Catch-22 here.
jerseyporkroll.com --- any pork roll you want.