“Made from scratch” always gets my attention. Acknowledging the creative and getting-your-hands-dirty effort required to make something from scratch is, in my opinion, something that is not done enough in our world of frozen-to-microwave convenience. And that’s why a signature sandwich from The Grapevine Restaurant in Paris is this month’s Valley Vittles.
It’s called The Grapevine pocket burger. Have you ever heard of a pocket burger? It’s a handmade beef patty with swiss cheese, bacon, house barbecue sauce, and whatever else you want wrapped in a grilled flour or all grain tortilla. Think of it as a Southern cheeseburger quesadilla.
The blended flavors and textures are unique. The combination of that savory from-scratch barbecue sauce and subtle mellowness of swiss cheese meld with the burger and are somehow enhanced by the grilled tortilla. Don’t ask me how. Maybe it’s because there’s no bread to get in the way, I don’t know, but the result is a distinctive sandwich experience, and it is delicious.
Not surprisingly, The Grapevine owner, Kenneth Vines, said the pocket burger didn’t come from a measured and deliberate effort to create something new. Nope, it was the result of “playing around” with different components in the kitchen. Like so many other culinary delights, this made from scratch recipe is the result of pure serendipity.
I say Kenneth needs to play around in the kitchen as often as possible.
Serendipity strikes again
