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February 03, 2004

Club Level

As I jumped off the tube train at Alperton on the way home today - I raced down the stairs and through the barrier in order to jump onto the Route79 bus waiting at the bus stop. Only this was no ordinary 2002 version of the bus - this was a late-2003 version. As near as damn-it brand new, state-of-the-art double-decker bus as you can get in London. I marvelled in the glory of it as I made my way up to the upper deck - which I call the "Club Level" - and proceeded to the very back seat. As I sat there I took in all the finely designed curves, the smell of the brand new upholstery and the smart new LCD TFT flat-panel display at the front of the upper deck:
Hi-tech Club Level on Route79.
Later: I decided that tonight was not a night for cooking. Instead - I prepared a Route79 club sandwich: * A few leaves of fresh, crisp iceberge lettuce * One large ripe tomato, sliced thinly * Quarter of cucumber sliced thinly * Four cooked chicken thighs (skin-removed) chopped into half-bite-sized pieces * One ripe avocado - chopped into pieces same size as chicken * A few large dollops of mayonnaise * 6 small pickled gherkins - sliced finely * Some pre-sliced, smoked ham * Bread for toasting * Low-cholesterol margarine * Ground pepper Gently stir the chopped chicken, mayonnaise and chopped avocado together in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Grind some black pepper into the mixture and stir well.
Ingredients for Route79 Club Sandwich
The idea here is to make two sandwiches - comprising three slices of bread each. In other words - two "double-decker" sandwiches. For each sandwich - take 3 slices of bread, toast them lightly - and spread each slice with margarine whilst still hot. Spread one of the slices with margarine on both sides - this is the slice that will go in the middle - the slice that splits the bottom deck from the top deck! Then - on the bottom slice - cover with lettuce - then spoon on some of the chicken/avocado mixture. Cover with some more lettuce. Then place the middle (dual-margarined) slice of bread on top. Then add two slices of ham on top. Arrange some slices of tomato - and arrange the cucumber and gherkin slices on top. Sprinkle some more salt and pepper on top - and then add another two slices of ham on top of that. Finally add the top layer of toast. Press it all together firmly using the palm of your hand and cut the double-decker into four quarters using a sharp serrated knife. (Straight - not diagonally.) Serve on a large plate with a packet of tomato-ketchup (or salt and vinegar) flavoured Walkers Crisps. Voila!
She's lovin' it
Very tasty.

Posted by jag at February 3, 2004 09:46 PM

Comments

thats a rather posh looking bus, note to self, use a posh bus one day

Posted by: Jaina at February 3, 2004 10:23 PM

Very nice looking but one thing gets me: margarine!!!! This could ruin your reputation of being Brent's version of Nigella Lawson. It's butter or nothing round our way.
David

Posted by: David at February 3, 2004 10:30 PM

Jaina: please do - you will be surprised at how posh the buses are these days! Mayor Ken: "Zindabad!"

David: Well I would love to use butter - but the only problem is that the butter is usually quite hard when the block is taken out of the fridge - so the margarine is a poor, but convenient, substitute! But I would have to agree with you - perhaps I need to sit the butter on the worktop at room temp. for 10 minutes beforehand ...

Posted by: Jag at February 3, 2004 10:53 PM

The interior of the bus looks snazzier than the Business Class of an airplane; straight out of a Star Trek Set.

I wonder - whats the point of having such a thick sandwish if our mouth isnt big enough to put them in - I mean that it is difficult - even a burger is difficult to put in mouth without spilling its contents on the other side.

Posted by: sat at February 4, 2004 04:43 AM

Hey Sat: spilling the contents of sandwich all over is part of the pleasure of eating such a "thick" sandwich! :-)

Posted by: Jag at February 4, 2004 11:30 PM

I so want that bus.

Maybe Upper Class, Virgin-stylee.

Doubt they will come to the badlands of Lambeth for a while...!

Posted by: Gert at February 5, 2004 12:07 PM

Actually that bus is pornographic in its gorgeousness

Posted by: Gert at February 5, 2004 12:09 PM

Steady on Gert!

But I would have to agree with you - it's more Virgin than it is BA. :-)

Posted by: Jag at February 5, 2004 09:51 PM

Nice bus

Nice sarnie - you could always use something like "I can't believe it's not butter" as a soft spreading butter substitute, or what about Anchor spreadable, that's butter that spreads.

Going to bed, talking gibberish - g'night

Posted by: Annie Mole at February 12, 2004 12:55 AM

Annie: yes - I've always meant to try out that "spreadable" stuff - just never got around to picking it at Safeway though! Hey ho ...

Posted by: Jag at February 12, 2004 11:10 PM

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