For the Love of Pastrami

It is quite easy for me to believe, that long before I moved to China full time, I once became as fat as a house. New Jersey can do that to you. More than a lot of other states, the various different first, second, and third generation immigrant communities nearly guarantees a variety of different cuisines from Brazillian to Thai and much more. Kosher delis are a big deal here, and that is partly due to Jersey having one of the largest per-capita Jewish populations in the country. Going out hunting for pastrami sandwiches is always a fun adventure. 

Pastrami is a cured meat -- usually beef. It is brined in salt water, seasoned, dried, and sometimes smoked and steamed.  A lot of times, the meat itself is coarsely ground black pepper before it is sliced. This makes for a rich, complex, and strong flavor. Just because something comes out of Jewish food, it doesn't mean every use of it meets the religious demands of Kosher law. For example, under those rules, meat should not be mixed with dairy. So, that means the above picture sauerkraut Reuben would be a no-go for devout Jews -- it has a slice of provolone on it. However, for a state with so many different immigrant communities, a lot of fusion has happened over the decades.  Take this beautifully unhealthy thing...

Eating too many of these per week would probably send your personal physician in fits anxiety about your cardiac health. This is quite decadent: it is pastrami topping a burger with melted swiss, fried onions, and a touch of mustard. Eating one of these makes me feel like I should atone for my crimes of gluttony by eating vegetarian the next day. But, burgers such as this are emblematic of New Jersey. Typically, a great burger is often not found at an expensive steak house, but at a local diner where the toppings can range from everything from pastrami to avocado and things Asian.  Speaking of things Asian, my visit to The Garden State only has a few more days on it before I go back to China, where, for the most part, the cuisine is less filled glorious grease (when done right).