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OAFE Award: PC Papa Panini Sandwich Press

Every Christmas I am spoiled by my loved ones, and this one, despite my efforts to change the pattern, was no exception. Everyone went above and beyond, again, and it seems I came out the winner.

panini.jpgAnd, as per usual, it would be much too hard to narrow down a favourite gift, but I am thinking with my belly this morning (something I’ve been doing for quite some time now), and I thought it was necessary to brag about the foody gift I received from Dan. Though I had pointed it out about a billion times in the past while grocery shopping, I had completely forgotten about it when Dan, dressed in Santa hat and pjs, handed me a large heavy box on Christmas morning. I ripped off the paper and just beamed. We finally had a panini sandwich maker!

My love of the panini sandwich is not new. I discovered them while living in Virginia in 2000, when I went to lunch at a little cafe with my mother one afternoon. Kiari’s Cafe offered a grilled vegetable panini on their menu that boasted artichokes, hearts of palm, eggplant and cheese as ingredients. I realize that I may have lost most of you by admitting to what on the sandwich, but it was truly amazing. So much so that a trip to Virginia is not complete without a visit to Kiari’s, much to my mother’s chagrin. She has been trying to get me to branch out to other lunchtime venues while there, but I outright refuse. I’m loyal, and I love my grilled veggie panini.

And now I can make them at home. We busted it out when Liz and Mark were here two nights ago, and everyone gave it a thumbs up, mostly because they were too busy devouring their sandwiches to give me a verbal review. The PC Panini Sandwich Press has been in my possession for a little under a week and it’s already changed the way that the Fullertons look at sandwiches.

Mmm…I wonder if I can make a breakfast version. I’d better go see………

December 30, 2006 - 10:38 am

dan - I must confess to ulterior motives: giving a panini press to a panini-holic benefits me too. I get to eat the mistakes as she hones her craft as a panini artist, as well as partake in the masterpieces …

December 30, 2006 - 2:37 pm

Mark - pa·ni·no (pə-nē’nō)
n., pl. pa·ni·ni (-nē).

An Italian sandwich made usually with vegetables, cheese, and grilled or cured meat.

[Short for Italian panino (imbottito), stuffed bread, sandwich : panino, diminutive of pane, bread + imbottito, past participle of imbottire, to stuff.]

I like to call this version of the curious little delicacy the “Shanadanini”. The consistency of the grilled pita bread was incredible: Crisp on the outside and moist in the middle. One would have thought the addition of freshly sliced tomatoes would have rendered this epicurean masterpiece soggy (not to mention hearts of palm and artichokes). If I have been wrong about anything in my life, it was this. Disaster avoided. The target temperature setting could perhaps be not only the smallest window of any culinary enterprise, but the slimmest margin of error in all thermodynamics (if not Science). I am happy to say that they nailed it! I need a cigarette

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