The clock may have rolled back, but my body didn’t get the memo.
We spend our lives chasing hours, but the truth is, our rhythm runs on something deeper than the hands on a clock. Mondays already come with a built-in jolt of anxiety, and when you throw in the “fall back,” everything feels out of tune.
I wake up every morning at 3:33. This morning, the old clock on the wall said 2:33. My body said, “Nice try.” That’s my last sentence about Daylight Savings Time for the year. Let’s move on to something more important... Sandwiches.
Today is National Sandwich Day, a day for the working stiff, the road-trip driver, the construction crew, and the lunch-pail dreamer. When someone asks for my favorite sandwich, I don’t hesitate: the Ricobene breaded steak sandwich. It’s the heavyweight champ of Chicago handhelds. I also have a soft spot for the pork tenderloin that stretches across the “I” states, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. Big as a steering wheel, thin as a Sunday newspaper.
The corned beef at Manny’s is the stuff of legends. The jibarito, that Puerto Rican gem where plantains take the place of bread is a proud addition to Chicago’s digestive story. The Italian beef is our city’s birthright, especially when it’s loaded with giardiniera, and don’t get me started on the Italian sub. Everybody has their spot, but mine’s Alpine. It’s the neighborhood joint I grew up with. Bari and J.P. Graziano are both worth the trip. I don’t do Fontano’s for personal reasons, we will leave it there.
Lately, the Nashville hot chicken sandwich has muscled its way into the spotlight, but let’s not forget the humble classics: the grilled cheese, the peanut butter and jelly and the BLT. These are the sandwiches that raised us.
... And no, a hot dog is not a sandwich. That’s a fight for another Chalkboard.
So, as you battle the Monday clock and rub the sleep out of your eyes, remember.... time may change, but rhythm doesn’t.
Grab a sandwich, support your local mom-and-pop joints, and enjoy your lunch. It’s the first Monday of November, and the week isn’t waiting for you.
Now get up and get it started.
