Beef on ‘Weck at Schwabl’s
789 Center Road
West Seneca, NY
(716) 674-9821
www.schwabl’s.com
Schwabl’s Beef on ‘Weck sandwich has joined my short list of culinary “eureka!” moments. A “Eureka!” is when, of all the possible combinations of foods, the perfect complement of taste, aroma, appearance, and satisfaction is achieved. These rare recipes stand the test of time. Ruth Wakefield’s creation of Toll House cookies was one, as was Mr. Cardini’s famous Caesar Salad, and there have certainly been more. Beef on ‘Weck may be one of the least known.
Exactly what is this sandwich triumph? And what the heck is “weck”? It’s short for “kummelweck” and refers to a unique version of a Kaiser roll. German in origin, “weck” means “bread” and “kummel” is “caraway.” Take a good quality Kaiser Roll, top it with a scant scattering of caraway seeds, encrust the top with coarse salt and you’ve created “kummelweck” (sometimes pronounced “wick”.) The bread is what distinguishes Beef on ‘Weck from a French Dip, and I can’t imagine it working with anything other than beef. The beef flavor is sturdy enough to balance the zing of salt and still be tasted. Milder chicken would be lost in the brine, ham or other cured meats would conflict in a salt war, as would anything barbecued or marinated. The tender, unfussy beef, coarse salt, well-textured bread, and subtle caraway provide just the right amalgam of flavors.
Take hand-carved top quality beef, cut to the diner’s preference of doneness, and pile it generously on the bottom half of the kummelweck. Dip the crystalline top in the savory beef juices and place on the mouth-watering beef. Cut in half and serve with horseradish, preferably out of those jars I covet. Serve with coleslaw or pickled beets, but above all, with Schwabl’s homemade German Potato Salad. A pint of local brew couldn’t hurt, either.
Several Western New York restaurants vie for the best Weck title, but I like Schwabl’s. They’ve been in business since 1837 (yep, that’s 171 years) so maybe it’s all the history, or it might be the sweet nostalgia of the friendly uniformed staff, or it could be that they make real Tom and Jerry’s. I look for time, care, and pride in all Savor New York products, and they are all abundant at Schwabl’s. Just watching the carver at the round of beef proves the point.
